Chapter 228 Chocolate
After a few seconds of ringing, the call connected. Leopold heard the sound of heavy rain, and an uneasy feeling crept into his heart.
He asked, "Are you done with work?"
Caroline was straddling the electrical tower at that moment, her arms tightly wrapped around the tower body. Despite wearing a raincoat, her clothes underneath were already soaked, clinging uncomfortably to her skin.
The water level in the riverbed was rising rapidly. The raging floodwater kept pounding against the tower's base, and under the fierce assault, the tower had already started to tilt slightly. This wasn't a good sign. She knew it too—maybe in the next second, this tower would be swept away by the flood.
She had to overcome her fear and make her voice sound calm enough.
Caroline swallowed before saying, "Not yet."
Leopold asked, "Where are you now?"
Caroline said, "At Elmwood Bend."
"Is the damage severe?"
"It's okay."
"Why is the sound of water so loud on your end?"
Caroline said, "I'm outside, of course, the water's loud. My phone's about to die, and I have other calls to take. Gotta go."
Leopold said, "Okay."
After hanging up, Leopold called Lily. "Help me check the disaster situation at Elmwood Bend. Caroline's there now."
"Got it, I'll contact them right away."
Through internal connections, Lily learned that Caroline was trapped. She immediately went to Leopold's office. Hearing the urgent knocking, Leopold gripped his pen tightly and called out, "Come in."
Lily came before him and said, "While reinforcing the electrical tower, Caroline got trapped on a tower in the middle of the riverbed due to a sudden flash flood."
Leopold was trying hard to control himself, lowering his eyes to hide his chaotic emotions. "I see."
Lily looked worried. "Maybe she's just temporarily trapped. There's rescue on site, she should be fine."
Leopold raised his hand. He needed to confirm the news. "You can go."
Lily quietly left the office.
Before Leopold could call Elijah, he called first.
Leopold couldn't hide his anxiety. "Dad, did something happen to Caroline?"
Elijah had just contacted another rescue team. "She's trapped on an electrical tower at Elmwood Bend. I just contacted a rescue team to go there. I can't get away right now. You go check on her."
Leopold got up and headed out. "What's the exact location?"
"Near the foot of the mountain in the village. I'll send you the exact location."
Leopold hung up and hurried out of the office.
In the hallway, Bodhi, seeing Leopold completely ignore him, got angry and deliberately blocked Leopold's path, saying, "Don't think you're hot shit just because you made it to the board. Mom will never hand the company over to an outsider like you."
Leopold had no time for him. He walked around him toward the elevator, but was blocked by Bodhi again. Before Bodhi could speak, Leopold grabbed him by the collar and warned, "Bodhi, if you still want to stay at this company, get out of my way now."
With that, he shoved him against the wall. Bodhi felt like his insides had shifted, grimacing in pain.
Staring at the elevator screen, Leopold kept pressing the button rapidly until the elevator doors opened, and he stepped in.
The Cayenne rushed out of the company, splashing water all the way.
Leopold called Caroline's phone again. It rang for a long time before she answered.
Leopold's eyes were dark and clear, his face unusually calm. "Honey, don't be scared. I'm heading your way."
Caroline was speechless for two seconds. "You know?"
Now wasn't the time to blame her. "Has the rescue team arrived?"
"Just got here."
Caroline wanted to wipe the water from her eyes. She turned her head and rubbed it on her arm, but the heavy rain blurred her vision again.
Leopold asked, "Tell me about your current situation."
Caroline's phone was already showing a low battery. She spoke rapidly, describing the scene in detail, but due to the heavy rain and raging floodwater, the rescue team was working on a rescue plan.
When Leopold learned that the tower was leaning due to the massive erosion of the river water, he slammed his foot down on the accelerator.
"Honey, hold on tight, don't let go no matter what."
"Are you cold?"
Caroline pulled her raincoat hood again. "I wasn't cold before because I was working on reinforcement, but I'm a bit cold now."
"Did you wear the raincoat you prepared?"
"I'm wearing it."
Leopold said, "Check your pocket. I put two pieces of chocolate in there last night. If you're cold or have no energy, eat one."
Caroline suddenly felt like laughing for some reason, but the smile that formed at the corners of her mouth turned into the urge to cry. She sniffled and said, "Okay. I'll eat it after we hang up. Right now I'm holding the phone with one hand and don't dare move the other."
"How much battery do you have left?"
Caroline glanced at it. "3%."
Leopold knew clearly that 3% wouldn't last long at all.
Since it wouldn't last long, they'd talk until it died.
"Have they started the rescue?" Leopold asked.
At first, Caroline had felt afraid, but hearing Leopold's voice made her feel less scared.
"They've started. They're preparing to use a drone to send over a life jacket."
Hearing about the life jacket, Leopold felt slightly relieved. "How many people are on the tower with you?"
Caroline said, "Five people."
"Five people." Leopold said to himself, "Among the five people, there is you, my wife. You are really bold."
Caroline didn't want to explain too much. It happened suddenly, and there wasn't much time to consider the consequences. But everyone present knew the importance of this tower, so when she proposed reinforcing it, no one objected.
"I can see the drone flying toward us." Caroline stared at that point of light.
After the drone took off, due to the strong wind and heavy rain, plus poor visibility at night, it tried several times but couldn't get close to the tower, and nearly crashed into it.
"The drone can't get through." Caroline said into the phone.
Leopold reassured her, "Don't worry, they'll think of another way."
Suddenly, the tower shook again. Caroline's heart jumped to her throat.
Leopold heard her fear. "Caroline?"
The tower just shook and then stabilized. Caroline swallowed hard and said, "It's fine, it's fine."
As if it were really fine!
Leopold's grip on the steering wheel tightened, his heartbeat quickening. "Honey, can an inflatable boat get close to you?"
Caroline said, "No, the river current is too strong, and the riverbed is uneven with broken rocks. The boat would capsize if it hit them."
Leopold's idea was rejected.
Caroline said, "They're preparing to..."
The call cut off.
Leopold knew her battery had died.
He had never worried about anyone's life or death before, never felt how painful losing someone could be. But just now, the moment the call disconnected, he felt his heart being torn apart, the pain almost suffocating.