Chapter 4 In Turner Tech's boardroom , twelve board members glared at the projection screen with farms like death The numbers were brutal stock down 47 % , market cap hemorrhaging six billion , client loss at 82 % . " Mr. Tuner , explain to us what the hell happened ! " Board Chairman Richard slammed his hand on the table . " How does our core technology just vanish overnight ? " Blake stood with his back to everyone , staring out the window . Three days of stubble made him look ten years older , his wrinkled suit still the same shirt from his wedding day . " The tech team's working on fixes , " he croaked , barely audible . " Fixes ? " The CTO laughed bitterly . " Dave Miller just told us that code was never ours to begin with ! It belongs to Khloe Sullivan ! " Blake spun around . " Khloe worked at Turner Tech for ten years ! Everything she built obviously belongs to the company ! " " Then why is Legal saying we don't have a prayer in court ? " Richard threw down a stack of papers . " This is the contract you made Khloe sign ten years ago , and it's crystal clear about intellectual property ownership ! " The boardroom door burst open as Avery clicked in on designer heels , looking pissed . " Blake ! I booked the honeymoon flights . How much longer do I have to wait ? " Everyone stared at the new bride . Avery finally noticed the tension in the room , her perfectly made - up face going awkward . " Get out , " Blake said quietly . " Excuse me ? " " I said GET OUT ! " Blake exploded , grabbing his coffee mug and hurling it at the wall . " Are you fucking blind ?! We're in a meeting ! " Avery went pale and stormed out , slamming the door . The board members exchanged looks - this marriage wouldn't last three months . Meanwhile , at KS Tech's product launch , every seat was packed . I wore a tailored blazer that perfectly hid my slightly rounded belly . " Today , I'm thrilled to introduce KS Technologies ' first product - the CoreMind AI system . " I clicked the remote , lighting up the big screen . " This system will completely revolutionize enterprise - level artificial intelligence applications . " Camera flashes went crazy , reporters scribbling notes . In the front row , Ethan Cole watched with this smug , impressed expression . A journalist raised her hand . " Ms. Sullivan , what's the relationship between this system and Turner Tech's core technology ? There are rumors you took their proprietary tech . " I'd been expecting this . " CoreMind is built on algorithmic frameworks I independently developed ten years ago . All intellectual property has been thoroughly vetted by legal - it belongs entirely to KS Technologies . " I paused . " As for Turner Tech , they simply had licensing privileges . " After the launch , Ethan cornered me backstage . " Impressive show , Sullivan heiress . " 004 Divorce Papers or Death Code ? My Choice , His Regret 33.3 % " Thanks . " I took the warm water my assistant handed me . " Partnership going well ? " Ethan's eyes briefly flicked to my stomach . " Very well . Though I'm curious does Wake Turner know he's gonna be a daddy ? " My grip tightened on the glass . " You're well informed , Cole . " " Occupational hazard . " Ethan smiled . " Don't worry , I couldn't care less about other people's business . But ... " He stepped closer . " If you need a stand - in father to avoid unnecessary drama , I'm happy to help . " I stepped back , creating distance . " Thanks , but no thanks . " Ethan shrugged . " Offer stands . By the way , Turner Tech's looking for outside funding . I'm thinking about buying their core assets at bargain prices . " " That's your business , " I said calmly . Three days later , financial news dropped a bombshell- Cole Industries acquired 51 % of Turner Tech at 30% of its original valuation . Blake Turner lost controlling interest . That same day , Avery Brooks told reporters she was considering divorce , saying Blake was " obsessed with work and neglecting his wife . " I scrolled through news alert after news alert , feeling absolutely nothing . The baby gave a little kick , like it was reminding me it was there . " Easy , little one , " I whispered . " Mommy's going home to rest . " The Sullivan mansion was blazing with lights . Dad had actually cooked for once , making me soup . Mom was already setting up a nursery , even though I was only five months pregnant . " Khloe , " Dad set down the soup bowl , looking serious . " Blake Turner came by looking for you . " My chopsticks froze mid - air . " What did he want ? " " He said ... " Dad frowned , " he wants to talk about the baby . Claims he has a right to know about his own child . " I laughed bitterly . " Oh , now he suddenly remembers what responsibility means . " Marcus walked out of his study with some papers . " I just found something interesting . Blake's been secretly moving assets for three ' months - like he knew the company would crash . " I took the documents and skimmed them . " Smart . He left himself an escape route . " " Here's the thing , " Marcus pointed to one transaction . " This money went to Avery Brooks , but yesterday it got transferred to some offshore account . " I raised an eyebrow . " Guess our ' innocent , fragile ' pianist isn't so pure after all . " Right then , the doorbell rang . On the security monitor , Blake stood at our gate looking like hell - hair a mess , eyes bloodshot . " I'll get rid of him ," Marcus stood up . " No. " I stopped my brother . " I'll handle this . " I threw on a jacket and walked to the courtyard . Through the iron gate , Blake paced like a caged animal . When he saw me , he rushed to the bars . " Khloe ! " He gripped the gate , " Just give ine five minutes ! " I stood six feet away , hands protectively over my belly . " Talk . " " The company's gone , Avery took my last penny . " His voice cracked . " I've got nothing left ... " " That sucks , " I said flatly . Blake suddenly dropped to his knees . " Khloe , I know I screwed up ! For old times ' sake , please help me ! And our baby- " My expression went ice cold . " Who said this was your baby ? " Blake froze . " But that night- " " Blake , " I laughed coldly , " did you really think after ten years with you , you were the only man in my life ? " The words hit him like a physical blow . Blake stumbled backward , face going white . " No ... that's impossible ... you loved me ... " " Love ? " I repeated the word softly . " Love goes both ways , Blake . What did you ever give me ? Ten years with no title , then dismissing me with a check ? " Blake collapsed on the ground like a lost child . " Khloe , I regret it , I really regret it- " Looking at him like this , I felt a flicker of pity . But then the baby kicked , reminding me - I was only responsible to this little life now . " Go home , Blake . " I turned away . " We ended a long time ago . " Back inside , Marcus handed me warm milk . " All done ? " " Yeah . " I took the milk and suddenly felt dizzy , grabbing the couch for support . " Khloe ! " Mom cried . " You look terrible ! " " I'm fine- " I tried to stand but my legs went weak . Something warm trickled down my inner thigh . " Blood ! " Marcus went pale . " Call 911 ! " As I lost consciousness , I clutched my stomach with one desperate thought- Please , I have to save my baby !