Chapter 175

“Ah, Sophie,” Vito crooned into the phone, “so glad you decided to reach out. Saves us a lot of trouble.”

Ellen’s heart sank. He had hoped against hope that Sophie had a plan, that she wouldn't fall into Vito’s trap. But hearing Vito’s words, it seemed the worst had happened. Ellen tried to catch Vito’s eyes, but he ignored him, too engrossed at Sophie.

There was a moment of silence, and then Vito's expression changed from satisfaction to curiosity. He frowned and glanced at Ellen, then back at the phone. “How did you get this number?” he asked, suspicion creeping into his voice. “Who gave it to you?”

Before Ellen could react, a shimmering light appeared beside Vito, and the holographic image of Amanda materialized. She was smiling brightly, waving as if she was joining a casual video call rather than a tense hostage situation.

“Hello everyone!” Amanda greeted cheerfully, her voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything too serious.”

Vito’s face t