Chapter 228
Back home, Khloe had barely settled in when her assistant’s call came through.
The man who had attacked her had already been interrogated.
As expected, his motive wasn’t random.
Years ago, Niel’s public criticism of one of his company’s core projects had pushed him to the brink of bankruptcy. His wife had worked herself to exhaustion trying to keep the business afloat—and ultimately died from it.
He had carried that resentment for years.
When he learned Khloe was Niel’s daughter, that resentment turned into obsession. He had been waiting for an opportunity ever since.
Nick listened in silence as Khloe relayed the details. His expression didn’t change much, but the air around him cooled noticeably.
“People like that don’t stop,” he said evenly. “Leaving him alone is just leaving a hidden risk.”
Without another word, he called Lenny and issued a brief instruction to “handle it.”
His tone was calm. Almost detached.
But Khloe could clearly feel the shift underneath it—the kind of absolute finality that meant there would be no second chances.
After the call ended, Khloe exhaled slowly.
“Do you think someone was behind him?” she asked.
Nick’s eyes sharpened at once. “You mean Clarice.”
Khloe nodded. “It’s only speculation, but everything about it feels too convenient. He showed up at the banquet, knew my schedule, and picked that exact moment.”
Nick’s jaw tightened slightly.
“If it’s her, then there’s no evidence they’ll leave behind,” he said coldly. “Clarice and Ethan are playing things in the dark.”
A faint unease settled in Khloe’s chest.
She was used to clean battles—clear opponents, clear outcomes. But this kind of hidden manipulation was different. It didn’t just target her; it could drag everyone around her into it without warning.
Nick’s gaze darkened further.
“Anyone who sets their sights on you is crossing a line they can’t come back from.”
After a brief pause, he added, “Leave the Morrison side to me. Don’t carry it alone.”
Khloe looked at him.
He said it lightly, almost casually—but she knew him well enough to understand what that meant.
When Nick decided to act, there were no half measures.
That realization warmed her more than she expected.
Still, she shook her head slightly.
“This is my matter,” she said gently. “They came for me, so I should be the one to deal with it. And your father already made it clear—the Hunt family shouldn’t get involved in personal conflicts that could affect business relations.”
She paused, then added, “But I will need one thing from you.”
Nick studied her for a moment. “Your tone says you already have a plan.”
Khloe didn’t deny it. “Clarice and Ethan must have weaknesses somewhere. I want access to your intelligence channels.”
A faint shift crossed Nick’s eyes—approval and something like restrained admiration.
He preferred confrontation. Clean, decisive, finished in one strike.
But Khloe wasn’t wrong either.
He didn’t argue.
“Fine,” he said. “You’ll have full access.”
Then his gaze dropped slightly, and his tone shifted.
“But from now on, your safety protocol changes.”
Before Khloe could respond, he reached out and tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes.
His touch was gentle.
His presence wasn’t.
“Stronger security,” he said quietly.
Khloe blinked. “How strong?”
Nick leaned in just slightly, his voice brushing against her ear.
“Constant updates. Twenty-four-hour contact.”
Her breath caught. “That sounds like you want me monitored, not protected.”
A faint curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
“This isn’t open for discussion, Mrs. Hunt.”
His voice lowered further, firm and intimate at once.
“It’s an order.”
Khloe’s cheeks warmed despite herself. “Nick… your possessiveness is getting worse.”
Her gaze lifted to meet his, a hint of teasing in her eyes.
“Are you more afraid I’ll get hurt—or that I’ll slip away from you?”