?<strong>Chapter 989:</strong>


    Unbeknownst to yton, Sophie slowly stirred. She had barely touched the soup, and yton’s heated conversation with his assistant outside the door had roused her.


    Though Sophie’s mind was still foggy, she caught fragments of their conversation, her ears picking up the mention of Kallie’s name. She bit down on her tongue, the sharp pain jarring her into rity. As the fog lifted, she overheard yton’s voice, his words cold and calcting, nning to put her at risk. He wanted her life as leverage.


    The realization that yton’s kindness had been nothing more than a facade sent a wave of panic through Sophie, her heart pounding in her chest as anxiety gripped her. Perhaps driven by fear, her hearing grew more acute.


    Sophie distinctly heard yton and his men discussing the possibility of using her as leverage to secure Kallie’s return, ideally by the end of the day.


    Sophie struggled to push herself up, but it felt as though a heavy weight was pressing her down. Cold sweat drenched her body as panic surged within her.


    After a moment of struggle, Sophie finally managed to move.


    Just as Sophie propped herself up, the door creaked open, sending a jolt of panic through her and forcing her back into bed. yton entered the room, calling out softly, “Sophie?” Sophiey motionless, squeezing her eyes shut, feigning sleep, though her heart raced with fear. She curled onto her side, her back to the door, ensuring her face was hidden from yton’s view. If he saw her expression, he would undoubtedly grow suspicious.


    Sophie held her breath, afraid to move, feeling yton’s gaze lingering on her.


    After what seemed like an eternity, yton finally looked away, his footsteps retreating as he quietly closed the door behind him. Even then, Sophie remained cautious and stayed perfectly still.


    Ten minutester, yton truly left. He had been testing whether Sophie was truly asleep.


    Sophie couldn’t help but admire her own caution from earlier. When she finally managed to get out of bed, her body was drenched in sweat.


    With careful steps, Sophie tiptoed to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Her hands shook as she retrieved her phone, her fingers trembling as she powered it on.


    Sophie dialed a familiar number, her heart pounding in her chest. When the call finally connected, her voice cracked, tears threatening to spill as she whispered into the phone, “Dad, save me.”


    Jake shot to his feet at her trembling voice.


    “Sophie?” His voice was a mix of disbelief and urgency.


    “What happened? Don’t panic. Just tell me everything, slowly.”


    Tears choked her voice as Sophie struggled to get the words out, stumbling over her sentences.


    Despite the overwhelming panic, it was impressive enough that Sophie managed to keep her thoughts clear. She exined as briefly as possible that she and Kallie had been in danger, Kallie was now missing, and yton intended to use her as leverage to exchange for Kallie’s return.


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