Chapter 169 Trust and Hidden Crisis

Chapter 169 Trust and Hidden Crisis

The car window rolled down, revealing Henry's sharply defined profile.

He had clearly seen Sophia emerge from the hospital, his gaze fixed on her.

Sophia felt warmth spread through her chest—the gloom and irritation she'd absorbed in the hospital seemed to dissipate considerably the moment she saw him.

She crossed the street and slid into the passenger seat, pulling the door shut.

"What are you doing here?"

She buckled her seatbelt and turned to look at him.

She remembered only mentioning that she was visiting Oliver, never asking him to pick her up.

Henry started the engine and smoothly merged into traffic, his tone unreadable, "I was in the area for a meeting. It was on my way."

Sophia studied his stern profile, then suddenly had an epiphany. Leaning closer with a playful smile, she asked softly.

"Mr. Windsor, you weren't... worried, were you? Afraid I might have a moment of weakness and be swayed by his tears of regret?"

Henry's grip on the steering wheel tightened almost imperceptibly. He didn't answer immediately.

The car fell into brief silence, the air seeming to fill with a subtle tension and unspoken jealousy.

Just when Sophia thought he wouldn't answer, or would deny it outright, Henry suddenly flicked on his turn signal and pulled smoothly into a temporary parking spot by the roadside.

He turned to face her, his dark eyes locking onto hers with complex emotions swirling in their depths.

There was barely perceptible anxiety and unmistakable possessiveness.

"Yes," he admitted, his voice low and husky. "I don't like him seeing you. I like even less the way he looks at you."

Without waiting for her reaction, he leaned forward abruptly, one hand cupping the back of her neck with irresistible force, and captured her lips in a demanding kiss.

This kiss was different from their usual tender moments—it carried a hint of punishment and intense possessiveness, as if he needed to claim her this way, to drive away any trace of another man's presence.

Sophia was initially surprised but quickly relaxed, wrapping her arms around his neck and responding with clumsy but eager participation.

She could feel his heart racing beneath his calm exterior, all because of her.

Finally, Henry released her with ragged breathing, pressing his forehead against hers, their noses brushing, breaths mingling.

"No matter what happens," he said, looking into her misty eyes, each word clear and deliberate, "I know you'll always choose me."

This wasn't a question—it was a statement of absolute certainty.

Sophia's cheeks flushed pink, her heart hammering from both the kiss and his words.

She nodded firmly, her gaze bright and resolute, "Of course. From the moment you asked me on that mountaintop, there was only ever one answer."

She paused, then added with a hint of mischief, "Besides, compared to a coward living in the past who can't even figure out his own feelings, my Mr. Windsor is infinitely better."

The last shadow finally cleared completely from Henry's eyes, replaced by satisfaction and joy.

He brushed his lips against the corner of her mouth, then straightened and restarted the engine.

Neither of them noticed the telephoto lens positioned at the street corner across from the hospital, perfectly capturing that passionate embrace inside the car.

That evening, "Henry and Sophia's Passionate Kiss Outside Hospital" shot straight to the top of trending topics.

Though the photos were somewhat blurry through the car window, the intimate kissing pose and Henry's unmistakable profile were enough to set social media ablaze.

[OMG, they're so happy right after going public!]

[Mr. Windsor is totally marking his territory! So hot!]

What shocked the entire internet even more was that Henry, who rarely posted anything but official announcements on his verified social media account, actually logged in and reposted the most popular kissing photo.

This move was tantamount to officially confirming Sophia's status to the entire internet, pushing their romance to a fever pitch.

The Windsor Group's official account was instantly flooded with congratulatory comments.

That evening, Henry drove Sophia back to his penthouse apartment.

The underground parking garage was quiet as he pulled into his spot and said to Sophia, "You go on up first. I need to return a call."

Sophia didn't suspect anything, nodding as she got out and walked toward the elevator.

However, just as she reached the elevator doors and was about to press the button, urgent footsteps suddenly echoed behind her.

She turned around alertly, but it was already too late.

A rough hand clamped over her mouth and nose from behind, and the sharp smell of chemical agents immediately flooded her nostrils!

Another arm wrapped tightly around her waist, dragging her backward!

Panic surged through Sophia as she struggled desperately, jabbing her elbow backward and kicking frantically.

But her attacker was incredibly strong and clearly prepared.

The acrid smell made her brain rapidly grow foggy, her vision blurred, and her strength ebbed away like a tide.

In the last second before losing consciousness completely, she managed to use her remaining strength to slip off the ring Henry had given her that morning.

The ring fell silently into a corner by the elevator doors...

Sophia regained consciousness to violent rocking and the cold bite of sea wind.

Sharp pain shot through the back of her neck, her mouth was stuffed with cloth, and the mixed smell of briny seawater and rust filled her nostrils.

She forced open her heavy eyelids, adjusting to the dim light.

She found herself in a narrow, filthy ship's cabin, hands bound behind her back with rough rope, feet also tied together.

Beneath her was the cold, damp deck that rose and fell with the vessel's movement.

A boat?

Sophia assessed her environment while her heart sank.

The cabin door opened, and two men in cheap crew uniforms with vicious faces entered.

One had a large tattoo covering his neck, the other was short and stocky with cloudy eyes.

"Well, well, you're awake?" The tattooed man grinned, showing rotted yellow teeth. "Perfect timing—time for tonight's special delivery."

The stocky man rubbed his hands together, glancing nervously at the dark ocean outside, "Are we... are we really throwing her overboard? This is Henry's woman..."

"Shut up!" The tattooed man glared at him. "We're being paid to do a job! The boss said make it clean—stage it as an accidental drowning. There's no way that pretty boy will ever find her."

Listening to their casual conversation, Sophia would be lying if she said she wasn't terrified.