the search for Sophia

Mr. Caldwell picked up the call. "Hello, Ethan. How are you doing?" he asked.

Ethan hesitated, struggling to find the right words. After a brief pause, he replied, "Good evening, sir. How's the family doing?" His tone betrayed his nervousness.

"Kid, do you know where Sophia is or not?" Mr. Caldwell's voice was sharp, cutting straight to the point.

"Oh, about Sophia… I don't really know where she is," Ethan said, feigning confidence to keep the conversation going. From Mr. Caldwell's tone, he sensed that straying from the topic would result in an abrupt end to the call.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Mr. Caldwell asked, his tone softer now.

"Um… I think it was the night of your birthday," Ethan replied.

"Did she tell you anything about where she was going?" Mr. Caldwell pressed.

"Actually, she didn't," Ethan admitted. But before Mr. Caldwell could respond, he added quickly, "Sir, can we meet in person? I have something important to discuss. Maybe I can help you in this situation."

Mr. Caldwell let out a mocking laugh. "So, you don't know where Sophia is, but you think you can help me?"

Ethan remained silent, feeling the weight of the man's skepticism.

"What do you think this is? How exactly can you help me now?" Mr. Caldwell's voice was laced with disdain, even though he didn't realize how much he needed Ethan's help.

After a moment of thought, Ethan said, "I've worked at Caldwell Horizon for a long time, sir. I've seen things. I know about James's manipulative plans. I even have a friend, Paul, who James used as a spy. While cleaning his office, I overheard conversations that exposed his schemes." Ethan paused, then added, "I'm also skilled in accounting. You need someone you can trust to help you fix things—someone who won't let you waste resources on what's not worth it. I could help rebuild Caldwell Horizon and bring it back to its prime. And I can be a witness to expose James and his crimes."

Ethan's voice was steady now, his conviction clear.

Mr. Caldwell listened in silence, then cut him off with a cold voice. "Come to my house tomorrow afternoon. We'll discuss how you can help."

The hope in Mr. Caldwell's tone lit a fire in Ethan.

"Okay, sir," Ethan replied, a small smile forming on his face as the call ended. He exhaled deeply, feeling a mix of relief and determination.

Meanwhile, at the shop, Elena and her friends packed up for the day. The usual chatter among them seemed subdued as one of them asked, "What about Sophia? Any word from her?"

Elena hesitated, her frustration evident. "I don't know where she's been all day," she admitted.

Another friend spoke up, concern tinging their voice. "You really need to apologize, Elena. Gossiping about someone like Sophia, who's done so much for you, isn't right. She deserves better."

Elena nodded, guilt shadowing her expression. "I know. I'll apologize, but I don't even know where to start looking for her."

Tom, who usually kept to himself, chimed in, "She's not the type to cause a scene. When Sophia feels hurt or betrayed, she likely goes somewhere quiet to clear her mind. We should start with places she'd go to feel at peace."

The group exchanged glances, unsure of where to begin. "Alright," one of them said. "Let's split up and search the usual spots first."

The group searched tirelessly, checking every familiar corner of the town. They visited the park where Sophia often read, the café she liked for its quiet ambiance, and even the riverside where they spent many evenings together.

As the hours stretched on, they grew frustrated. "This is pointless," June muttered. "If she wanted to be found, she'd have left some kind of clue."

Tom, who had been observing quietly, finally spoke. "She's not here because you're looking in all the wrong places."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked, her voice tinged with desperation.

Tom adjusted his glasses thoughtfully. "She's someone who values her work. If she's not in town, she's probably at the farm. It's the only place that would keep her distracted while letting her process everything."

The group fell silent, considering his suggestion. "Alright," June said with a reluctant nod. "Let's check the farm."

When they arrived, the group scattered to search the area, but Sophia was nowhere to be seen at first glance. "So much for your theory," June teased Tom, crossing his arms.

Tom ignored him, scanning the horizon until his eyes landed on a small bench by the far side of the farm. "There," he said, pointing toward the bench.

The others followed his gaze, spotting Sophia sorting seeds with a calm focus.

"How did you know she'd be here?" Elena asked, both amazed and relieved.

"She needed peace, and this is the most peaceful place she knows," Tom replied simply.

Elena approached Sophia cautiously, her heart pounding. "Sophia, I'm sorry for what I did," she began. "It wasn't fair, and I promise it won't happen again."

Sophia looked up, her expression soft. "It's alright, Elena. I understand."

"Really? You've forgiven me?" Elena asked, her voice light with hope.

Sophia nodded with a small smile. "Yes. Let's move forward."

That evening, the group worked together on the farm until it was time for their usual routine. They headed to the riverside, ready to relax and enjoy the calm.

Elena handed Sophia a note with all the sold items and their amounts. "Alright, so, I need your help with the accounting. I haven't been able to balance the books. We got goods on credit from the company, and I don't want us to mistakenly think we've gained more than we have," she explained with a playful tone.

Sophia smiled and took the note. "For now, all this money isn't ours," she said seriously. "We still have a long way to go before we can start spending it. The sooner we pay back the company, the better our relationship with them. If we're smart about it, next time, they'll increase our credit limit. So, until we have a better relationship, we can't touch this money."

Elena laughed. "So what are we going to eat if we don't have any gain yet?"

"Don't worry, I've got us covered," Sophia replied. "I still have some money that'll last us a while."

They continued chatting and enjoying their time when suddenly, four men appeared.

"That's her—Mr. Caldwell's missing daughter!" one of them shouted, pointing at Sophia.

Sophia jumped to her feet, fear gripping her. Her friends rushed to her side, standing protectively as the men approached.

Sophia's mind raced. Could my father really be paying people to track me down? He has too much to do right now to waste money like that… Her hands trembled as the men moved closer.