The moment Reina told me the interesting message that was written inside Sophie's pendant, I knew all other issues had to be put on hold for the meantime.
The frayed piece of paper, soaked in dried blood that had long since formed a crust, contained little more than a few words. The lone word, Help., stood out starkly against the darkened background. A half-readable telephone number was visible among the destruction. And below this macabre message, a tiny "S" was scrawled in handwriting that left no room for doubt—it was Sophie's handwriting.
It was not a plea, though it was desperate. Instead, it was a deliberate message that was meant to be straightforward.
And I was absolutely determined to make certain that we utilized it to its fullest potential.
I reclined comfortably in my office in Hudson Security, surrounded by the soft and muted light of city lamps that slowly filtered in through the large floor-to-ceiling windows. On my desk, my phone rang incessantly, a constant reminder of the messages streaming in from my assistants, board members, and investors, all of whom required immediate responses to their questions.
I tuned them out.
Nathan stood before me, his gaze directly concentrated on my face, watching every movement I made with maximum care. He was well aware that it would be foolish on his part to inquire about why I had cancelled all of my appointments in the morning or why I had opted to delay two major negotiations, choosing to leave them pending for an indefinite period of time.
The shareholders were absolutely livid, their frustration palpable in the atmosphere surrounding our recent developments. Furthermore, the company's most significant and top-tier clients were equally displeased with the current situation. In fact, one single contract had immense financial implications, being valued at nearly a hundred million dollars, which is no small sum. To add to my distress, I was supposed to be boarding a flight to Zurich in just a few hours' time. Instead of preparing for that important journey, I found myself sitting here, transfixed and staring at that damn piece of paper, unable to move forward.
"Lorenzo," Nathan said warningly. "This is the third time this week you've postponed a deal. People are talking. The board is restless."
"Let them," I replied icily, massaging my temples. "If they're that worried, they can make a complaint."
"They're concerned that Hudson Security is slipping. That you're slipping."
I took a deep breath. I don't have time for this bullshit.
"There are some things which are more important than a couple of upset investors," I grumbled to myself, settling back in my chair in comfort.
Nathan glared at him in a disbelieving fashion. "Are you referring to the very same investors who invest in Hudson Security? The very same clients who've become used to the CEO that they've invested their trust in being able to maintain some level of focus and reliability?"
I said nothing. There was simply no call for me to utter a word now. The look in my eyes conveyed it all, in no uncertain terms, just how little I cared for their faith in me at this specific moment.
Nathan let out a slow breath, letting out a deep breath and crossing his arms over his chest in a contemplative way. "Is this in some way connected to Reina?"
I stiffened myself a bit.
His eyes narrowed and intensified. "I will take that as a yes, a positive response."
It's not all about Reina," I complained. "It's all about Sophie.".
Nathan said nothing, but the understanding on his face was clearly evident.
Then he paused and took a step closer, placing both hands on my desk. "Lorenzo. I know you. You'll burn this company to the ground if it means getting what you want. But you need to be clever about this."
I just stared into his eyes. "I am being smart."
Nathan shook his head in dismay, a definite sign of his worry. "No, not at all. You're acting in a wildly irresponsible manner. You are putting this investigation above everything else, and let me tell you, the people following your every step? They will most certainly catch on to your irresponsible actions. You have enemies waiting in the wings, Lorenzo. The syndicate, in general, is unusually quiet; it's too quiet for one's comfort. If you insist on making yourself a target with your actions, be sure that they will most certainly target you."
I clenched my teeth. I already knew that.
In fact, I was able to clearly feel it.
That nagging sense that someone had been watching. The manner in which all of my body's sensibilities bristled as I left. The unsettling stillness from the syndicate—it was no mistake.
They were waiting.
Anticipating the moment when I might falter or make a mistake.
Waiting for me to bring them to something-or—someone—they wanted. I shifted forward in my own chair, making a point to keep my hands firmly clasped in front of me. "This is not simply a question of acting with a sense of irresponsible wildness, Nathan. It is really a question of doing what needs to be done to deal with what has happened. Sophie has given us a valuable clue that could take us to answers, and I am not going to waste any more time attempting to placate investors when she could still be out there, possibly in harm's way and in need of our assistance."
Nathan took a deep breath, rubbing his forehead. "Fine. So, what do we do?"
We eventually spoke later that evening, the pendant and its strong message resting openly between us.
She seemed to be utterly depleted and drained of energy. I could tell she hadn't slept in days, perhaps even weeks, and yet, in spite of her weariness, there was an unmistakable spark and fire in her eyes that I had never seen her exhibit before.
"This phone number," she said, pointing at the paper with her finger. "Although it appears to be cut off, there is a possibility that when we cross-check it meticulously with available databases, we might be able to locate corresponding numbers that can guide us to more information.".
I agreed with a nod, recognizing the circumstances. "Nathan and Adrian are in the process of doing it. But there's something else that I need to talk about."
She raised her eyes suspiciously. "What?"
"The break in the pendant," I said slowly, pausing to drive home my point. "That flaw was not there before now."
She struggled violently, her hands tightening on the chain.
I watched her very closely and carefully. "Reina, do you think Sophie cracked it on purpose? Do you think she really wanted us to know?"
Reina swallowed hard, but her face grew harder, showing her resolve. "Yes, I truly believe that she had the knowledge that she could not express her thoughts and feelings. So, she decided to leave all this behind.".
A cry for help in blood. A desperate message.
I slowly and delicately exhaled, letting loose the tension which had built within me. Smart girl.
"Then we shall not waste any more time," I declared sternly.
A Few Hours Later
Adrian called with a partial lead.
The initial four digits of the telephone number were equal to the number of various landlines in the city—most prominently, those numbers that were reserved for older buildings that were situated in the industrial area.
Buildings which, over time, had become obsolete and had remained vacant.
Or reused for a different purpose.
Reina and I exchanged glances.
This was it.
We had a specific location where we could begin our journey.
The following morning, I had an email from the board.
The message that they sent was clear and not open to misinterpretation: they were not in the least happy or satisfied with my recent departure from their presence.
They wanted explanations. They wanted guarantees.
I deleted the email without reply.
Nathan had informed me that there were rumours. I didn't care, though.
For years, I spent my time and energy expanding and growing Hudson Security, turning it into one of the strongest and most potent private security companies in the world. But for all that I had done, nothing of it counted when faced with this overwhelming circumstance.
Not ever when Sophie's own life hung in the balance.
Not at a moment when Reina was still roaming about, weighed down by that heavy burden on her shoulders, but maintaining a facade that she was not falling apart inside.
The firm might hold off.
The investors will have to wait.
All could be held in abeyance.
I had a particular person in mind whom I was determined to find. And this time around, I was not going to allow it to pass through my fingers and elude my grasp.
Personally I love how Lorenzo is prioritising Reina over everything, what are your thoughts on lorenzo??
Toss me your reviews, your wildest crackpot theories, your "wait, WHAT?!" moments
Wanna rant at me directly or scream in my DMs? I'm living on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_dream._.soul/ 💌 Don't be a stranger.