Chapter 2 – The Billionaire Husband’s Choice
Chapter 2 – The Billionaire Husband’s Choice
Marcus Thorne had built his entire life around control.
Control of his companies.
Control of negotiations.
Control of his emotions.
People often said that was why he was successful.
They were wrong.
The real reason Marcus survived in a world full of powerful people was because he knew one thing:
Everyone lied.
Executives lied to protect their careers.
Partners lied to protect their money.
Enemies lied to protect their pride.
But he never expected the woman standing closest to him to be the one who would lie about something unforgivable.
A lie that could have killed his wife.
A lie that could have killed his child.
Marcus watched the security footage again.
Then again.
The room around him disappeared.
No hospital sounds.
No footsteps.
No voices.
Only the image playing in front of him.
Khloe walking into the suite.
Isabella following her.
The argument.
The shove.
The kick.
The moment Khloe fell.
Marcus's hands tightened around the tablet.
A dangerous calm settled over his face.
Adrian Cole watched him carefully.
Everyone knew Marcus Thorne's anger was terrifying.
But Adrian knew something else.
The quieter Marcus became...
The more dangerous he was.
"Say something."
Adrian finally said.
Marcus did not answer.
He kept watching the screen.
Until the moment Isabella stood over Khloe.
Until the moment Khloe protected her stomach instead of herself.
That was the moment Marcus looked away.
Because he couldn't watch anymore.
"She could have lost the baby."
Adrian said quietly.
Marcus closed his eyes.
The words hit harder than any physical attack.
His child.
His wife.
The two people he had promised to protect.
And he had almost failed.
"Where is she?"
Marcus asked.
Adrian understood immediately.
"Isabella?"
Marcus looked at him.
"No."
A pause.
"Khloe."
The Woman Who Almost Lost Everything
The hospital room was dim.
Khloe lay against the pillows, exhausted.
The doctors had monitored her and the baby for hours.
The good news was that the baby was stable.
The bad news was that Khloe was still in danger of complications caused by the impact.
She kept one hand over her stomach.
As if she could protect her child simply by touching him.
When Marcus entered, she immediately looked away.
That hurt him more than anger would have.
"Khloe."
She didn't respond.
He walked closer.
"I saw the recording."
Her eyes slowly moved back to him.
"You believe me?"
The question was quiet.
But Marcus felt the weight behind it.
Because that was what hurt her.
Not just Isabella's attack.
Not just the fear.
The possibility that Marcus might have doubted her.
"I should have known."
Marcus said.
Khloe looked at him.
"You did."
A pause.
"You hesitated."
Marcus had no defense.
Because she was right.
"I saw someone I trusted standing there."
His voice was low.
"I thought for one second that maybe..."
He stopped.
Because saying it aloud felt worse.
Maybe he thought Khloe was capable of violence.
Maybe he allowed Isabella's perfect image to influence him.
"I'm sorry."
Two words.
But from Marcus Thorne...
They meant everything.
Khloe looked at him for a long moment.
Then she whispered:
"I wasn't afraid of Isabella."
Marcus frowned.
"What?"
"I was afraid of what would happen if you believed her."
The words stayed between them.
Because Marcus finally understood.
Khloe had not only been attacked physically.
She had been attacked emotionally.
She had been made to feel alone.
Marcus sat beside her.
Carefully taking her hand.
"I believe you."
Khloe looked down.
"Now."
The single word cut deeper than any accusation.
"Yes."
Marcus admitted.
"Now."
A pause.
"And I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never question that again."
Isabella's Last Performance
Across the hospital, Isabella was having a very different conversation.
Her lawyer had arrived.
Her public relations team was already working.
Because Isabella Rossi understood something:
The truth mattered less than the story people believed first.
And she planned to control that story.
"I need this handled."
Isabella said.
Her lawyer looked nervous.
"The footage is a problem."
Her expression hardened.
"There is always a way."
"The camera clearly shows—"
"Then question the camera."
The lawyer stared.
"Isabella..."
She stepped closer.
"Do you know how many powerful people survived worse than this?"
A cold smile appeared.
"People don't care about truth."
"They care about who looks innocent."
And that had always been Isabella's weapon.
Her image.
Her reputation.
Her ability to make people doubt reality.
But this time...
She had made one mistake.
She forgot Marcus Thorne knew exactly how to destroy someone.
The Billionaire's Decision
The next morning, Marcus called an emergency meeting.
His executives expected a business announcement.
They were wrong.
Isabella Rossi's name appeared on the screen.
Along with the security footage.
Nobody spoke.
"Effective immediately..."
Marcus said.
"Isabella Rossi is banned from all Thorne properties."
Silence.
"All business relationships connected to her family will be reviewed."
A senior executive looked shocked.
"Mr. Thorne, this could create problems."
Marcus looked at him.
"Problems?"
A pause.
"My wife was attacked."
The room went silent.
"My unborn child was put in danger."
His voice became colder.
"If anyone considers protecting Isabella Rossi more important than protecting my family..."
"Leave now."
Nobody moved.
Because everyone understood.
This was not a business decision.
It was a declaration.
Marcus Thorne had chosen.
Not money.
Not reputation.
Not political relationships.
His family.
The Unexpected Enemy
But before Marcus could finish dealing with Isabella...
A message arrived.
Anonymous.
One sentence.
"You think Isabella acted alone?"
Marcus stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
A photograph.
Isabella meeting someone in secret.
Someone Marcus recognized.
His expression changed.
Because the person standing beside Isabella was not a stranger.
It was someone inside his company.
Someone who had attended family dinners.
Someone who had smiled at Khloe.
Someone who knew about the pregnancy.
Adrian noticed Marcus's expression.
"What is it?"
Marcus slowly placed the phone down.
"The attack wasn't only about Khloe."
A pause.
"It was about me."
The room became silent.
Because everyone understood the truth.
Isabella Rossi had not simply tried to destroy a marriage.
She had opened the door to something much bigger.
A betrayal inside the Thorne empire.
And somewhere in the shadows...
The person who planned everything was watching.
Waiting.
May you like
Because Isabella Rossi was never the final enemy.
She was only the first piece to fall.
