When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 136: To the rescue!

Chapter 136: To the rescue!

Samuel sat hunched over his desk, eyes fixed on the flurry of documents that demanded his attention. His phone vibrated, and he almost ignored it. But something about the persistent buzz made him pause. A glance at the screen revealed an unknown number flashing across it.

He frowned, his irritation spiking. "Not today," he muttered, swiping to reject the call. Work was already piling up, and he didn’t have the patience for more distractions. He set his phone back down, attempting to refocus.

A minute later, a message notification popped up. Samuel hesitated, then picked up his phone. The message read, Samuel, this is Cain. If you don’t pick up my call, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.

The words sent a chill racing down his spine. His jaw clenched. Cain. That name, dripping with past bitterness, made his heart pound. Before he could fully grasp what it meant, his phone rang again. Same unknown number.

Samuel inhaled deeply, trying to steady himself. This time, he answered. "What do you want, Cain?" he snapped, his voice low and hard.

A cold, mocking laugh echoed through the line. "Ah, looks like you still care," Cain taunted, his voice dripping with venom. "If you think you’ve won, you’re wrong. Prison can’t stop me from getting my revenge."

Samuel’s grip tightened around the phone. "Revenge?" His voice held a dangerous edge. "You’re still clinging to that? You really think you can threaten me from behind bars?"

Cain’s laugh grew louder, more menacing. "You’ll soon know what it feels like to lose something you value," he sneered.

Samuel’s heart lurched. Fear and anger collided inside him. "Just tell me straight up," he demanded, trying to keep his voice steady. "Stop hiding behind threats like a coward. Seems like prison suits you just fine."

Cain paused, the silence more menacing than his laughter. "Okay, fine," he finally said, voice sickeningly casual. "Your beloved woman, Zinnia, she’s on board the ship with the code IMO 111524, isn’t she? Well, I made sure to set up a few surprises there. Bombs, to be exact." He laughed again, the sound twisting into something inhuman.

Samuel’s stomach dropped as Cain’s words echoed in his mind. Your beloved woman, Zinnia, she’s on board the ship with the code IMO 111524, isn’t she? Well, I made sure to set up a few surprises there. Bombs, to be exact. Cain’s mocking laugh followed, sharp and cruel.

For a moment, everything around Samuel seemed to blur. His heart thundered in his chest, and his breath caught. The codes Cain had just mentioned—they were the same codes Zinnia had sent him earlier.

Samuel’s mind raced, struggling to connect the dots. He had just received a message from Zinnia hours before, a simple update about the ship she was on. The code was the same. 111524.

Panic surged through him like a wave crashing against a cliff. Zinnia was on that ship. And now, there was a bomb threat looming over her. His fingers tightened around the phone as his thoughts collided in a chaotic whirl of fear and determination. Cain wasn’t bluffing. He knew exactly where Zinnia was, and he had no intention of letting her go.

Samuel’s pulse quickened. He could feel his entire world shifting under him. I have to save her, he thought. He didn’t care if Cain was lying, or if there was really a bomb or not—he had to act. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.

"You’re insane," Samuel finally spat, voice tight with fury. But before Cain could reply, he ended the call, his hands trembling from the weight of what had just been revealed.

Zinnia... she was in danger.

His mind raced as he scanned through his phone contacts, searching for someone linked to Lily Oceanic Industries and Lopez Digital Studios. His fingers stopped on Zinnia’s name, and he called her first. The line didn’t connect, just an automated message about low signal.

Panic clawed at him. He shoved his chair back, grabbed his keys, and stormed out of the office. The urgency pulsed through him like a second heartbeat. He sprinted down the stairs, not waiting for the elevator, and dashed into the parking lot.

He slid into his car, the engine roaring to life as he sped toward Lily Oceanic Industries. His mind buzzed with fear and strategy, a whirlwind of thoughts. When he arrived, he spotted Victoria Chen stepping out of the building, deep in conversation.

Samuel barely slowed as he approached her. "Victoria!" he called, his voice cracking with desperation. She turned, eyebrows raised at the stranger rushing toward her. "I’m Samuel," he introduced, breathing hard. "Zinnia’s fiancé."

Victoria’s eyes widened slightly, but she remained composed. "What’s wrong?" she asked, sensing the urgency.

"There could be bombs on one of your ships," Samuel explained, voice tight with worry. "Zinnia and the others might be in danger."

Victoria paled but pulled out her phone, trying to reach the crew on board. The call didn’t connect. Her eyes met Samuel’s, a spark of dread shared between them. "I can’t reach them either," she said, her voice wavering.

Samuel swallowed his panic. "Don’t you have helicopters for emergencies?" he pressed. "We need to get to them. I’ve already called officers to help disarm any bombs. We need to act now."

Victoria didn’t waste another second. She turned and started giving orders to her staff. Within minutes, two helicopters were prepared. Samuel boarded one alongside Victoria and the bomb squad officers. The helicopter blades roared to life, slicing through the sky as they took off.

As the city shrank below, Samuel clenched his fists. He wished Timmy were there, but Timmy deserved his vacation. Samuel’s throat tightened. His aquaphobia gnawed at him as the ocean came into view, vast and unyielding.

He tried not to look down, but he had to keep an eye out for Zinnia’s ship. His palms grew slick with sweat, and his chest felt like a vise. But the fear of losing Zinnia was stronger than any phobia. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus.

"Are you okay?" Victoria asked, noticing his ashen face.

Samuel swallowed, his voice rough. "I’ll be fine," he said, though he barely believed it. His eyes scanned the water, searching for any sign of the ships. "I just need to find her."

Minutes stretched into eternity. The ocean sprawled endlessly below, taunting him. But then, a small cluster of ships appeared, anchored in the water. Samuel’s heart leaped into his throat.

"There!" he shouted, pointing. The helicopter veered in that direction, the crew bracing themselves. Samuel’s mind raced. He couldn’t lose his goddess, his Zia. He had to save her, no matter what awaited them.