Taming My Sugar Mommy
Chapter 75: Marcus’s Hidden Truth

Chapter 75: Marcus’s Hidden Truth

When Marcus returned to the room, his face was a carefully composed mask. Isabella studied him, searching for any hint of the man who had protected her for a decade.

"Marcus will be keeping an eye on you while I make some preparations," Richard announced, gathering several documents from his desk. "I trust you won’t give him any trouble."

Isabella kept her gaze fixed on Marcus as Richard moved toward the door. "How much?" she asked, her voice quiet but razor-sharp. "How much did it take to buy ten years of loyalty?"

Marcus remained silent, his eyes focused on a point somewhere above her head.

"Was it worth it?" she continued, stepping closer despite her restraints. "Trading your integrity, your honor—everything I thought defined you—for what? Money? Did he threaten you? What could possibly justify this betrayal?"

Richard paused at the doorway, watching the exchange with cold amusement. "Don’t waste your breath trying to turn him, Isabella. Some loyalties run deeper than you can imagine." With that parting shot, he left the room, the heavy door closing behind him with a definitive click.

For several long moments, silence hung between them. Marcus finally met her gaze, his expression unreadable.

"You should sit down," he said, gesturing to a nearby chair. "It’s going to be a long night."

Isabella didn’t move. "Answer me, Marcus. After everything we’ve been through—after I trusted you with my life—I deserve that much."

Something flickered in his eyes—a momentary crack in his stoic facade. It was brief, but Isabella caught it. Uncertainty? Regret? She couldn’t be sure, but it was enough to give her hope that the Marcus she knew wasn’t completely gone.

"You don’t understand what’s at stake," he finally said, his voice low.

"Then help me understand," Isabella pressed. "Because the Marcus I know wouldn’t betray me without a reason."

He turned away, moving to the window. "The Marcus you knew was a construction. A role I played." But there was something hollow in his words, as if he was reciting lines he didn’t fully believe.

Isabella followed, positioning herself to see his reflection in the glass. "Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night? That it was all just a job? We both know that’s not true."

Marcus’s jaw tightened. "Sit down, Isabella. Please."

The "please" caught her attention—a small but significant deviation from his cold demeanor. She obliged, taking a seat in one of the leather armchairs, her mind racing to understand what was happening beneath the surface.

"He has something on you," she realized aloud, watching his reflection closely. "Or someone."

Marcus didn’t respond, but his shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly.

Meanwhile, in another part of the compound, Richard entered a secure monitoring room where several technicians worked at computer stations. Screens displayed different areas of the property, including the room where Isabella and Marcus remained.

"Status report," Richard demanded of a young woman at the main console.

"Ms. Christina and Mr. Campbell have entered the outer perimeter as instructed," she replied. "Security team is tracking their approach."

"And the signal?"

"Still broadcasting according to our modified parameters. They can hear exactly what we want them to hear."

Richard nodded, satisfied. "Show me the feed from Section C."

The technician tapped a few keys, bringing up footage of a small, sparsely furnished apartment. A young woman sat on a bed, reading a book, seemingly unaware of the camera. The timestamp in the corner showed the current date and time.

"Perfect," Richard murmured. "Make sure Marcus sees this after his shift with Isabella. Remind him what he’s working for."

"Yes, sir. And the actual footage?"

Richard waved dismissively. "Keep it secure. The last thing we need is for him to discover that his precious daughter has been sold three years ago." His cold eyes focused on the young woman in the video—an actress hired for her resemblance to Marcus’s long-missing child. "Grief makes men so malleable when paired with hope."

Outside the compound, Liam and Christina had abandoned their vehicle, moving through the dense woodland that surrounded the property. Christina led the way, her movements confident and precise despite her injuries.

"The main security hub will be centralized," she whispered as they paused behind a fallen tree trunk. "Based on the building schematics, our best entry point is through the east maintenance access."

Liam nodded, checking the tablet one last time before tucking it away. "How long have you suspected Marcus?"

Christina’s eyes remained fixed on the compound ahead. "I didn’t want to believe it. But there were signs—unexplained absences, secure files accessed at odd hours. Three weeks ago, I followed him to a meeting in Chinatown. He met with someone I didn’t recognize, exchanged documents."

"You didn’t tell Isabella?"

Christina’s expression hardened. "I needed proof. Marcus has been with her longer than I have—his word against mine, with no evidence? I would have been the one under suspicion." She checked her weapon again. "I installed tracking software on his phone. He’s been visiting five specific locations repeatedly over the past two years."

"Two years?" Liam’s brow furrowed. "So this betrayal isn’t new."

"No," Christina admitted grimly. "Which means Richard has been planning this for a very long time."

A sudden vibration from Liam’s pocket interrupted them. He pulled out the tablet to see the tracker signal moving again.

"They’re relocating her," he said, studying the new coordinates. "Deeper into the compound."

Christina cursed under her breath. "Richard’s playing with us. He knows exactly what we’re doing and he’s staying one step ahead."

Liam’s mind raced, trying to find an angle they hadn’t considered. "Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless someone on the inside is helping us," Liam suggested. "The tracker signal shouldn’t be working at all if they’re fully jamming it. What if someone is making sure we can still follow?"

Christina’s eyes widened slightly as she considered the possibility. "Marcus?"

"Double agent or genuinely conflicted—either way, we might not be as alone as we thought."

Christina nodded slowly. "Let’s move. If there’s even a chance Isabella is being helped from the inside, we need to be ready to act when the moment comes."

As they continued their approach toward the compound, the weight of what they still didn’t know hung heavy between them. Marcus’s true allegiance, Richard’s ultimate plan, and Isabella’s fate all remained uncertain—a dangerous puzzle with pieces still hidden in shadow.

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