Chapter 4: The Enemy Who Had Been Standing Beside Him
Marcus Thorne had always believed betrayal came from a distance.
From competitors.
From strangers.
From people who openly wanted something he had.
He had spent years protecting himself from enemies who attacked from the outside.
But he never imagined the most dangerous threat would come from someone who had been sitting beside him at business meetings, shaking his hand, and calling himself a friend.
Daniel Voss.
The name continued echoing in Marcus’s mind.
For nearly a decade, Daniel had been one of the few people Marcus trusted completely.
They had built companies together.
They had celebrated victories together.
They had survived difficult negotiations together.
Daniel had been there during the earliest days of Thorne Holdings, back when Marcus was not a billionaire with a global reputation.
Back when he was just a young businessman trying to prove himself.
Marcus remembered those days clearly.
The late nights.
The failed deals.
The moments when everything could have collapsed.
Daniel had always been the person who said:
“We’ll get through this.””
And Marcus believed him.
Now he wondered if every word had been an act.
Inside the hospital room, Khloe watched the change in her husband’s expression.
She had seen Marcus angry before.
She had seen him frustrated.
She had seen him under pressure.
But this was different.
This was personal.
“Who is Daniel Voss?”” she asked quietly.
Marcus sat down slowly.
“He was my partner.””
The answer made her uncomfortable.
“Was?””
Marcus looked at her.
“I haven’t spoken to him in almost two years.””
“Why?””
Marcus was silent.
That silence told her everything.
“There was a reason.””
He looked toward the floor.
“Two years ago, Daniel wanted to expand one of our companies into a market I considered too risky.””
Khloe listened carefully.
“Marcus…”
“He believed we needed to move faster. Bigger investments. More aggressive decisions.””
“And you disagreed?””
“Yes.””
A pause.
“We argued.””
Khloe studied him.
“What happened after?””
Marcus leaned back.
“Daniel left the company.””
“But you stayed friends?””
Marcus nodded.
“At least I thought we did.””
The sentence carried disappointment.
Not anger.
That almost made it worse.
Because Marcus was not only dealing with an enemy.
He was dealing with the death of a friendship he thought was real.
A knock interrupted them.
Richard entered with a serious expression.
“I received more information.””
Marcus immediately stood.
“What did you find?””
Richard placed another folder on the table.
“Daniel Voss and Isabella Rossi have been connected longer than we thought.””
Marcus opened the folder.
Inside were photographs.
Business events.
Private dinners.
Meetings.
Several images showed Daniel and Isabella together.
His jaw tightened.
“How long?””
“Almost a year.””
Khloe looked shocked.
“A year?””
Richard nodded.
“They were careful. They avoided public appearances together.””
Marcus flipped through the documents.
Every page revealed another hidden connection.
Daniel had quietly purchased shares in companies connected to Isabella.
Isabella had attended private meetings involving Daniel’s investment group.
They had been working together.
The question was why.
Marcus reached the final page.
Then he stopped.
“What is this?””
Richard looked at him.
“Read it.””
Marcus stared at the document.
It was a financial report.
A plan.
A proposal.
A takeover strategy.
The target company was one of Marcus’s largest holdings.
His expression hardened.
“They wanted control.””
Richard nodded.
“Not just control.””
He pointed at the numbers.
“They wanted you weakened first.””
Marcus looked at him.
“How?””
Richard’s voice became quieter.
“Destroy your reputation. Create instability in your family. Make you distracted.””
Khloe’s face became pale.
“So the attack…”
Marcus looked at her.
“It wasn’t only about me.””
The realization was painful.
Isabella had not attacked Khloe because of jealousy alone.
She had used jealousy as a weapon.
A distraction.
A way to create chaos.
Marcus felt something cold settle inside him.
Someone had tried to use his wife and unborn child as pieces in a business war.
That was something he would never forgive.
At that moment, his phone rang.
The screen showed an unknown number.
Marcus answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then a familiar voice came through.
“Marcus.””
His entire body became still.
Daniel.
The room went silent.
“You know what happened,” Daniel said.
Marcus’s eyes narrowed.
“I know enough.””
A quiet laugh came from the other end.
“That’s the problem with you, Marcus. You always think you know everything.””
Richard moved closer.
Marcus kept his voice controlled.
“Did Isabella work with you?””
A pause.
Then:
“She was more useful than you ever realized.””
Khloe looked at Marcus.
His expression became colder.
“You used her.””
“No.””
Daniel’s voice remained calm.
“She understood something you never did.””
“What?””
“That people like you don’t lose because someone stronger defeats you.””
Marcus said nothing.
Daniel continued.
“You lose because someone close finally understands your weaknesses.””
Marcus looked at Khloe.
And his grip tightened around the phone.
“You threatened my family.””
“I gave Isabella an opportunity.””
Marcus’s eyes darkened.
“She attacked my pregnant wife.””
Another pause.
Then Daniel answered:
“She went too far.””
The calmness of his response was terrifying.
Not anger.
Not regret.
Just inconvenience.
Like the attack was simply a mistake in a business plan.
Marcus felt his anger rise.
“You’re finished.””
Daniel laughed softly.
“You still don’t understand.””
“What?””
“The world doesn’t care about loyalty, Marcus.””
Daniel’s voice became sharper.
“You built an empire by believing people would respect your rules. I built one by understanding people don’t follow rules when enough money is involved.””
Marcus remained silent.
Then Daniel said something that changed everything.
“You should ask your wife about the night she first met Isabella.””
Marcus frowned.
“What?””
But the call ended.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Khloe looked confused.
“Why would he say that?””
Marcus looked at her.
“You met Isabella before?””
Khloe hesitated.
Only for a second.
But Marcus noticed.
His heart sank.
“Khloe?””
She looked away.
“I…”
The hesitation scared him more than any answer.
“Tell me.””
Khloe took a slow breath.
“I didn’t want to bring it up because I thought it would make things worse.””
“What happened?””
She looked at him.
“The first time I met Isabella wasn’t at a charity event.””
Marcus waited.
“It was before we got married.””
The room became silent.
“Where?””
Khloe swallowed.
“At your office.””
Marcus stared.
“My office?””
“Yes.””
“Why was she there?””
Khloe looked uncomfortable.
“She told me she was meeting with you.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“That never happened.””
“I know.””
“Then why did she say that?””
Khloe shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
Marcus felt the pieces slowly connecting.
A meeting that never happened.
A friendship that grew too quickly.
A secret partnership.
An attack carefully timed during a public event.
Someone had been planning something for a very long time.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Khloe’s eyes filled with emotion.
“Because when I mentioned her name, you defended her.””
Marcus looked away.
The truth hurt.
Because again, she was right.
He had protected Isabella before protecting his own wife’s concerns.
A nurse entered the room.
“Mr. Thorne?””
Marcus turned.
“The doctor wants to speak with you.””
He looked at Khloe.
“I’ll be right back.””
She nodded.
As he walked out, Marcus’s phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
*You’re looking in the wrong direction.*
Marcus stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
*Ask who really benefits when your family falls apart.*
His blood ran cold.
Because suddenly, Daniel and Isabella were no longer the only possibilities.
Someone else was watching.
Someone else was waiting.
May you like
And whoever that person was…
They knew more about the Thorne family than Marcus ever imagined.
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