Chapter 14 - ISABELLA’S VERSION

Isabella requested a meeting.

Khloe refused.

Isabella requested again.

Khloe refused again.

Then Isabella sent one sentence through her attorney.

ASK HER WHETHER SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHY MARCUS CAME TO MY BED THE FIRST TIME.

Khloe agreed.

The meeting took place in Rebecca’s office.

Two attorneys remained nearby.

Isabella entered wearing a cream suit.

No red silk.

No diamonds.

No theatrical tears.

For the first time, she looked tired.

Khloe remained seated.

Isabella looked at her belly.

“How is the baby?”

“Do not ask about my child.”

Isabella looked down.

“Fair.”

Khloe studied her.

“Why am I here?”

“Because Richard will make me look like the mastermind.”

“You helped forge documents.”

“I delivered documents.”

“You slept with my husband.”

Isabella’s eyes hardened.

“He came to me.”

Khloe felt the words land.

She did not react.

“Tell me what happened.”

Isabella leaned back.

“Thorne Global was collapsing.”

“Richard had convinced Marcus the company would take down thousands of employees, pension funds, suppliers.”

“Marcus was terrified.”

“He came to Rossi Meridian asking for emergency financing.”

“I gave him the deal.”

“And then?”

“He started drinking.”

“Marcus barely drinks.”

“He did that night.”

Isabella smiled sadly.

“You don’t know everything about him.”

Khloe ignored the bait.

“Did you sleep with him that night?”

“Yes.”

The answer was immediate.

Khloe’s chest tightened.

“Did he know I was pregnant?”

“No.”

“I don’t think so.”

Khloe remembered the timeline.

She had discovered the pregnancy two days later.

“Then why did it continue?”

Isabella looked at her.

“Because he came back.”

Khloe hated the honesty.

“He told me he felt trapped.”

“He said every decision in his life had been made before he entered the room.”

“His father.”

“The company.”

“The marriage.”

Khloe’s face went cold.

“He called our marriage a trap?”

Isabella paused.

“Once.”

That was enough.

Khloe looked away.

Isabella continued.

“Then you told him you were pregnant.”

“He disappeared for two weeks.”

“When he came back, he said it had to end.”

“But it didn’t.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t let it.”

Khloe looked at her again.

At least Isabella admitted that much.

“I threatened to expose him.”

“I told him Richard would blame the failed financing on Marcus if he walked away from the Rossi deal.”

“He panicked.”

“So your affair became blackmail.”

“At times.”

“And yet you thought he loved you?”

Isabella’s eyes filled with something that looked real.

“I thought he would eventually choose me.”

“He didn’t.”

“No.”

“Is that why you attacked me?”

Isabella’s face changed.

For several seconds, she said nothing.

Then she whispered, “I hated you.”

Khloe waited.

“I hated that he could betray you and still run home to you.”

“I hated that Richard could use me like a tool and still call you family.”

“I hated that no matter what I did, you were the woman standing in every photograph.”

Khloe stared at her.

“So you kicked a pregnant woman.”

Isabella looked down.

“Yes.”

“You could have killed my daughter.”

“I know.”

“No.”

“You understand the sentence.”

“You do not understand what that means.”

Isabella’s eyes filled with tears.

This time Khloe believed them.

She felt no sympathy.

She stood.

The meeting was over.

Isabella called after her.

“Khloe.”

Khloe stopped.

“Richard has one more account.”

Rebecca turned.

“What account?”

Isabella looked at Khloe.

“The account he never told Marcus about.”

“How much?”

Isabella swallowed.

“Almost nine hundred million dollars.”

“Whose money?”

Isabella answered.

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