threads of defiance

As Ethan inserted the drive, his eyes widened in disbelief as he uncovered details of the transactions linked to the robbery and the loans taken by the culprits. His heart raced, his thoughts spiraling. "What?!" he gasped, his voice trembling within the confines of his small room. He continued to read the files, uncovering disturbing revelations.

One entry caught his attention: "Though Mr. Caldwell suspects one of his former employees, James, the police found no evidence tying him to the attack. People speculate that the Caldwell family might be accusing James out of spite after dismissing him from the company. To outsiders, James appears to be an innocent and honest individual, but those who know him are wary of his true nature."

Ethan's hands trembled as he absorbed the contents of the files. Another detail left him speechless: James was now positioning himself as the savior of Caldwell Horizon, taking advantage of the company's downfall. His movements were calculated, waiting for the right moment to seize power and become the next president of the company.

Ethan dropped the file abruptly, pacing his room with frantic energy. His mind raced with questions. "What could James be planning? I remember his words clearly—the day he said he'd make the Caldwell family kneel before him and beg for mercy. Is this the culmination of his plan?" Ethan muttered, his voice barely audible as fear and determination battled within him.

Pausing, Ethan clenched his fists. "What should I do? I have to save the Caldwell family. I need to prove I'm capable of being the man they expect me to be, worthy of marrying Sophia. Or should I talk to Mr. Maxwell about this? Maybe he can help." His thoughts spiraled further, his mind crafting scenarios and solutions.

Ethan's heart ached at the thought of Sophia. "She'll blame herself for bringing James into the family. Her mother and siblings might not hold her accountable, but I know how deeply she must be hurting." He sighed, pacing the room relentlessly. "Sophia is strong; I just hope her family sees that and doesn't let her bear this alone."

After a while, Ethan heard movement outside. Curious, he peeked through the window and saw Mr. Maxwell returning home. Without hesitation, Ethan stepped out to greet him.

"Sir, welcome back," Ethan said with a smile.

"Hey, Ethan. How's your day going?" Mr. Maxwell replied warmly, returning the smile.

"It's been good, sir. And yours?" Ethan responded, his voice filled with respect.

"I've got something for you. Come and check it out," Mr. Maxwell said, pulling out a luxurious-looking box.

Ethan's eyes lit up as he accepted the gift. "Oh, this looks amazing, sir. Thank you so much."

"Go ahead, open it," Mr. Maxwell encouraged.

Ethan carefully opened the box, revealing an exquisitely crafted wristwatch. Its opulence was evident at a glance. "Wow, this is incredible! I'm truly grateful, sir," Ethan said, his voice full of amazement.

"It's a rare piece, worth $2.7 billion," Mr. Maxwell said casually.

Ethan froze in shock, staring at the watch in disbelief. He was holding something worth more than he could have imagined in his entire life. Words failed him as gratitude overwhelmed him.

Mr. Maxwell chuckled. "Prepare for our journey tomorrow morning," he said, sipping from a glass of wine. "By the way, how's your mother's health?"

Ethan's expression turned somber. "She had a stroke initially, then seemed to recover, but now she has severe stomach issues. I don't even know what the problem is anymore."

"Why haven't you taken her to the hospital?" Mr. Maxwell asked, his tone concerned.

"I didn't have the money," Ethan admitted honestly. "I only recently found out how sick she was, and that's why I came to you for help."

Mr. Maxwell nodded thoughtfully. "We'll arrange for her treatment tomorrow. Don't worry about it."

"Thank you so much, sir," Ethan said, his voice heavy with gratitude.

"It's nothing, son," Mr. Maxwell replied, the word son striking a chord in Ethan's heart. For a moment, he felt a sense of belonging he hadn't known in years.

"So, tell me—what's your dream?" Mr. Maxwell asked.

Ethan hesitated before answering. "I want to work as an accountant or start a business. I studied accounting, but I dropped out of school when the man sponsoring me fell ill. His family took him away, and I couldn't pay the fees on time."

Mr. Maxwell listened intently before responding. "Success doesn't always come from a degree. If you're skilled in accounting, I'll find a position for you in one of my companies."

Ethan's face lit up. "Thank you, sir. I won't let you down."

After a moment of silence, Ethan hesitantly brought up the Caldwell Horizon issue. "Sir, do you think there's a way to connect Caldwell Horizon to a company that could help them recover?"

Mr. Maxwell studied Ethan's face. "Why are you so interested in Caldwell Horizon? Do you want to marry someone from their family?" he asked with a teasing smile.

Ethan chuckled nervously. "It's not like that, sir. I just think they deserve another chance after being betrayed."

"Listen," Mr. Maxwell said firmly, "before helping others, ensure you've secured your own foundation. Otherwise, you risk being dragged down with them. Help yourself first; then you can extend that help to others."

Ethan nodded, absorbing the wisdom. "Thank you, Dad," he said softly, the word slipping out naturally. Mr. Maxwell smiled, pleased by the trust and connection.

In the Caldwell home, Mr. Caldwell called his manager to arrange for the materials the company needed to move forward with their work. Meanwhile, David was out tirelessly searching for Sophia, checking every place he thought she might have gone. He even used unfamiliar numbers to call her, hoping she'd pick up, but every attempt failed.

When he finally returned home, his frustration boiled over. It seemed to him that no one else cared as much as he did. Everyone in the house was calm, as though her disappearance was nothing of importance. David stormed into the living room, where his mother, Olivia, and his sister, Lila, were seated beside each other.

"What's all this, Mom?" he burst out angrily. "Sophia left this house because of you! You trouble her too much, and now she's gone. And no one is even trying to find her! What kind of mother just sits here and lets things fall apart like this? You don't care about her happiness or her life! What if she hurts herself, huh?"

Olivia lowered her gaze to the ground, her voice calm but cutting. "I didn't force her to leave. She chose to. And now she's ignoring everyone's calls. You know Sophia isn't foolish. If she doesn't want to be found, we won't find her—no matter how hard we try. She knows how to keep herself hidden. And now you're blaming me for her leaving, but when she brought a thief into this family, you didn't say a word against her! She's no child, David. She can fend for herself, and I know she'll manage out there."

Olivia paused, then continued sharply. "So don't stand here and throw insults at me. Go ask your father where Sophia went. He's the one closer to her than any of us, isn't he?"

At the other end of the room, Mr. Caldwell, who had been sitting silently, finally spoke up. "Don't tell me I know our daughter better than you do. It's your responsibility as her mother to be closer to her—not me, who's busy managing business issues every day. But let me tell you this: she'll come back. It's only a matter of time," he said with full confidence.

Olivia's disgusted tone cut through the tension. "You should be the one out there looking for her. When Mr. Greyson comes for his money, you'll be the one responsible. I've been telling him Sophia would visit him soon, trying to buy us time, but it won't work forever. And now that she's unreachable, what's your plan? Or do you even have one?"

"Don't worry about Mr. Greyson," Mr. Caldwell replied with a cold but firm voice. "I'll handle that matter myself. You just focus on finding Sophia. Since you're the reason she left, it's your job to bring her back."

Lila, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "Dad, does this mean you've had a plan all along to pay Mr. Greyson back and free Sophia?" Her tone was skeptical.

Mr. Caldwell's gaze sharpened. "Actually, I do. I've been working on a way to restore the Caldwell name and rebuild Caldwell Horizon into something stronger than ever. Trust me—I've got this under control."

His words hung heavy in the air, but his confidence did little to soothe the tension among his family.

Sophia, meanwhile, had already sold her property to avoid anyone noticing her plan. To keep her family from tracing her whereabouts, she personally approached a trusted friend, borrowing money and using the property as collateral. If she failed to repay in time, her friend had permission to sell the house outright.

Now in a small local town, Sophia arrived at her friend Elena's home. Elena and her mother welcomed her warmly, asking no questions at first. After settling in and preparing dinner, the questions finally began over the meal.

"So, Sophia, what's going on with Caldwell Horizon?" Elena's mother asked casually, her tone light. "We heard your family was robbed, and now an employee wants to take over the company. What's really happening?"

Sophia hesitated, pushing the food around her plate. "It's… complicated," she said softly. "Things happened so fast."

Elena's younger brother, David, chimed in innocently. "Did Mr. Caldwell make someone angry? Is that why they're trying to punish him?"

Sophia forced a small smile, unsure of how to respond. Before she could speak, Elena's mother scolded her son gently. "David, hush. Eat your food and stop prying."

After dinner, everyone went to bed, but Sophia found it impossible to sleep. She sat outside on a small bench, staring at the stars. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions—guilt, sadness, and longing.

Elena noticed Sophia's absence and joined her outside. "Sophia, I know you're going through a lot," she said, sitting beside her. "But don't worry. We'll get through this together, okay?"

Sophia nodded, a faint smile on her lips, and rested her head on Elena's shoulder. For a moment, the weight of her troubles seemed lighter.

Later that night, Sophia lay in bed, unable to shut her eyes. Memories of home flooded her mind—her family, their worries, and even Ethan's relentless calls and texts, which she had ignored. Despite changing her number to avoid their interference, she couldn't shake the ache of missing them all. "If not for Mom pushing me so hard, I wouldn't have had to run away," she whispered to herself, tears streaming down her face.

Her soft sniffles woke Elena, who immediately went to her side. Holding Sophia's arm gently, she said, "Sophia, everything will be fine. Just rest. Tomorrow morning, we'll figure it out together. Overthinking won't solve anything. Relax tonight, and we'll take action tomorrow, okay?"

Elena's comforting words eased Sophia's pain. As Elena made sure Sophia fell asleep before returning to her bed, she silently vowed to help her friend through this difficult time.

By the next morning, Sophia woke to find Elena already up and working. It was barely 4:07 a.m., but Elena was busy arranging deliveries for the day. Despite still recovering from her recent abortion, Sophia didn't hesitate to join her. Together, they prepared packages, working seamlessly as if Sophia had been used to this kind of labor all her life.

Elena's mother eventually came outside and was surprised to see Sophia working so diligently. "I never thought the daughter of a wealthy man would know how to hustle like this," she remarked, impressed.

Sophia smiled faintly, her resolve strengthening. For now, this life was hers to live.