Chapter 2 - THE REVELATIONJulian stared at Gabriel, his jaw clenching so hard a muscle twitched along his cheek. He forced a dry, hollow laugh, trying desperately to regain control of the room in front of the surrounding cameras.
"Gabriel, please," Julian said, offering a tight smile. "You don't know this woman like I do. Khloe is my ex-wife. We divorced two years ago because... well, because she couldn't handle the pressures of my lifestyle. She’s been living in obscurity ever since."
"Is that the story you tell your investors, Julian?" Khloe asked quietly, taking a small sip of her water.
Dalia stepped up to Julian’s side, clinging tightly to his arm and glaring at Khloe. Dalia’s eyes flashed with insecurity as she took in Khloe’s effortless beauty and the massive sapphire at her throat.
"I don't know who you think you are," Dalia snapped, tossing her styled blonde hair. "But this is the Allesian Hearts Gala. Julian and I are the main honorees tonight. You can't just crash our event with fake jewelry and a fake..." Dalia glanced at Khloe’s belly with a sneer. "...whatever this stunt is."
A collective gasp echoed through the surrounding guests.
Gabriel didn't lose his temper. Instead, a slow, dangerous smile crossed his face.
"Miss Fontaine," Gabriel said smoothly, turning his piercing grey eyes toward the young model. "I suggest you take a moment to understand whose house you are standing in."
Dalia blinked, startled. "What?"
"The Allesian Hearts Foundation was established thirty years ago," Gabriel explained, his voice carrying clearly to the surrounding reporters who were rapidly taking notes. "Ascend Capital provides eighty percent of its annual operating budget. Furthermore, the crown you are currently wearing as Miss Global Elegance was funded directly by a private grant from my firm."
Dalia’s face turned bright red.
"And as for the jewelry," Gabriel continued, glancing down at Khloe’s sapphire, "that necklace was purchased at Christie's Geneva auction last year for fourteen million dollars by Khloe herself. Using capital she earned as the managing principal of Marin Strategic Investments."
Julian’s eyes widened in absolute shock. "Marin Strategic? That’s... that’s a multi-billion-dollar private equity group in London!"
"Yes, Julian," Khloe said softly, stepping around Gabriel so she was standing eye-to-eye with her ex-husband. "I founded it six months after I left you. The same firm that quietly bought up forty percent of your company's debt last quarter."
Julian felt the ground beneath his feet tilt. "You... you bought my debt?"
"I did," Khloe replied, her voice filled with a calm, terrifying authority. "Because while you were busy hiring publicists to spin stories about my supposed mental breakdown, I was analyzing your balance sheets. You're overleveraged by sixty million dollars, Julian. You built an empire on smoke and mirrors, just like you built our marriage."
"Khloe, wait—" Julian reached out a hand toward her, completely forgetting the crowd, the cameras, and his fiancée beside him. "We need to talk privately. Right now."
Before Julian’s fingers could touch Khloe’s sleeve, Gabriel caught Julian’s wrist in a grip of pure steel.
"Touch her again," Gabriel warned in a low, deadly quiet tone, "and I will liquidate your firm's debt by midnight. You will be bankrupt before the sun rises."
Julian froze, terror finally breaking through his arrogant facade.
Gabriel released Julian's wrist with contempt, then placed his hand gently against the small of Khloe's back.
"Come, darling," Gabriel said gently to Khloe. "The board members are waiting to meet the new majority sponsor of the foundation."
Khloe smiled up at Gabriel, her eyes soft with genuine affection. "Of course."
May you like
As they turned and walked toward the VIP lounge, Khloe paused, looking over her shoulder at Julian one last time.
"Enjoy the party, Julian," she whispered. "It’s the last one you’ll be attending in this town for a very long time."
