Chapter 3: The Secret Behind Isabella’s Perfect Smile
By sunrise, the story had already begun spreading.
Not the truth.
Not yet.
Only rumors.
In the world Marcus Thorne lived in, information traveled faster than facts. A whispered conversation at an exclusive club could become a headline before dinner. A private disagreement between powerful people could become entertainment for millions.
And by morning, everyone wanted to know one thing.
What happened inside the Thorne family’s private hospital suite?
Marcus sat in the hospital lounge with a cup of untouched coffee in front of him.
He had not slept.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Khloe on the floor.
Every time he remembered Isabella’s expression, he felt the same anger return.
But beneath the anger was something else.
Regret.
He had spent his entire adult life believing he could predict people.
It was one of the reasons he had built his empire.
Marcus trusted instincts.
He studied body language.
He analyzed decisions before others even noticed there was a choice to make.
Yet somehow, he had failed with Isabella.
He had seen ambition and mistaken it for determination.
He had seen persistence and mistaken it for loyalty.
He had seen obsession and mistaken it for friendship.
“Still blaming yourself?””
Richard Thorne’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
Marcus looked up.
Khloe’s uncle walked into the lounge carrying a folder.
“I should have seen it.””
Richard placed the folder on the table.
“That doesn’t help her now.””
Marcus looked down.
“I ignored her.””
“Yes.””
The answer was direct.
Richard had never been the type of person to comfort someone with lies.
“But you’re not the only one responsible for what happened.””
Marcus opened the folder.
Inside were printed documents.
“What is this?””
“Information about Isabella Rossi.””
Marcus looked confused.
“I thought you only had the security footage.””
“I had someone look into her background last night.””
Marcus frowned.
“Last night?””
Richard gave him a serious look.
“When someone attacks my niece, I don’t wait until morning.””
Marcus began reading.
At first, the documents seemed ordinary.
Isabella Rossi.
Age thirty-two.
Successful businesswoman.
Socialite.
Former consultant.
A history of charity appearances.
Nothing unusual.
Then he reached the second page.
His expression changed.
“What is this?””
Richard leaned forward.
“Look carefully.””
Marcus scanned the information.
Several business connections.
Several companies.
Several investments.
Then one name caught his attention.
Thorne Holdings.
Marcus looked up.
“She invested in one of my subsidiaries?””
“Three years ago.””
Marcus stared at the page.
“That’s impossible.””
Richard raised an eyebrow.
“Why?””
“Because that investment was handled by my financial team. I never met with her about it.””
“That’s exactly the point.””
Marcus continued reading.
The more he learned, the more uncomfortable he became.
Isabella had not simply appeared in his life by coincidence.
She had been moving closer for years.
Quietly.
Patiently.
Strategically.
“She planned this,” Marcus whispered.
Richard did not answer immediately.
Because both men understood something.
Planning was different from proving.
They needed facts.
Not assumptions.
A knock interrupted them.
A young man in a hospital security uniform stepped inside.
“Mr. Thorne?””
Marcus looked up.
“Yes?””
“We found something else from the footage.””
Richard immediately stood.
“What?””
The officer held a small tablet.
“The camera in the hallway captured Ms. Rossi before she entered the suite.””
Marcus watched the video.
At first, nothing seemed unusual.
Isabella walked down the hallway.
Elegant.
Calm.
Then she stopped.
She looked around to make sure nobody was watching.
And her expression changed.
The sweet, confident woman disappeared.
She looked angry.
Focused.
Determined.
Then she entered Khloe’s room.
Marcus watched silently.
“She wasn’t surprised,” he said.
Richard looked at him.
“No.””
“She came there knowing exactly what she wanted.””
The officer nodded.
“There is more.””
He touched the screen.
A second video appeared.
This one showed Isabella leaving the charity gala earlier that evening.
But she was not alone.
Standing near the exit was another person.
A man.
Marcus leaned closer.
“Who is that?””
The officer shook his head.
“We are still identifying him.””
The man handed Isabella something small.
An envelope.
Then he left.
Isabella looked at the envelope.
And smiled.
A cold feeling moved through Marcus.
Because he knew that smile.
It was the same expression she wore when she thought she had won.
“Find out who he is,” Marcus ordered.
The officer nodded and left.
Richard watched Marcus carefully.
“You think someone helped her?””
“I don’t know.””
Marcus looked back at the screen.
“But I know Isabella didn’t become this dangerous overnight.””
The truth was becoming larger.
And more complicated.
Meanwhile, inside the private suite, Khloe stared out the window.
The city below continued moving like nothing had happened.
Cars traveled through the streets.
People rushed to work.
Businesses opened.
Life continued.
But for Khloe, everything had changed.
A nurse had told her the baby was doing well.
The doctors were optimistic.
But emotionally, she felt exhausted.
Not because of Isabella.
Not even because of the attack.
Because she had spent months questioning herself.
Was she being unfair?
Was she overreacting?
Was she seeing danger where there was only friendship?
She hated that Isabella had not only hurt her physically.
She had also made her doubt her own instincts.
The door opened.
Marcus walked in.
Khloe immediately looked at him.
“Did you see the footage?””
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.””
She studied his face.
“And?””
He sat beside her.
“And you were right.””
Those words were simple.
But they meant everything.
Khloe looked away.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“I didn’t want to be right.””
Marcus reached for her hand.
“I know.””
“I kept hoping I was wrong.””
“I know.””
Her voice became quieter.
“I didn’t want to be the wife who was always suspicious. I didn’t want to become someone who hated every woman around you.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You weren’t jealous.””
She looked back.
“You should have told me that sooner.””
The honesty in her voice hurt him.
Because she was right.
Marcus squeezed her hand.
“I failed you.””
Khloe looked surprised.
He continued.
“I thought protecting peace meant avoiding conflict.””
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
“But sometimes avoiding conflict only gives dangerous people more room.””
For the first time since the attack, Khloe saw something different in Marcus.
Not the billionaire.
Not the businessman.
Her husband.
The man who finally understood.
A quiet moment passed between them.
Then Khloe noticed something.
“You look like you found something.””
Marcus hesitated.
That hesitation worried her.
“What is it?””
He looked toward the window.
“Isabella wasn’t just someone who became obsessed recently.””
Khloe’s expression changed.
“What do you mean?””
“She has connections to my company.””
Khloe sat up slightly.
“What kind of connections?””
“We’re still investigating.””
She became quiet.
Then she whispered:
“I always felt like she knew too much.””
Marcus looked at her.
“About what?””
“About us.””
Khloe swallowed.
“About our arguments. About things I never told her.””
The room became silent.
Marcus felt a chill.
Because that meant only one thing.
Someone had been giving Isabella information.
Someone close.
Before he could respond, his phone rang.
It was his private investigator.
Marcus answered immediately.
“Yes?””
A serious voice spoke on the other end.
“Mr. Thorne, we identified the man in the footage.””
Marcus stood.
“Who is he?””
A pause.
Then the answer came.
“His name is Daniel Voss.””
Marcus’s face changed.
Richard noticed immediately.
“You know him?””
Marcus slowly lowered the phone.
“Yes.””
His voice became darker.
“Daniel Voss was one of my closest business partners.””
Khloe looked at him.
“Marcus…”
He stared at the city outside.
The situation had just become something far bigger than Isabella.
Because if Daniel Voss was involved…
Then the attack was not only personal.
It was connected to his empire.
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And whoever was behind it had not only wanted to destroy his marriage.
They wanted to destroy everything Marcus Thorne had built.
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