## CHAPTER 5 ## THE WOMAN WHO WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO RETURN
The voice on the phone stayed with Marcus long after the call ended.
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"Her mother is still alive."
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For several seconds...
He couldn't move.
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Because some truths were too impossible to process.
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Khloe's mother.
The woman everyone believed had died years ago.
Was alive.
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And someone had spent decades making sure Khloe never knew.
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"Who was that?"
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Khloe's voice pulled him back.
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Marcus turned.
She was watching him carefully.
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He hated the look on her face.
Not because she was afraid.
Because she already knew.
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"Khloe..."
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Her expression changed.
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"What happened?"
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He walked slowly back to the bed.
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"I received a call."
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She went pale.
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"From who?"
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A pause.
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"Your aunt."
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The color disappeared from Khloe's face.
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"Victoria?"
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Marcus nodded.
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Khloe immediately looked away.
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"She shouldn't have called you."
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That sentence told him everything.
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"You know about her."
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Khloe didn't answer.
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"Khloe."
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She closed her eyes.
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"Yes."
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Marcus felt exhausted.
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"Who is she?"
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Khloe swallowed.
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"My mother's sister."
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"And?"
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A tear appeared in her eyes.
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"And the person who helped my father disappear."
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The room went silent.
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Three days later...
Marcus, Khloe, and Daniel met at a private location outside the city.
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No cameras.
No employees.
No family members.
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Only the truth.
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Victoria Parker sat across from them.
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She looked nothing like the monster Marcus expected.
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She looked tired.
Older.
Like someone who had carried guilt for years.
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Khloe stared at her.
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"You should be dead."
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Victoria nodded.
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"I know."
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Marcus looked between them.
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"Someone explain."
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Victoria took a breath.
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"Your father and mine weren't the only people involved."
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She looked at Khloe.
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"Your mother knew everything."
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Khloe froze.
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"My mother?"
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Victoria nodded.
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"Her name was Elena Parker."
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Marcus listened.
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"Elena discovered Jonathan Thorne had stolen Richard's work."
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"She found the evidence."
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"But before she could expose him..."
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Victoria stopped.
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"She disappeared."
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Khloe's voice became small.
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"What do you mean disappeared?"
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Victoria looked at her.
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"Your mother wasn't killed."
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"She was forced to leave."
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Silence.
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"By who?"
Marcus asked.
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Victoria looked directly at him.
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"Your grandfather."
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Marcus froze.
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"My grandfather?"
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"Theodore Thorne."
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The founder of the Thorne empire.
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A man Marcus had only known through photographs.
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A legend.
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A man everyone described as brilliant.
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But now...
A criminal.
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"Why?"
Khloe whispered.
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Victoria answered.
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"Because Elena had proof."
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"Proof that could destroy the entire Thorne family."
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The evidence was simple.
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The original contracts.
The stolen patents.
The financial manipulation.
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Everything.
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But there was one more thing.
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A secret relationship between the two families.
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Victoria looked at Marcus.
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"Your grandfather and my grandmother were business partners before anyone knew."
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Marcus frowned.
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"What?"
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"They created the foundation of the company together."
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"Then why hide it?"
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Victoria smiled sadly.
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"Because powerful people don't like sharing history."
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Khloe looked at her.
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"Why didn't my mother come back?"
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Victoria's eyes filled with regret.
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"Because she was threatened."
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"She was told if she returned..."
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"They would destroy you."
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Khloe covered her mouth.
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"You?"
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Victoria nodded.
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"And you."
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The room became silent.
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Marcus looked at Daniel.
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"Did you know?"
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Daniel shook his head.
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"Not everything."
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"Your father only told me pieces."
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Marcus looked down.
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His entire life was built around a story that wasn't true.
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Then Victoria reached into her bag.
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She placed a small envelope on the table.
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"Elena left this."
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Khloe stared.
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"Where did you get that?"
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Victoria looked at her.
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"She gave it to me the day she disappeared."
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"She told me only one person should open it."
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Marcus looked at Khloe.
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"Who?"
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Victoria whispered:
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"You."
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Khloe's hands shook as she opened the envelope.
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Inside was a letter.
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The handwriting was old.
But clear.
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My precious Khloe,
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The first words broke her.
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She covered her mouth.
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"I don't understand."
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Marcus moved closer.
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She kept reading.
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If you are reading this, it means I failed to protect you the way I promised.
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Tears rolled down her face.
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I need you to know something.
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Your father did not betray me.
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Khloe stopped.
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"What?"
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She continued.
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The person who betrayed us was someone we trusted completely.
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Everyone waited.
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The next line changed everything.
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It was Evelyn Thorne.
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Marcus froze.
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His mother.
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Again.
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The letter continued.
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Evelyn helped Theodore destroy our family because she believed she deserved control of the empire.
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Khloe looked up.
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Marcus couldn't speak.
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Then the final paragraph appeared.
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But there is something worse.
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Evelyn knows Khloe's child carries something important.
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Marcus felt cold.
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"What does that mean?"
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Victoria's face changed.
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Because she knew.
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Khloe looked terrified.
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"Why would my baby matter?"
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Nobody answered.
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Then Victoria whispered:
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"Because your child is not only the heir to the Parker bloodline."
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A pause.
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"He is connected to the Thorne inheritance too."
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Marcus stood.
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"What?"
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Victoria looked at him.
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"The two families were never enemies by accident."
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"Their bloodlines were connected long before you and Khloe met."
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The room went silent.
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Then Marcus's phone rang.
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The screen showed one name.
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EVELYN THORNE
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Everyone stared.
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Marcus answered.
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His mother's voice came through.
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"You found Victoria."
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His blood ran cold.
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"How do you know that?"
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A pause.
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Then Evelyn said:
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"Because I allowed it."
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Marcus froze.
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"What?"
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"I wanted you to discover the truth."
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"Why?"
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Her voice became cold.
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"Because Isabella was never the biggest threat."
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Silence.
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"The biggest threat is the person who is carrying your child."
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Marcus looked at Khloe.
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His wife.
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The woman he almost lost.
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"Evelyn..."
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His mother's final words destroyed him.
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"Ask Khloe why she never told you who the baby's real father is."
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The call ended.
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Nobody spoke.
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Khloe's face turned completely white.
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Marcus slowly looked at her.
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And for the first time...
A terrible thought entered his mind.
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What if the secret wasn't about his family?
May you like
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What if it was about hers?
