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.

Khloe gently placed the sleeping Maya into her custom-built mahogany crib, pulling the soft pink blanket up to the baby's chest. She watched her daughter’s chest rise and fall in a steady, peaceful rhythm, feeling a profound surge of gratitude. The terror of the hospital, the constant beeping of the NICU monitors, and the looming threat of Isabella Rossi were all fading into distant memories.

As she tiptoed out of the nursery, leaving the door slightly ajar, she noticed Marcus standing at the end of the hallway. He was staring out the large bay window that overlooked the winding driveway of the estate. His posture was rigid, his shoulders tense beneath his casual sweater.

Khloe knew that posture. It was the stance of a man preparing for a war.

She walked up softly behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his broad back.

"The baby is finally asleep," Khloe murmured. "But it looks like you are miles away. What is wrong, Marcus?"

Marcus let out a long, heavy sigh and turned around, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. He kissed the top of her head, lingering for a moment before looking into her eyes.

"I received a call from David today," Marcus admitted, his voice low. "It seems stepping away from Thorne Industries wasn't as clean a break as I had hoped."

"What did he say?" Khloe asked, a knot forming in her stomach.

"Julian is making moves. He wants to permanently sever my ties to the company and freeze the legacy trusts. He’s using the fallout from the Rossi scandal to paint me as an unstable leader."

Khloe’s eyes widened with indignation. "After everything you did to protect that company? After you sacrificed your own well-being to fix the mess Isabella created?"

"Corporate loyalty is a myth, Khloe. Julian sees an empty throne, and he wants it."

"Will it affect us?" she asked, her protective instincts flaring up. "Will it affect Maya?"

"I won't let it," Marcus said fiercely, his hands gently framing her face. "I promised you that nothing would ever hurt our family again, and I meant it. But I might have to step back into the shadows for a brief moment to deal with Julian before he becomes a real threat."