As Henry listened to the voice, something about the tone told him this was not Sage nor Beatrice. Sage's tone was usually arrogant, while this one was gruff. This would definitely be one of his security guards.Henry wasted no time in asking questions."Where is Nathan? What have you done with him?" He asked hurriedly.But the guard remained silent, his gun still pointed steadily on Henry. Slowly, carefully, Henry turned his head to face the guard, eyes narrowing as they adjusted to the dim light. Shadows still obscured the guard's face. "What are you doing in here, in my boss's room?" he growled, bending his neck slightly, taking a good look at Henry.Henry raised an eyebrow as a smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Boss, huh?" He scoffed, his tone sarcastic. "So Sage is now referred to as a boss? That's amusing." The title only confirmed Henry's suspicions of Sage's being no ordinary person.The guard said nothing in response, but Henry could feel the hostility radiating off o
Henry's brow furrowed deeper as the guard's words reached his ears. Irene's house? It didn't make sense. How could Nathan possibly be in Irene's house? Why would they take him there, even? Or was the guard trying to misdirect him? He grabbed a fistful of the guard's bloodied shirt, yanking him closer. "You do know you're making an expensive joke, right?"Something wasn't adding up.The guard let out a pained whimper, shaking his head desperately. "P-please, I swear I'm not joking. It may sound crazy but…but it's the truth. This was all a setup, a plan to get you here!"Henry's confident smile disappeared as he began to realize that the guard in front of him was serious and not joking. Henry paused, studying the bruised and bloodied man closely. Much of what had transpired today seemed insane and this was no different.But a trap, all to draw him in? How could any of this be true? Henry's mind was filled with questions. Was this a betrayal of some sort? His mind flashed back to what
Somewhere, somehow, there must be a clue. He felt his foot hit something hard under the bloody floor. Confused, he tapped it with his knuckles and heard a hollow sound. In the midst of his fear, an idea formed.He clenched his teeth and lifted the loose floorboards, uncovering a hidden trapdoor. As he swung it open, a musty smell filled the air. His heart skipped a beat, wondering what he would meet inside.Turning on his phone's flashlight, he took a deep breath and went down into the darkness below.As he descended the creaking staircase, the smell of blood grew stronger, confirming his fears. This had to be where they held Nathan captive. But where was he now?At the bottom, he swept his phone light across the empty space, his stomach churning at the signs of violence left behind. Splashes of dried blood were on the walls, but what caused them was nowhere to be found."Nathan!" His call echoed endlessly in the vast, empty room. There was no response, only the sound of his shoes scr
Henry's brow furrowed as he climbed out of the car. Just minutes ago he had searched every room in the empty house.Now Clifford claimed Nathan's phone was moving inside? None of this made any sense…unless someone was still inside.He ran his hands through his hair, fingers tangling in the strands as disbelief and confusion swirled within him. Why the heck was everything so complicated?He had never felt so stressed and confused in all his life!Rather than shrugging it off, Henry strode toward the house again, throwing open the door with such force that it banged against the wall. His eyes darted everywhere as he tried to focus. Henry scanned the couch but saw nothing. His pulse quickened as Clifford's words echoed in his mind - the phone was moving. Someone else was here. "Show yourself!" he roared. Henry suddenly became still, fully aware of his surroundings. He focused his hearing, hoping to detect any unusual sounds. He listened for a creaking floorboard or any signs of move
Henry was getting closer, but he was worried that he might be arriving too late. So many negative thoughts were in his head, but he shook them off. Thinking negatively was one thing he wasn't supposed to do at the moment.He tightly gripped the steering wheel, causing his hands to ache. He pushed his vehicle beyond its safe limits.As he drove, he dialed Irene again. But there was no response. He desperately pressed the redial button on the phone over and over. But it went straight to voicemail each time. The navigation system directed him deeper into the remote countryside, far away from any signs of people or buildings. He continued down the isolated road, which was bumpy and uneven. He squinted, hoping to catch a glimpse of any signs of human activity, but all he could hear were the distant sounds of birds in the dark.Gritting his teeth, he pushed the pedal closer to the floor, pushing it as far as it would go.Even though it was late and he was stressed from the chase, every
Henry's eyes flew wide. "What do you mean, gone?"A sob burst from Irene's lips. "He managed to escape. Sage didn't see him, he was too busy with m-me." Her voice dropped to a whisper and he could tell she was not letting out all the information.Henry ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "And what about Sage?" he demanded. "Where's that maniac that kidnapped you?"Irene could only shake her head mutely. Her eyes squeezed shut as if keeping back a horrible image. Before she could respond, Henry's phone rang insistently in his hands. He checked the caller ID, eyes widening in disbelief. "It's Nathan," he said incredulously, swiping to accept the call. He shot to his feet, pressing the phone to his ear. "Nathan? Where in god's name are you?" he asked, concern filled in his voice.A familiar chuckle came through the line. "Young master," he began. "I'm not exactly sure of my current location, but I'll be fine. I've already gone into disguise. I know you must be worried sick about m
After a long drive home, he pulled into the driveway and put the car in park. Taking care not to wake her, he gently lifted her sleeping figure from the passenger seat and into his arms. Cradling her close, he carried her up the walk and through the front door, taking care with each quiet step. In the guest room lit only by moonlight streaming through the window, he lay her softly onto the bed.Satisfied she was safely tucked in, he left silently out of the room and pulled the door closed behind him.Exhausted from the long night, he retreated to his own room as the early morning sun began to brighten the sky. He collapsed onto the bed after kicking off his shoes without even removing his clothes. *When next he opened his eyes, bright daylight was pouring through the windows. Rolling over with a groan, he fumbled for his phone to check the time. 11:03 AM glared back at him from the lock screen. "Well, a CEO can show up whenever he pleases," he mumbled to himself with a wry chuck
When she noticed Henry's gaze was burning on her, she turned to him. "Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm actually proud of him. It's just… the way he moved—so graceful and controlled. And the look he gave me...pity. I mean, I'm not the one who's in a situation like he was."Henry didn't find that suspicious. Everyone that worked for the White all went through some kind of training to give them the brute character they had.To him, it was her first time seeing things like that and that was why she felt it was strange."I wouldn't read too much into Nathan's expression," Henry assured her. "I would have felt the same way if I were in his position. He felt so sad about how Sage was mistreating you, and that's all."He rinsed his plate in the sink and turned to face Irene. "We still need to visit Sage in custody today. If you can't meet up, I'll go by myself, okay?"Irene nodded and rolled her eyes. Henry checked his watch with a sigh. "Also, I can't wait for you, miss. You have legs, so you c