Chapter 167
Just as Vitale found the place where Isabella was being held, on the other side, Laura's gentle and worried embrace, along with the soft touch and steady heartbeat against his chest, felt like a warm current, temporarily soothing Amboni's nerves, which had been thrown into chaos by Vitale's furious phone call.
Instinctively, almost out of a need for comfort, he raised his hands to wrap around Laura's waist, burying his face deeper into that warm softness, even giving a gentle pinch with his fingers.
Whenever he felt insecure, restless, or under immense pressure, this small, secret gesture always seemed to bring him a strange sense of calm.
Laura's softness was like the most effective sedative, temporarily blocking out the chaos of the outside world and the anxiety in his heart.
Feeling his touch, Laura's body stiffened slightly before relaxing. A faint blush spread across her face, but she didn't stop him. Instead, she gently stroked his hair with even more tenderness.
She knew Amboni's habits and understood the enormous pressure and guilt he was carrying at that moment.
Amboni pinched a few more times, as if confirming this warmth and reality, before taking a deep breath. Then, he told Laura everything—Vitale's angry rant on the phone, the situation with Bob, and the shocking news that the bastard had the audacity to kidnap Isabella.
His voice was low and tired, filled with self-blame and a sense of helplessness, as if he were being dragged into a bigger storm.
Laura listened quietly. When she heard Isabella's name and the possible danger she was in, her heart clenched tightly.
These past few days, she hadn't been able to eat or sleep properly.
A strong sense of guilt tormented her day and night.
If she hadn't been in a bad mood and asked Isabella to go drinking with her.
If she hadn't chosen that place, the Safe Haven.
If she hadn't so easily trusted someone else.
Isabella might still be sitting at her desk right now, with that slightly aloof yet occasionally gentle expression, handling those endless piles of documents.
Every day, Laura prayed sincerely to God, hoping that the next day Isabella would miraculously appear at the company, safe and sound, and even greet her with that teasing tone like before, "Morning, Laura, your dark circles are about to reach your chin."
But every time she walked into the office with a nervous heart, her eyes immediately darting to that familiar desk, all she saw was a cold chair and an empty, unsettling space.
Isabella's cup was still there, and a thin layer of dust had settled on her keyboard.
The small pothos plant nearby, neglected without care, had started to turn yellow at the leaves.
Every time she saw this, Laura's heart ached as if pricked by needles.
Isabella was her best friend, the only person besides Amboni in this complicated and dangerous world with whom she could share her true feelings and girlish thoughts.
And now, her friend had disappeared because of her, with no news of whether she was alive or dead.
After listening to Amboni's account, Laura lowered her head and placed a soft yet firm kiss on the crown of his head.
"Darling," her voice trembled slightly, but it carried more determination, "I'm going with you to Bob's house."
Amboni immediately shook his head, tightening his arms around her, pulling her closer. With a slight effort, he lifted her up and placed her sideways on his sturdy lap, making her face him.
"No way, baby," Amboni said, looking straight into Laura's eyes with a tone that left no room for argument, "You have to stay here and keep yourself safe. It's too messy outside right now. Vitale is furious, and we don't know what's going on with Bob. I'll handle it with my guys. It'll be quick and safe."
"I don't want to have to worry about finding you later. Be good, okay? Stay here and keep an eye on the company. That's the biggest help you can give me."
There was concern in Amboni's eyes, along with a subtle plea that was hard to notice.
He knew Laura was worried about Isabella and about him, but he also knew that taking her on a mission filled with uncertainty and potential violence was far too risky.
He couldn't bear to lose another important person.
Laura saw the determination and worry in Amboni's eyes and knew he meant it, that he was doing this for her sake.
Though she desperately wanted to do something herself, she also understood that going with him might only cause trouble.
She bit her lower lip and finally nodded, giving in, "Alright, I'll listen to you. But, Amboni, you have to be careful. And I'm curious—how did you even get on Bob's bad side in the first place? Why is he targeting you like this, even risking Vitale's wrath?"
At the mention of Bob, a sneer of contempt flashed across Amboni's face.
"I didn't mess with him," Amboni corrected, his tone full of disdain, "That idiot lost a piece of land to me in a private bet. It's the plot near the industrial zone in the north of the city. Its value has skyrocketed since then."
"He got carried away during the bet, put the deed on the line, and lost everything. When his strict father found out, he grounded him at home for a month and froze most of his allowance."
"He felt humiliated in front of the whole city, so he's held a grudge ever since, thinking I set him up."
Amboni shrugged, as if talking about something trivial, "Over the years, he's caused me some minor trouble—snatched a couple of unimportant projects, spread some dumb rumors. I couldn't be bothered to deal with it. I thought that was the extent of his capabilities. But I never expected…"
His gaze suddenly turned sharp and furious, "I never thought this idiot would be bold enough to come after me like this, and even dare to touch Isabella."
"Doesn't he know that Vitale is a million times scarier than me? Hasn't he heard about how Vitale deals with his enemies? He's basically digging his own grave and dragging his entire family down with him!"
Seeing Amboni's angry and confident demeanor, Laura felt her fear of Vitale deepen, but at the same time, she felt a small sense of relief for Isabella.
At least there was someone so powerful who cared about her and was doing everything to find her.
She reached out, gently cupping Amboni's slightly stubbly cheeks, and said softly, "No, in my eyes, you're very gentle."
The anger on Amboni's face instantly melted away, replaced by a mix of desire and affection.
He curled his lips into a somewhat wicked smile, leaned close to Laura's ear, and whispered in a voice only they could hear, "Darling, that's just for you."
"I can be gentle with you, drive you wild, or choose to be gentle in other ways."
"But I can't be gentle with my enemies. For them, only bullets and fists are the most effective language."
Amboni's blunt and possessive words made Laura's face turn bright red, the flush spreading down to her neck.
She playfully hit his solid chest in embarrassment, which only drew a low, amused chuckle from him.
"Alright, I'll stop teasing you," Amboni said with a laugh, his expression turning serious again. He held Laura by the waist, lifted her off his lap, and set her steadily on the ground before standing up himself.
He adjusted his crooked tie and wrinkled shirt, then leaned down to give Laura a deep, passionate kiss.
"I have to go, baby," Amboni said as he pulled away, his thumb gently brushing over her slightly swollen lips, "I need to catch Bob's family as soon as possible. It's Vitale's strict order."
"If I'm even a step late, his anger will only grow. He's terrifying right now, really. I can't handle it."
Laura nodded understandingly, though her eyes were full of reluctance and worry, "Okay, stay safe and come back soon."
Amboni gave her one last look before turning around and striding out of the office.
The moment the door closed, the gentleness and exhaustion on his face vanished, replaced by a cold, ruthless expression.