Chapter 9 - The Brother's Confession
Marcus entered Julian's apartment alone.
Police waited two floors below.
He had agreed to the condition because Julian had threatened to disappear if anyone else came upstairs.
The front door was unlocked.
Julian sat near the window.
He looked nothing like the polished younger Thorne brother photographed at charity events.
His hair was unwashed.
His hands trembled.
The gun remained untouched on the table.
Marcus stopped several feet away.
“You brought Isabella to the gala.”
Julian looked up.
“Yes.”
“You transferred your shares.”
“Yes.”
“You helped Warren.”
Julian's eyes filled with shame.
“Yes.”
Marcus fought the urge to cross the room and hit him.
“Why?”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“Because I spent thirty-four years being the unnecessary Thorne.”
“This is about jealousy?”
“No.”
Julian reached for a folder.
Marcus stiffened.
Julian pushed it across the table instead.
Inside were medical records.
Their father's medical records.
Marcus frowned.
“What is this?”
“Dad knew he was dying eighteen months before anyone told us.”
Marcus looked through the pages.
Cancer.
Advanced.
Aggressive.
“He created the trust during that period.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Julian shook his head.
“You know the version Mother showed you.”
Marcus stared at him.
Julian continued.
“There was an original version.”
“What did it say?”
“That ownership was supposed to be divided equally between us.”
Marcus felt the room tilt.
“That's impossible.”
“Warren showed me the draft.”
“And you believed him?”
“I verified Dad's signature.”
Marcus sat down.
“What changed?”
Julian's bitterness returned.
“You met Khloe.”
Marcus looked up sharply.
“Dad loved her.”
“He barely knew her.”
“He trusted her.”
Julian laughed.
“More than he trusted me.”
According to Warren, Marcus's father had rewritten the succession plan after deciding Julian lacked the discipline to control the company.
The final trust gave Marcus primary authority.
Khloe's future child became the next-generation beneficiary.
Julian received financial wealth but almost no operational power.
“So Warren told you he'd restore your share.”
“Yes.”
“In exchange for helping him take the company.”
“I thought we were forcing a renegotiation.”
Marcus looked at the gun.
“You knew about the guardianship clause.”
“Later.”
“How much later?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“And you still brought Isabella.”
Julian covered his face.
“She told me she was going to confront Khloe.”
Marcus stood.
“She kicked my pregnant wife.”
“I didn't know.”
“She could have killed my son.”
“I KNOW!”
Julian's scream echoed through the apartment.
Then he began crying.
Marcus had not seen his brother cry since childhood.
“Warren said the plan was to make Khloe lose control publicly.”
“Isabella would insult her.”
“Khloe would slap her.”
“There would be witnesses.”
“A police complaint.”
“That's all.”
Marcus stared at him.
“And when Khloe didn't take the bait?”
“Isabella changed the plan.”
Julian pushed another phone across the table.
“I recorded Warren this morning.”
Marcus pressed play.
Warren's voice filled the room.
“If Rossi failed, we move to medical incapacity.”
Julian's voice followed.
“What does that mean?”
“It means Mrs. Thorne suffers complications.”
Marcus stopped the recording.
His heart slammed against his ribs.
“Medical incapacity.”
Julian nodded.
“Someone inside the hospital is working with him.”
Marcus immediately called Damian.
No answer.
He called Khloe.
No answer.
He called Victoria.
Nothing.
Then the apartment television suddenly switched on.
A live news channel filled the screen.
BREAKING NEWS.
THORNE GLOBAL CHAIRMAN'S PREGNANT WIFE IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER PRIVATE MEDICAL EMERGENCY.
Marcus stared.
The hospital had released no such information.
Julian stood.
“That isn't news.”
Marcus grabbed his phone and ran.
May you like
Julian followed.
“It's a signal.”
