Chapter 26

ANGER.

Ethan stormed into their meeting point anger, his face set in a determined scowl.

“Luca, what's going on?” Ethan demanded.

“We've got a problem,” Luca said.

Ethan's eyes widened. “What kind of problem?”

Luca paused for a moment before speaking again. “The witness is dead.”

Ethan's world seems to stop at that moment. “What?” Ethan's voice was barely audible.

“Looks like the person behind this got to him.”

Ethan was steaming in anger. “How did this happen?” Ethan screamed out of anger and frustration.

Luca's expression turned serious. “Someone must have gotten a hint about him, that's why they went after him.”

Ethan's eyes widened in surprise. “How is that possible?”

“Am investigating, but ... .there's no evidence, no trace.”

Ethan's face fell. “What do you mean?”

“He was the only person who seemed to have witnessed what happened at the scene, now we have nothing.”

Ethan's mind is shaken. ‘This can't be happening. All our efforts, down the drain. We need to look for another way,” Ethan's determination hardened.

Luca shook his head.

Ethan's jaw tightened. “I won't give up.”

As Ethan was about to step out of the room, his phone vibrated.

Unknown number. He picked up the call and placed it on his ear.

“Ethan,if you really want to see your pups ever again,put a stop to whatever nonsense investigation you think you are doing cause I tell you this for free you can never find me. You will only endanger the lives of your pups,” a strong masculine voice said.

Ethan's grip tightened,as he slammed his fist angrily on the wall.

“You're going down,” Ethan said.

The phone dropped off his hand angrily.

**********

Ethan walked through the crowded road, his eyes scanning every single person, his mind restless thinking of ways to catch whoever was behind the kidnap of his pups and Ayla's attack.

Suddenly, his phone started vibrating.

Luca.

“Ethan, I've been digging into every possible means to catch who is behind all this mischievous activity.” Luca said.

Ethan seems interested in the information immediately. “What did you find?” Ethan asked.

“There's a big possibility Ayla is telling the truth about Sophia being behind her attack,” Luca said.

“What's your reasons?” Ethan asked.

“If we look at this whole event happening this past few days, it's enough to suspect Sophia. You clearly said you told Sophia about a witness who seemed to witness everything that happened on the day Ayla was attacked, and in less than a day of spilling this information out to her our witness died,” Luca said.

“But you said it yourself that it was a gas explosion,” Ethan said.

“Because that's what the people behind this want us to think, our witness is the only person who could shed light on this issue, and now he's dead. Do you really think it's a mere coincidence?” Luca said.

Ethan exhaled deeply before giving Luca a reply, his words seemed to fail him at that point. Not knowing what to say or how to put his words Ethan finally spoke after three minutes of silence, “If Sophia is really behind this then definitely she must have an accomplice. Sophia can't pull off all this alone without anyone helping her out.”

“Luca, meet me at our meeting point now. Don't keep me waiting,” Ethan said before he dropped the call.

Ethan arrived at the meeting point, Luca was already waiting for him there. Ethan cleared his throat before saying anything. “If truly Sophia is behind this, we have to monitor everything she does.”

“We can't monitor Sophia at this point because she clearly would be very careful and cautious of anything she does so she doesn't get caught,” Luca said.

“Do you have anything planned out?” Ethan asked Luca.

“I do,” Luca said, whispering something into Ethan's ears.

Immediately Ethan's mood brightens up.

*********

Ethan came home to execute his plan.

Ethan's eyes narrowed as he watched Sophia walk into the room, something about her attitude seems off with him. He couldn't shake off the feeling that she was hiding something.

Ethan decided to keep a close watch on her, pretending to act lovingly with her.

“Hey, Sophia, “Ethan said, walking up to her. "Want to stroll together?”

Sophia's eyes widened in shock, she smiled before she recovered.

“Sure, Ethan. I'd love to.”

As they walked down the street, Ethan couldn't help but notice Sophia feeling uncomfortable around him which is very unusual.

“What's wrong?” Ethan asked, concerned.

Sophia laughed. “Just being paranoid, I guess.”

Ethan's instincts screamed a warning.

Throughout the walk, Ethan was doing all the talking while Sophia laughed. He was trying to make Sophia laugh and feel relaxed.

But his eyes never left her, seeing how innocent and unbothered she was. Could she really be the one behind Ayla's attack?

*********

As days passed, Ethan continued to watch every single move Sophia made.

He followed Sophia everywhere, always in her face.

At first, Sophia seemed uncomfortable.

But soon, she became more convinced that he was up to something.

One evening, Sophia confronted Ethan.

“Ethan, what's going on?”Sophia asked.

Ethan's expression surprisingly changed, pretending not to know anything about what she was about to say.

“What do you mean?” Ethan replied.

Sophia's eyes narrowed.

“You're always hovering around me.”

Ethan smiled mischievously before he replied.

“Sophia. I just noticed I have not spent enough time with you lately.”

Sophia looked straight into Ethan's eyes, “I know you so well, Ethan. You just lied to me. Even before Ayla returned, you didn't spend this much time with me as you have been doing these past days. You are literally everywhere, Ethan. what exactly do you want?”

Ethan's eyes widened in surprise, his suspicions of Sophia increased he immediately decided to play along until he found out if she was truly behind Ayla's attack or not. “What do you mean by that, Sophia? Can't I spend quality time with you?”

“Ethan you should be looking for whoever abducted your pups rather than lazing around me, channel the energy and attention you have been giving me into looking for kidnapped your pups and let me be.”

“Sophia, what are you saying?” Ethan said pretending to be Hurt by what she said.

“Ethan, I know you suspect that I'm behind Ayla's attack, trust me you are wrong. I advise you to look into another dimension to unravel whoever is behind the abduction of your pups and the attack. If you keep following me around you are not going to get answers to the questions you have, 'cause I know nothing about whatever you think I did and please let me breathe.” Sophia said pretending to be sincere.

Sophia looked into Ethan's eyes to see if what she just said was able to convince him that she was innocent. She really needed to get Ethan off her back so she could restrategize.

Sophia has been looking for the slightest opportunity to push Ethan away from her so she can talk to her accomplice, this past few days have been really difficult for her. she's on the verge of losing almost everything she has including her life, if anyone finds out she's the one behind Ayla's attack. Ethan staying close to her would make things worse cause she really needs to communicate with her hitman. “I have to do something about Ethan really fast before he creates any problems for me,” Sophia said to herself.

Ethan's grip on his emotions tightened.

He knew he had to keep up with the pretense for as long as he could.

As the stakes escalated, Ethan found himself torn between his duty and his realization of his undying love for Ayla.

But with everything Sophia just said she seems innocent, ‘Was she really guilty or was he just paranoid?’

Ethan's internal conflict deepened.

One moment, he was convinced Sophia was hiding something.

Next, he was thinking of another possibility of her being innocent.

Sophia walked away angrily, shutting the door behind her.

Ethan stops frozen, speechless and taken back.

Sophia's anger had been for days,her inability to have a conversation with her accomplice was really driving her nuts.

Ethan's constant questioning and following her up and down is already getting her pissed.

Ethan stood there, feeling confused.

He had never seen Sophia so angry.

‘At this point, he's confused as to what's really happening, is Sophia really the one behind Ayla's attack or not.’

But he couldn't shake off the feeling.

That Sophia was hiding something

As he watched her through the window, Ethan stood there confused as to whether he was really doing something wrong; as he was about to leave he noticed something.

Sophia was on call with someone, but with the look of things something was going on and it's definitely not good. Her countenance says it all she was obviously scared and sweating at the same time while receiving the call.

Immediately she ended the call, she slammed her fist on the center table angrily and frustrated.

Ethan, shocked as to what just happened, made up his mind to get to the root of what he just witnessed, ‘who was the caller?’