Chapter 5
The corporate headquarters of Thorne Enterprises was in utter chaos,
phones ringing off the hooks,
reporters gathering like vultures at the front gates.
Marcus sat in the leather chair of his temporary office inside the hospital,
his laptop glowing with endless notifications.
He ignored them all,
focusing instead on the legal documents sent by his primary attorney.
Isabella Rossi’s bail had been denied,
a direct result of the immense pressure Marcus had applied behind the scenes.
She had underestimated his reach,
thinking her family's status would shield her from the consequences of her actions.
But Marcus had stripped away that shield,
exposing every financial irregularity,
every hidden asset,
and every dirty secret she possessed.
Daniel Cross was currently cooperating with the federal authorities,
hoping to save his own skin by turning on his former lover.
It was a pathetic display of cowardice,
one that Marcus watched unfold with cold satisfaction.
He closed the laptop,
rubbing the bridge of his nose as a dull headache began to form.
The door clicked open,
and his trusted assistant,
Julian,
stepped into the room with a stack of papers.
"The board has officially ratified the removal of Cross,"
Julian reported,
his voice clipped and professional.
"And the stock price?"
Marcus asked without looking up.
"It dipped early this morning,
but your public statement about stabilizing the company has already caused a recovery."
Marcus nodded,
dismissing the concern with a wave of his hand.
Money was easy to manipulate,
reputations could be rebuilt with the right PR campaign,
but trust was a different matter entirely.
He stood up,
walking over to the window that overlooked the bustling city below.
People were rushing to work,
living their ordinary lives,
completely unaware of the quiet war that had just occurred.
"Keep the security tight on Khloe’s floor,"
Marcus ordered,
turning back to Julian.
"No one gets in without my personal approval,"
"not even the minor hospital staff."
"Understood,
sir,"
Julian replied,
bowing his head slightly before turning to leave.
Marcus was left alone with his thoughts once more,
the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on his shoulders.
He had destroyed his enemies,
but the victory felt hollow without the assurance that his family was truly safe.
He walked back down the long,
sterile hallway toward the intensive care unit,
each step heavy with purpose.
He needed to see her,
to remind himself of why he was fighting so hard.
When he opened the door,
he found Khloe propped up on a few pillows,
looking slightly more alert than before.
The color was returning to her cheeks,
a soft pink that made her look alive again.
She looked at him,
May you like
and for the first time,
the fear in her eyes was replaced by something resembling hope.
