191 She believed one vicious kick to a billionaire’s pregnant wife, inside the privacy of a luxury hospital suite, would end a marriage without consequences.

Back at the estate, Khloe was refusing to let the looming corporate drama dictate her day. She sat in the grand library, surrounded by stacks of legal documents and philanthropic brochures. With Maya sleeping soundly in a bassinet nearby, Khloe was hard at work on her newest passion project: The Maya Thorne Foundation.

Having spent weeks in the terrifying, sterile environment of the NICU, Khloe had witnessed firsthand the immense financial and emotional toll premature birth took on families who lacked the boundless resources the Thorne family possessed. She was determined to create a charity that provided full medical grants to struggling families.

Marcus walked into the library, shaking the rain from his coat. The dark cloud of his meeting with David still hung over him, but seeing Khloe so focused and passionate instantly softened his expression.

"How is the foundation planning coming along?" Marcus asked, walking over to kiss her cheek.

"It's moving beautifully," Khloe smiled, showing him a binder full of organizational charts. "I’ve secured the preliminary approval for our non-profit status. Now I just need to transfer the initial seed money from the legacy trust you set up for Maya."

Marcus froze. A cold knot formed in his stomach.

"Khloe... wait," Marcus said, pulling his phone from his pocket. He quickly logged into his secure banking app, his fingers flying across the screen.

"What is it?" Khloe asked, her smile fading as she saw the color drain from his face.

Marcus stared at the screen, his jaw tight. "The transfer won't go through. The legacy trust has been frozen."

"Frozen? How is that possible? You control that trust."

"Julian," Marcus spat the name like venom. "He actually did it. He filed a petition with the corporate courts this morning claiming that the funds in the legacy trust are subject to the ongoing internal audit of Thorne Industries. The bank automatically placed a temporary freeze on the accounts until the judge reviews the petition."

Khloe stood up, her hands trembling slightly not with fear, but with absolute outrage.

"He froze the money meant for a children’s charity? Money that belongs to our daughter?"

"He is trying to provoke me," Marcus said, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "He wants me to react emotionally and make a mistake. He wants me to storm into the headquarters and look unhinged."