Chapter 298
Chapter 298
Betty stared in disbelief as Sophia walked past her without acknowledging her.
Betty glanced at the four burly men surrounding her, quickly retreating behind a nearby Roman column, secretly taking a photo of the group and sending it to Henry.
Then, without wasting a moment, she followed them.
Meanwhile, in the executive boardroom of Harding Investment, Henry sat with a dark expression, barely listening to the quarterly report presentation.
His mind was elsewhere. It had been over three months since Sophia's disappearance, and the weight of her absence was crushing him.
The investigation into William's death had stalled, the police were no closer to finding Sophia, and Henry was running out of methods.
Just as the CFO was detailing profit margins, Henry's phone vibrated. A message from Betty. He glanced down and froze.
There on his screen was a photo of Sophia—his Sophia—surrounded by four intimidating men. The message read: "IT'S HER! FOLLOWING THEM NOW!"
Henry shot to his feet, cutting off the presentation mid-sentence.
"Meeting adjourned," he announced, already striding toward the door.
The executives exchanged confused glances as their CEO disappeared without explanation, phone pressed to his ear.
"Are you certain it's her?" he demanded, voice tight with restrained hope.
Betty's excited voice came through the speaker: "Yes! One hundred percent! She looked right at me, Henry. She's in trouble!"
"Perfect. Follow that car. I'm on my way!"
He hung up, barking orders to his security team as he rushed to the elevator.
Betty hailed a taxi, heart pounding as she watched the black SUV pull away.
"Follow that car," she instructed the driver.
The driver gave her an odd look but complied. As the taxi merged into traffic, Betty kept her eyes locked on the SUV, terrified of losing sight of it.
When Henry called, she answered immediately while maintaining visual contact with the target vehicle.
"Henry, I'm in a taxi following them now," she said tensely. "I can't believe I actually found her!"
She shared her location with Henry before switching her phone to vibrate mode.
Betty had shed countless tears over her missing friend. She'd joined search parties, posted flyers, scoured hospitals—but all to no avail.
Sophia had simply vanished, leaving only questions and heartache behind.
Then, by pure chance, she'd spotted her friend in a clothing store. At first, she couldn't believe her eyes.
But when Sophia had looked directly at her before walking past, that split-second exchange had conveyed everything Betty needed to know: Help me.
Fifteen minutes into the pursuit, a sleek silver SUV pulled alongside Betty's taxi. Her phone vibrated immediately.
"Henry, do you see the black SUV up ahead? Let me give you the license plate number."
After she recited the digits, Henry's voice came through, firm and commanding: "You should go home now. I'll take it from here."
Betty hesitated. She wanted to help rescue her friend, but realistically, what could she do? She had no combat training, no weapon—she'd only be a liability.
"Fine," she conceded. "But be careful."
Henry didn't even bother saying goodbye before hanging up. He immediately instructed his driver to accelerate, closing the gap between them and the black SUV.
As they gained on the vehicle, Henry made a split-second decision.
"Ram them," he ordered, his voice deadly calm.
The driver's eyes widened in shock. "Sir?"
"You heard me. Now—ram them!"
The driver took a deep breath, gripped the wheel tightly, and floored the accelerator. The silver SUV surged forward, slamming into the back of the black vehicle with a deafening crash.
The impact left Henry momentarily dazed. After taking a few seconds to recover, he flung open his door and approached the other vehicle, tapping on the driver's window.
The driver emerged, cursing loudly. "What the hell, man? Can't you fucking drive?"
Henry offered his most charming smile, extending a cigarette as an apologetic gesture.
"I'm terribly sorry. It was entirely my fault—I was distracted. Name your price for the damages."
While maintaining this friendly facade, Henry peered through the tinted windows. He could make out six figures inside—five men and one woman. Though he couldn't see her face clearly, the silhouette was unmistakably Sophia's.
Henry's driver had also exited the vehicle, approaching with an apologetic expression. "We're really sorry about this. Would you prefer to go through insurance or have a traffic officer assess the damage?"
At the mention of police, the other driver's demeanor changed instantly. "No, no, that won't be necessary. It's just a dent—let's just forget about it."
He turned to climb back into his seat, but Henry was faster.
In one fluid motion, he grabbed the man, locking him in a chokehold.
This was the signal his security team had been waiting for. They swarmed the black SUV, yanking open doors and subduing everyone inside. Within three minutes, all six occupants were restrained, and an eerie silence settled over the scene.
Henry handed the driver to one of his guards and straightened his jacket before approaching the vehicle. With each step, his heart hammered harder against his ribs.
What if it wasn't her? What if Betty was wrong?
He paused just before reaching the door, suddenly hesitant.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves overhead, casting dappled shadows on the quiet street. A gentle breeze carried the scent of spring blossoms, stirring memories of happier times.
Henry's hand froze in mid-air as he peered inside.
It was her.
After more than three months, Sophia sat before him, looking exactly as he remembered—her pale, delicate features unchanged.
Only her eyes were different—cold, hard, watchful.
His heart lurched painfully in his chest, making it difficult to breathe. This unexpected reunion after months of desperate searching left him feeling strangely vulnerable.
He finally continued forward, each step heavy with anticipation.
The woman inside had noticed him immediately but remained perfectly still, her expression unreadable.
As Henry appeared fully in the doorway, something flickered across her face—surprise, relief, perhaps even joy.
Her eyes grew moist as she gazed at the tall figure before her.
Henry's own eyes reflected a tenderness he rarely showed, his throat searching for words he could speak.
Finally, he managed a single question:
"Is... is it really you?"
Sophia heard his voice and her eyes grew wetter still. She offered him a small smile and nodded.
Time seemed to stop in that moment. The world around them faded away, leaving only them to feel each other's presence.
Henry stepped closer, arms extending to embrace her but hesitating at the last moment, afraid this beautiful mirage might vanish at his touch.
Sophia rose from her seat, leaned forward, and closed the distance between them, resting her head against his shoulder.
"It's me," she whispered. "I'm back."
Perhaps overwhelmed by emotion, or perhaps uncertain if she was real, Henry let out a small groan when Sophia's arms encircled his waist.
All the anguish and torment that had haunted him these past months dissolved in an instant. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, afraid to let go.
"I thought you were dead," he confessed, his voice rough with emotion. "No word for so long..."
Her hands moved up to gently pat his back as she sniffled, fighting back tears. "If I were dead, could you be holding me right now?"
The security team, sensing the intensity of the moment, discreetly escorted their captives away, giving the reunited couple privacy.
"Sophia, you terrible woman," Henry murmured into her hair. "Do you have any idea how hard I've been looking for you?"
"Henry Harding," she replied, her voice thick with emotion but still managing to sound accusatory, "what took you so long to find me? I thought you were all-powerful in this city. You're all talk!"
Despite her words, Henry couldn't stop smiling. Her familiar teasing tone was music to his ears. He simply held her tighter, savoring the solid reality of her in his arms.
This is real, he thought. She's really here. She's alive.
And for now, that was enough.