Chapter 4
Half an hour ago.
Voice messages kept coming, one after another.
I just picked one and played it.
Suddenly, Charles's voice echoed through the car.
He didn't sound like his usual cold, indifferent self.
His breathing was heavy, and the background was filled with the harsh wind and blaring airport announcements.
Charles's voice rang out. "Sophia, I called off the engagement. Did you hear me? I really called it off!
"I'm begging you, don't leave me.
"Just come back, whatever you want, I'll give it to you. You want to be Mrs. Peyton? Shares? My life? It's all yours."
The last voice message was just three seconds long.
His voice was so hoarse it was barely recognizable, there was something downright creepy and desperate in it.
Charles rasped, "How dare you decide you don't want me? Sophia, even if you die, you'll die by my side."
I listened, my face blank.
I didn't feel a thing, if anything, I almost wanted to laugh.
This late affection of his? Honestly, it's worth less than weeds.
For five years, I kept hinting that I wanted a real home, but every single time, he crushed me with his icy reasoning.
Now that I don't want it anymore, he's suddenly chasing after me like a rabid dog, refusing to let go.
Seriously, what a joke.
"Damn." Joey stared at me, totally stunned. "Is Charles losing it? Is this really the same prince of Metropolis high society who always looked down on everyone like he was royalty?"
I tossed my phone into my bag and switched off silent mode.
"Just ignore him. When a capitalist suddenly loses his go-to tool, he'll go through withdrawal, but he'll be fine in a few days," I said.
"But..." Joey swallowed, sneaking a glance at the rearview mirror. "He said he tracked your flight?"
"So what if he did?" I replied, keeping my tone steady as I watched the snowy landscape race by. "Alzsee's massive, how's he supposed to find us? Besides, that mountain cabin we booked is so off the grid, even GPS gives up on it."
Joey finally exhaled. "True. My local friend hooked us up with that place, it's basically invisible. Let's raid the supermarket for supplies and go full hermit mode in the mountains for a couple weeks!"
We stopped at a supermarket in downtown Alzsee and loaded up two whole trunks with food and red wine.
Then we drove for three hours, heading deep into the Alps.
The snow was coming down harder and harder.
Big, fluffy flakes slammed into the windshield, and the wipers were struggling to keep up.
The sky grew dark fast, and everything was swallowed by white, nothing but the howling wind and the silence of the storm.
At seven in the evening.
We finally arrived at the cabin halfway up the mountain.
The cabin was well hidden, surrounded by towering pines. Inside, a fire burned in the fireplace, its warm golden glow driving away the chill.
Joey popped open a bottle of red wine, and we snuggled up on the couch, watching the blizzard rage outside as we clinked our glasses together.
"To freedom!" Joey shouted.
"To making bank!" I replied with a grin.
The firewood in the fireplace crackled softly.
This was the most relaxed I'd felt in five years.
No endless spreadsheets, no more endless schmoozing at drinking parties, and absolutely no Charles with his moody, unpredictable face.
I'd had half a glass of red wine, just enough to feel a gentle buzz.
I was just about to get up and head to the kitchen for a snack.
Just then.
"Thud."
The muffled sound pierced the wind and snow, echoing from somewhere beyond the cabin walls.