Chapter 227: Zachary Shows Up Too

Chapter 227: Zachary Shows Up Too

Though the airport building itself wouldn't collapse under the typhoon's assault, there was still a very real risk of losing water and electricity. And this massive terminal hadn't been designed to sustain basic human needs—food, clothing, shelter—for extended periods.

Not to mention being crammed in with this many strangers overnight.

Once panic spread through the crowd, the worst-case scenario would be chaos. Riots, even.

Sitting here and waiting for disaster wasn't the smartest choice.

Lucas lowered his voice, speaking rapidly to Sophia. "A friend of mine lives nearby—ten minutes by car, tops. I can take you and the kids to his place. It'll be safer than staying here."

Hearing "ten minutes," Sophia felt some of the tension ease from her shoulders.

That meant they wouldn't be exposed outdoors for long. The risk of danger would be minimal.

She made her decision on the spot, nodding firmly. "All right. Let's go now."

After Sophia's reassurances, Julia and Simon had calmed down considerably.

Now, seeing their mother leading them toward the exit, they obediently shouldered their little backpacks without a single question.

As they moved through the terminal, a few other travelers noticed Sophia and Lucas heading for the doors.

As if suddenly jolted awake, they began calling to their own families, urging them to leave as well.

Sophia kindly offered a word of caution—if home was too far away, it might be safer to shelter in place at the airport.

Otherwise, getting caught in the storm on the road would only make things worse.

They reached the parking garage. Lucas jogged ahead to fetch the car.

Suddenly, the overhead lights flickered. A few sparks crackled in the darkness, then—blackness. A moment later, dim green emergency lights stuttered to life, casting an eerie, tense glow over everything.

Julia and Simon pressed into Sophia like frightened fawns.

Sophia quickly pulled out her phone to check the network.

After a moment, she exhaled in relief, bending down to comfort them. "It's just the parking garage lights malfunctioning. We're still safe."

She held Julia close, pointing toward the exit. "See that light over there? That's where we came in. The lights are still on."

It was only the aging parking structure, finally giving out at the worst possible moment.

Nothing more.

Julia and Simon visibly relaxed. Sophia turned on her phone's flashlight, waiting for Lucas to bring the car around.

She saw headlights flare to life in the distance. She waved her phone's light in the air.

The car pulled up beside them. The headlights blazed so brightly she had to squint, barely making out a tall figure stepping from the vehicle.

All she could see was a blurred silhouette—and the sound of hurried footsteps, almost running, closing the distance between them.

Then a scorching grip seized her wrist.

The man's presence was overwhelming. Only now, seeing Sophia safe with his own eyes, did the panic finally drain from his body.

Zachary's voice was hoarse. "Sophia. Are you all right?"

For a split second, Sophia thought she'd misheard.

She looked up, studying the man in front of her more closely.

It was Zachary.

His eyes still held traces of fear. His voice was unsteady, raw.

Something clenched around her heart—tight and aching.

Her breath shook.

But just as quickly, she snapped back to reality. She wrenched her hand free.

"What are you doing here?" Sophia's voice came out sharper than intended.

If Zachary tried to call this a coincidence, she had no reason left to believe him.

The typhoon alert had gone out half an hour ago—to every phone in the city. There was no way he hadn't known.

So how had he ended up here?

Instinctively, Sophia refused to entertain the most likely—and most impossible—explanation.

But Zachary didn't give her the chance to run from it.

"Sophia," he said bluntly, "we agreed. Once I got back, we'd talk everything through."

Sophia frowned, trying again to pull her wrist free.

But Zachary's grip only tightened. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break away.

His gaze locked onto hers, dark and unyielding. "I heard about the typhoon on my way here. If something had happened to you—to the kids—what the hell was I supposed to do?"

Sophia froze, speechless.

Her lips parted, but no words came.

She avoided his eyes.

Finally, she tugged at her wrist again, her voice low. "We've already said everything that needed saying. Since we're stuck because of the storm, I'll just reschedule the flight."

In truth, she'd already rebooked.

But with the typhoon classified as an act of God, even the airline couldn't say when normal service would resume.

Zachary studied her cold, averted profile for a long moment.

He didn't argue. There was no point.

Instead, his tone turned steely. "If you don't want to die here, get in the car."

He had a property nearby—just a few minutes away.

It had been a casual investment, nothing more. This was the first time it would actually serve a purpose.

Sophia opened her mouth to tell him Lucas had already arranged somewhere safe.

But at that exact moment, Lucas's car pulled up—engine rumbling, headlights cutting through the dark.

He'd come to collect Sophia, Julia, and Simon.

The two men came face-to-face.

Their eyes met. Hostility crackled between them.

Both let out derisive laughs at the exact same time.

"What a coincidence," they said in unison, their voices dripping with sarcasm.

Zachary's gaze slid to Sophia. Another cold laugh.

Before she could make a choice, he took her arm—firmly but not roughly—and guided her and the children toward his car.

He didn't even look at Lucas as he spoke. "So you're stuck here too. Funny. But you're not part of my plans. Why don't you head back to the terminal and wait out the storm there?"

Preferably forever. That would suit Zachary just fine.

Lucas's expression darkened. "Sophia doesn't like being forced into things. All you're doing is making her hate you more."

Inwardly, he cursed the timing of this godforsaken typhoon.

Half an hour. That's all it would have taken.

Half an hour, and they'd have been airborne. In a few more hours, they'd have landed on the other side of the world—far beyond Zachary's reach.

And Lucas would have had all the time in the world to wait. To be there when Sophia was finally ready to move on.

One typhoon had ruined everyone's plans.

The two men stood locked in a silent standoff, neither willing to back down.

Suddenly, a deafening crack of thunder tore through the air outside.

The ground seemed to tremble beneath their feet.

Julia and Simon went pale, clutching at Sophia.

Their voices came out small and shaky. "Mommy, don't be scared. It's okay. It's okay…"

The children's trembling words snapped both men back to their senses.