Chapter 13: The Phantom Strikes
The daytime television studio was bathed in bright, warm lighting.
Isabella Rossi sat on the plush white sofa of The Morning Scoop, wearing a conservative, high-necked pastel blue dress. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant, subdued clip. She wore minimal makeup, intentionally looking pale, exhausted, and remarkably fragile.
Opposite her, the famous talk-show host leaned forward with a look of deep sympathy.
“Isabella, the world watched that horrifying video of your arrest,” the host said softly. “The allegations are severe. Attempted murder. Assaulting a pregnant woman. But you’re here today to tell us that the video doesn't show the truth.”
Isabella took a shaky breath, dabbing the corner of her eye with a tissue. “It doesn’t. And it breaks my heart that it has come to this.”
In the Thorne penthouse, Marcus and Khloe watched the television screen in the bedroom in stunned silence.
“Marcus Thorne is a powerful man,” Isabella continued on screen, her voice trembling perfectly. “He is also a deeply corrupt one. For months, I have been working secretly with whistleblowers inside Thorne Industries to expose massive environmental cover-ups and illegal offshore tax evasion. Marcus found out.”
Khloe’s jaw dropped. “What is she doing?”
“She’s spinning the narrative,” Marcus snarled, his hands balled into fists at his sides.
“Khloe confronted me at the hospital,” Isabella lied smoothly to millions of viewers. “She knew I was going to expose her husband. She attacked me, threatening to ruin my family if I went to the SEC. We struggled. I pushed her away in self-defense, and she fell. The video was heavily edited by Marcus’s personal security team. He framed me to silence me.”
The host gasped. “And your father’s company?”
“Hostilely taken over by Marcus yesterday, as a punishment,” Isabella wept. “He is destroying everyone who tries to expose the truth. I am living in fear for my life.”
Marcus grabbed the remote and turned the television off, throwing it violently against the wall where it shattered into pieces.
“Silas put her up to this,” Marcus paced the room like a caged animal. “Silas paid her bail, he set up this interview, and he’s using her to tank Thorne Industries’ stock. By noon, the SEC will announce a formal investigation into my company based on her allegations. Investors will pull out. The board will demand my resignation.”
Khloe sat up in bed, adjusting the pillows behind her back. Despite the doctor’s orders to avoid stress, her mind was razor-sharp.
“Silas is your half-brother,” Khloe said, her voice steady. “You never told me about him.”
Marcus stopped pacing and looked at her, shame burning in his chest. “He’s a monster, Khloe. My father had an affair. Silas was raised in the shadows, fueled by resentment. When my father died, Silas tried to take the company. He nearly bankrupted us. He’s ruthless, he’s violent, and he has zero moral compass. I had to destroy him to save the legacy. I thought he was gone forever.”
“Well, he’s back,” Khloe said coolly. “And he’s using Isabella as his attack dog.”
Marcus sat on the edge of the bed, carefully keeping his distance from her. “I am doubling the security. I’m moving my private military contractors into the lobby. I will handle Silas. I just need you to rest.”
Khloe looked at him, her eyes hardening. “Rest? Marcus, a man bypassed your billion-dollar security system to leave a death threat on my floor. A woman is currently on national television framing you for corporate terrorism. I am not going to just rest.”
“Khloe, the baby—”
“The baby needs a mother who isn’t a sitting duck,” Khloe interrupted, pointing a finger at him. “Bring me my encrypted laptop. Now.”
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Marcus blinked, taken aback by the sheer authority in his wife’s voice. “What are you going to do?”
“Before I married you, I was the lead forensic data analyst for the district attorney’s office,” Khloe reminded him fiercely. “You handle the press. You handle your board. But Silas left a digital footprint when he paid that five-million-dollar bail. I’m going to find his money. And then, I’m going to bleed him dry.”
