?<strong>Chapter 990:</strong>


    Sophie’s voice quivered with emotion.


    “Dad, I’ll do anything to trade myself for my mom, but yton is not a good man. Please, don’t let him get his hands on my mom.”


    “Got it,” Jake replied, his voice cold, eyes burning with anger and resolve.


    “Stay calm. I’m on my way.”


    Jake told Sophie to find a good hiding spot, somewhere yton wouldn’t think to look.


    Sophie tried to stay calm. She knew she couldn’t just sit there and wait for who-knows-what to happen. She had no idea when yton would be back. If yton found her awake, he would definitely take her away.


    Sophie crept to the door and carefully opened it. She peeked out and, seeing no sign of yton, let out a sigh of relief. She quickly ducked under the bed and held her breath.


    Time ticked by slowly. The drug yton had given Sophie was still making her feel drowsy.


    Sophie felt the urge to fall asleep but fought hard to stay awake. Every time she felt herself drifting off, she pinched her thigh hard, leaving little bruises on her skin.


    Two hourster, Sophie heard footsteps approaching. It was yton, and he wasn’t alone. He had brought a group of men with him.


    When yton saw the open door, his face turned an angry red.


    “Where is she?” he barked at his assistant.


    The assistant paled.


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    “We were short-handed, especially with the ongoing negotiation. Sophie was drugged unconscious, so I thought even if she woke up, she wouldn’t realize anything was wrong. Besides, everyone here is familiar to her, so I didn’t think she’d try to escape.”


    Though furious, yton could see his assistant’s point. He hadn’t expected Sophie to run away either. He had clearly underestimated Sophie. Kallie’s kids were just as clever and cautious as their mother. He couldn’t treat them like ordinary children.


    yton took a deep breath and forced a smile.


    “Where could a child possibly go?” he sneered.


    “We have men at every exit. If she had left, I would have been informed. This hotel is big, but there aren’t many ces to hide. Find her! If she’s not found by nightfall, you’re all fired.”


    “Yes, sir,” his assistant and the bodyguards chorused before hurrying off to search for Sophie. Their footsteps echoed down the hallway.


    yton red at the empty bed, his jaw clenched, before storming out of the room.


    As the sound of footsteps faded away, Sophie let out a shaky breath. Tears streamed down her face. She was scared and nervous, but most of all, she felt deeply disappointed. She didn’t want yton to be her stepfather at all. But over the years, yton had been kind to her mother and had looked after them. Sophie had once held him in high regard, never expecting such a sinister side.


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