“Then we let him think he has it.”
Marcus frowned.
“You want to trick him?”
“I want to expose him.”
Alexander looked at her carefully.
“How?”
Khloe turned to him.
“You said Daniel needs the original evidence.”
“Yes.”
“But he doesn’t actually have it.”
“No.”
“Then he needs me.”
Alexander nodded.
“Correct.”
Khloe continued.
“Which means Daniel cannot destroy me.”
“Not yet.”
Marcus understood.
“He needs you alive.”
“Yes.”
“And he needs you to cooperate.”
“Yes.”
“So we use that.”
Khloe nodded.
“Exactly.”
For the first time in days…
Marcus almost smiled.
Not because the situation was funny.
Because he recognized something.
The reason he fell in love with her.
Khloe was not powerful because she had money.
Or because she had a famous last name.
She was powerful because when the world collapsed…
She searched for a way forward.
Not an escape.
A solution.
But Claire looked worried.
“Khloe.”
Everyone looked at her.
“You don’t understand Daniel.”
Khloe faced her mother.
“Then explain.”
“He is patient.”
“He plans years ahead.”
“He does not make emotional decisions.”
Khloe nodded.
“That’s why he thinks he has already won.”
Claire looked confused.
“What?”
“People like Daniel believe they are smarter than everyone.”
“They become blind.”
Isabella quietly said:
“She’s right.”
Everyone looked at her.
Isabella continued.
“Daniel’s biggest weakness is the same as Richard’s.”
“He believes everyone can be controlled.”
Khloe looked at Isabella.
“And what is yours?”
The question surprised her.
Isabella looked away.
“My weakness?”
“Yes.”
A long pause.
“You cared.”
The answer was unexpected.
Isabella looked at Khloe.
“You cared about Sofia.”
“Yes.”
“And because you cared…”
“You made mistakes.”
Isabella accepted that.
“Yes.”
Khloe nodded.
“Then we use that too.”
Marcus looked at her.
“What do you mean?”
“Everyone in this room has been controlled by fear.”
“Richard controlled fear.”
“Daniel controls fear.”
“But they never expect people to choose something else.”
“What?”
Khloe looked at Marcus.
“Trust.”
The word was simple.
But in the Thorne family…
It was revolutionary.
For generations, they survived by hiding information.
By manipulating.
By keeping secrets.
And Khloe wanted to win by doing the opposite.
Before they could continue…
Alexander’s phone received a message.
Everyone froze.
He opened it.
A video.
Daniel.
But this time…
He was not alone.
Alexander’s daughter sat beside him.
Her face was scared.
“Dad…”
Alexander immediately moved toward the screen.
“Emma.”
Daniel smiled.
“Emotional moment.”
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“Leave her out of this.”
Daniel looked amused.
“Interesting.”
“You still think you are the person making demands.”
A pause.
“You lost, Marcus.”
Daniel looked at Khloe.
“Your wife is smart.”
“But intelligence does not matter when someone you love is in danger.”
Khloe stepped closer.
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
“You wanted me.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted the contract.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted the vault.”
“Yes.”
“Then stop hiding behind children.”
Daniel smiled.
“You sound like Claire.”
Khloe’s expression changed.
“Because she was right.”
For the first time…
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
Only for a second.
But Khloe saw it.
A weakness.
A crack.
She continued.
“You spent your entire life trying to become Richard.”
“You think fear makes people obey.”
“You think control makes people powerful.”
A pause.
“But you missed the one thing Richard never understood.”
Daniel stared.
“What?”
“People eventually stop being afraid.”
Silence.
Marcus looked at her.
Daniel said nothing.
Then he smiled again.
“Bring the contract.”
“The original one.”
“Come to Thorne Manor.”
“Midnight.”
The video ended.
Alexander looked defeated.
“We cannot wait.”
Khloe looked at him.
“Yes.”
“We can.”
Everyone stared.
“What?”
She picked up the original contract.
“This isn’t the real one.”
Marcus frowned.
“What?”
Khloe looked at the signature.
“The contract Daniel wants…”
“It is a copy.”
Alexander looked shocked.
“How do you know?”
Khloe touched the paper.
“Because my mother’s signature is wrong.”
Claire froze.
“What?”
Khloe looked at her.
“I studied her handwriting after she died.”
“She always wrote one letter differently.”
A pause.
“This signature is almost perfect.”
“Almost.”
Marcus stared.
“So Daniel doesn’t even have the real agreement.”
“No.”
Khloe smiled slightly.
“He thinks he has been chasing the key.”
“But he has been chasing a fake.”
Isabella looked impressed.
“Then where is the real one?”
Khloe looked at the old photograph.
The photograph of Claire.
Richard.
And her as a child.
Then she remembered her mother’s words.
Trust the person who taught Marcus how to survive.
Her eyes moved to Marcus.
Not Richard.
Not Daniel.
Someone else.
Someone who had been there.
Someone who knew the truth.
“Marcus.”
“Yes?”
“Who taught you everything when your father was gone?”
He hesitated.
“My mother.”
Khloe shook her head.
“No.”
A pause.
“Someone else.”
Marcus thought.
Then his face changed.
A memory.
A person.
A name.
“No…”
“What?”
Marcus whispered:
“Ethan Bellini.”
Everyone froze.
Isabella’s eyes widened.
“My grandfather?”
Marcus nodded.
