Chapter 89

Sophia's POV.

My eyes grew wide and tears kept on falling down my cheeks. “Y–You,” I whispered, desperately.

“Yes. Me.” I could feel his smug smile from the other side of the call.

“You!” I managed in a bit of a louder, shivering voice.

“Yes, love.” His ironic fake voice was clear from the other side of the phone. “Harvey....”

I managed through gritted teeth and a voice full of disbelief and despair.

“Bingo.”

I clutched the phone tightly.

“Harvey,” I repeated. “Why.....Where....” I couldn't find my voice.

“What was that? I didn't quite hear you.” He mocked.

“What,” I swallowed hard, “have you done to Stephanie.” He laughed. A disgusting, throaty laugh.

“I'm not sure you'd like to know ‘all’ I've done to her.” He voiced nastily.

I frowned and more tears strolled down my face. “Curse you!” I groaned tears on my face.

“Thank you.” He chuckled. “Now here's what I'm going to tell you.”

I bit hard on my lips as his voice echoed through my ears.

“Stephanie is now my hostage.”

This is what I had feared he'd say...

I guess Steve was mistaken when he said he'd never hurt Stephanie.

I clenched my fists, attempting to collect myself together.

“Wh–what d–do you want in return for–for letting her go?” I managed in an uncertain, trembling voice.

He let out another evil laugh.

“Hmmm, what? It's more like ‘who’ I want.” He muttered. My breathing was still loud and I felt my whole body shake.

“I want you.”

His voice hit me like a blow to my gut.

“Huh?” I breathed.

“You will receive a message telling you our place of meeting in a few hours.” He stated in a cold evil voice.

“What,” I gulped, “makes you think I'll do what you're saying?” He let out a carefree laugh again.

“You're asking me that?”

Just then, I heard Stephanie's scream again. My whole body ached and my insides clenched more than ever.

“Okay! Okay! I'll do it! Just..... stop whatever you're doing to her.” I cried.

“Good girl.”

Curse you, Harvey Hamilton!

“Now, I'm going to hang up. However, I must warn you.” I could feel his smug grin from the other end.

“Don't you dare,” He warned, his voice like that of a cold-blooded killer. “Don't you dare tell anybody about this? I swear you'll find your friend as a corpse if you do.”

“I–I won't. P–please don't hurt her any f–further.” I begged, sobbing.

He sighed.

“Oh, don't you worry my dear?” He let out a soft chuckle. “Stephanie is so well cared for here.”

He let out a wicked laugh and hung up the call.

This is all my fault!

I shouldn't have allowed her to leave the apartment last night. I should've insisted she stay more forcefully. My body utterly refused to move as I blamed myself for what happened to Stephanie.

I finally found the strength to check the time and I discovered that it was the break time.

Everything in me wanted to tell Alex about what was going on but I didn't want to risk anything bad happening to Stephanie.

I held onto the desk for support and forced myself up.

I started walking towards the elevator and went down to the office cafeteria.

I didn't ask for anything in the cafeteria, not even a cup of water but simply found a table and sat alone.

I laid my head over my hands on the table and closed my eyes.

God....I just don't want to wake up...

***

“Sophia....” The voice sounded like it came from far away.

“Sophia!” I jumped like I had been hit by an electric shock.

“Where did you go to sleep, you sleepy head?”

The person before me questioned enthusiastically. I sighed and forced a smile at her.

“Sarah...” I breathed weakly.

Sarah, one of the few interns at the company, grinned playfully at me and sat beside me.

“Exactly why are you not eating? You need that energy when dealing with Mr Hayes.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me.

The relationship between me and Alex was not exactly a secret in the office. Although people still tend to gossip about it in low tones around the office.

Hearing Alex's name nearly brought fresh tears to my eyes but I was able to blink them away. I should've trusted him when he said to stay away from Harvey. I should've listened.

A stupid tear escaped my eyelids to my right cheek, but I quickly wiped it.

I eyed my watch and saw that it was just two minutes remaining from my thirty-minute break.

“I'm afraid my time is up. Goodbye, Sarah.” I stood up and forced a smile at her. I headed quickly towards the elevator up to the office.

I headed to my desk so I could deliver the documents to Alex I hadn't delivered earlier.

Immediately I took them from the desk, the desk phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Sophia! Hope you're doing fine?” Steve's voice echoed cheerfully through the phone.

My eyes watered again.

“Y–Yeah! I'm.....fine.” I was a bit confused as to why he was calling me.

“That's great. I was just calling to ask how you are after what I dropped on you yesterday. I want to make sure things turn out okay with Stephanie. I hope things turned out the way you wanted them to.”

“They did.” I smiled weakly and a tear streamed down my face. “Are you sure? You don't sound fine.”

“Sure.” I lied through my teeth.

“Alright then.” He sounded unsure.

“Steve?” My voice was soft and vulnerable.

“Yes?”

“Thank you for everything.”

“Huh? What exactly are you thanking me for?”

“I–I mean for everything so far.” I let out a nervous chuckle and quickly added. “Well, I'll talk to you later, Steve. I have to get back to work now.”

“Okay....Goodbye.” He sounded uncomfortable. I hung up the call.

Deep inside, I felt like I might not come back from what Harvey was preparing for me and so, I don't want to regret not saying anything to anyone.

I sighed picked up the documents I had prepared that morning and headed to Alex's office, hoping that I could keep it together and fake it well enough in front of me.