Chapter 296

Chapter 296
Anyone with eyes could see how much William adored Sophia.

He treated Sophia like his own granddaughter, protecting her from even the slightest discomfort.

He'd gifted Sophia substantial property and assets, even establishing a foundation in Billy's name, depositing money into it each month to secure her future.

And everyone knew how deeply Sophia loved William in return.

After reviewing the security footage, Mark's immediate reaction was unequivocal: "Impossible! Sophia would never harm Mr. Harding! This video must be compromised!"

Mark wasn't alone in his conviction.

Richard shared the same belief, demanding that Henry thoroughly investigate and review all hospital surveillance footage. "Sophia could never hurt Father," he insisted. "Never."

Despite these protests, Henry had meticulously reviewed every surveillance recording from the time of the incident. The woman in those videos was undeniably Sophia.

He would recognize her anywhere, under any circumstance.

Although Henry had tried to contain the news, the police had already issued a warrant for Sophia's arrest.

Alexander sat beside Henry in silence, both men fixated on the surveillance footage playing on the screen before them.

After reviewing each frame for what felt like the hundredth time, Alexander sighed deeply. "Even though I don't believe Sophia would do something like this, all the evidence points directly to her."

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his voice. "Even if we all believe she's innocent, we need evidence to prove it!"

The police investigation relied solely on evidence. Based on what they had, Sophia was their prime suspect. Unless Sophia appeared in person to explain her whereabouts during the incident and provide witnesses who could verify her alibi, the case against her would only strengthen.

But Sophia had vanished without a trace, as if she'd evaporated from the face of the earth.

Since Sophia's disappearance, Henry had deployed team after team to search for her.

He'd filed police reports and followed every possible lead, but nothing had surfaced. After that mysterious phone call demanding fifty million dollars, there had been only silence.

The kidnapper showed no interest in confirming whether Henry had prepared the money.

Sometimes, Henry suspected the call might have been a mere distraction—why else would no one follow up about the ransom?

Alexander's assessment was harsh but logical.

The police would only follow evidence. To prove Sophia's innocence, they needed not only to find the real killer but also to locate Sophia.

Yet in this vast sea of humanity, despite turning New York upside down, Henry had found no trace of Sophia.

This endless, directionless search was slowly suffocating him, hope diminishing with each passing day, like vines tightening around his chest until he could barely breathe.

After listening to Alexander, Henry acknowledged with a quiet "Hmm" before rising and leaving the monitoring room.

He knew how deeply Sophia loved William—Sophia would surely attend his funeral. With this thought, he publicly announced William's death, stating only that he had passed away in the hospital due to illness, withholding any further details.

Television stations broadcasted the news. Watching the somber black-and-white footage, hope flickered once more in Henry's heart.

Sophia! Please don't disappoint me this time.

William's funeral was scheduled for three days later.

Rain began falling the evening before and continued through the ceremony. At the funeral home, the director was explaining protocol to Richard and Henry while Billy stood nearby in his tiny black suit, his eyes brimming with grief.

Despite his young age, Billy understood what death meant.

He knew his great-grandfather would never play with him again, never laugh with him again. When he first learned that William had left forever, he'd wailed inconsolably, throwing himself across William's cold body. No one could pull him away.

William had commanded immense respect in New York. Officials who usually only appeared on television came to pay their respects, offering words of comfort to Richard and Henry.

Among the mourners was Oliver, leaning heavily on a cane.

Having lost his genitals, Oliver now harbored a profound hatred for Catherine. Hearing of William's death, he recognized an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the Hardings and arrived uninvited to pay his respects.

Henry didn't challenge his presence but kept their interaction brief, directing him to stand at the back of the gathering.

The attendees formed an orderly line, each person circling William's mahogany casket to view his remains before bowing three times in respect.

By all expectations, Sophia should have appeared by now.

Henry's eyes repeatedly darted to the entrance, waiting for the one face he desperately wanted to see. With each passing moment, doubt crept into his mind.

Was Sophia's love for William genuine? Or had it been mere pretense?

By the time the memorial service concluded and William's body was moved toward the crematorium, Sophia still hadn't appeared.

Henry couldn't be certain if Sophia was even still alive. The world seemed to recede from him, growing increasingly distant and unclear.

With a heavy thud, Henry collapsed in front of everyone.

The Harding family doctor rushed forward, directing others to carry him to a nearby resting room. Benjamin and Frank, concerned for their friend, followed immediately.

Upon entering the room, they found the doctor preparing an injection, drawing medication into a syringe for Henry.

Noticing their entrance, the doctor hesitated, his eyes flickering nervously.

Ever vigilant, Frank immediately sensed something amiss. He grabbed the doctor's wrist, demanding: "Who are you? I've never seen you before."

"I know all the Harding family doctors, and you're not one of them!"

The man wore a mask, revealing only his dark, expressionless eyes.

"I'm a substitute doctor," he insisted. "The regular doctor had personal matters today."

As he spoke, he wrenched his hand free from Frank's grip and swiftly redirected the needle toward Frank, attempting to stab him.

Frank quickly pulled back his hand, shouting to Benjamin, "This guy's trouble! Grab him!"

Seeing his plan fail, the imposter turned and fled.

Frank immediately gave chase with several security personnel. Minutes later, he returned empty-handed, frustration evident on his face.

"We lost him," he admitted grimly.