Chapter 6 - The Story Isabella Sold
News of Isabella’s arrest leaked before noon.
By twelve-thirty, three television networks had vans outside the hospital.
By one, social media had turned the assault into entertainment.
Some accounts called Isabella a jealous socialite.
Others called Khloe a billionaire’s manipulative wife.
Anonymous sources claimed the women had fought over Marcus.
One gossip site published an article titled BLOOD, MONEY, AND A BILLIONAIRE LOVE TRIANGLE.
Khloe stared at the headline.
Marcus took the tablet from her hand.
“Don’t read it.”
“I need to know what people are saying.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Marcus.”
He stopped.
Khloe’s voice became firmer.
“I refuse to hide while strangers rewrite what happened to me.”
Marcus returned the tablet.
This time without argument.
Another article appeared minutes later.
This one was different.
It cited unnamed witnesses who claimed Khloe had been “emotionally unstable for months.”
Khloe read the sentence twice.
Then a third time.
“Who would say that?”
Marcus looked at David.
David was already checking.
“There’s more.”
He placed a phone on the table.
A video had been posted anonymously.
It showed Khloe at a charity luncheon three weeks earlier.
She was speaking sharply to someone outside the frame.
The clip lasted nine seconds.
It made her look angry.
Khloe stared at it.
“That was Isabella.”
Marcus remembered the event.
“She had just told you our baby would be prettier if it looked nothing like you.”
Khloe nodded.
“But the video begins after that.”
David’s expression hardened.
“Someone was collecting edited clips.”
Marcus understood.
“To release if Isabella ever needed them.”
Samuel entered.
“I spoke with the district attorney.”
Marcus looked at him.
“And?”
“They have the security footage.”
“Good.”
“But Isabella’s attorney is already building a self-defense narrative.”
Khloe stared at him.
“How?”
“They’re claiming long-term harassment.”
“By me?”
“Yes.”
Khloe almost laughed.
Samuel continued.
“They say the hospital video lacks context.”
Marcus stood.
“They have audio.”
“They will argue the confrontation was the culmination of months of threats.”
Khloe looked at the gossip clips.
“So this was prepared.”
David nodded.
“Very likely.”
Marcus walked toward the window.
“That means Isabella expected something to happen.”
Khloe corrected him.
“She expected to make something happen.”
The room fell quiet.
Then Marcus’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Marcus Thorne.”
No one spoke for two seconds.
Then a male voice said, “You want to know why Isabella went after your wife?”
Marcus straightened.
“Who is this?”
“Someone who was paid to watch your family.”
Marcus put the phone on speaker.
“Owen?”
Silence.
Then the man answered.
“Yes.”
David immediately began tracing the call.
Marcus kept his voice calm.
“Where are you?”
“Not somewhere you can send your people.”
“Your car was found with blood inside.”
“Not mine.”
Samuel and David exchanged a glance.
Marcus said, “Who paid you?”
“Isabella Rossi.”
“And Julian Mercer?”
Another pause.
“Yes.”
Khloe leaned forward.
“What did they want?”
Owen heard her.
“Mrs. Thorne?”
“Yes.”
His breathing changed.
“I’m sorry.”
Khloe’s expression hardened.
“For what?”
“For helping them get close.”
Marcus gripped the edge of the table.
“Explain.”
Owen spoke quickly now.
“Mercer wanted leverage over you.”
“What kind?”
“He believed Isabella could get inside your family.”
Khloe looked at Marcus.
Owen continued.
“She was supposed to create a scandal.”
“An affair?”
Marcus asked.
“At first.”
Khloe felt sick.
“Then what?”
Owen was silent too long.
Marcus said, “Owen.”
“The plan changed when they found out Khloe was pregnant.”
Every person in the room stopped moving.
May you like
Owen’s next sentence changed the entire investigation.
“They wanted the marriage broken before the baby was born.”
