The millionaire took pity on the beautiful homeless girl and hired her as a caregiver for his disabled father…
«Please, can I have a glass of water?» she pleaded pitifully. «I’m so thirsty!» «Stephen, get water for our guest,» the man ordered. The guard went to the kitchen, and Veronica followed, staggering for effect.
Stephen reluctantly opened the cabinet with mineral water and soda bottles. Veronica reached for water and «accidentally» dropped a bottle. «Oh, sorry!» she exclaimed, bending to pick it up.
At that moment, she discreetly pulled a plastic ampoule with sedative from her pocket and hid it in her palm. While the guard was distracted, she quickly uncapped it and squeezed the sedative into an open cola bottle on the table and into the teapot with tea on the stove. Then, as if nothing happened, she straightened with the water bottle in hand.
«Thank you so much!» she said gratefully, taking a sip. «You have no idea how worn out I am.» They returned to the room where the second man remained.
Veronica portrayed relief. «Thank you! I was so afraid I’d have to spend the night in the forest.» «Stephen, pour yourself some cola!» the man said to the guard.
«And tea for me! And watch our… guests. I’ll go check the perimeter, just in case.» He grabbed his jacket and left the house.
The other guard poured himself cola and took a big gulp, then filled a cup with tea for his partner when he returns. Veronica glanced discreetly at her watch. Now wait for the sedative to take effect and signal Sinclair.
She cautiously shifted her gaze to Catherine. The girl sat motionless, but her eyes now held tense attention. She seemed to understand something was happening.
Fifteen agonizing minutes passed. The guard finished his cola and began yawning, eyes glazing over. Veronica noted with relief the sedative working.
«Something’s making me sleepy,» Stephen muttered. «Don’t think of going anywhere, got it?» He looked at Catherine, then Veronica. «Sit quietly.
Sam will be back soon.» He sank heavily onto the sofa, and a few minutes later his breathing became even and deep; he was asleep. Veronica jumped to him, snatched the phone from his breast pocket, stuffed it in her bag, then rushed to the window and knocked twice shortly.
Almost immediately, the door burst open, and Ethan Sinclair stormed in. Seeing his daughter, he froze for a moment, disbelieving. «Katie?» he called quietly.
Catherine slowly rose from the table, her lips trembling. «Dad? Is it you?» Sinclair rushed to his daughter and hugged her tightly. Catherine tensed at first, then went limp in his arms, tears streaming down her cheeks.
«I thought I’d never see you again,» she whispered. «They said you died. That everyone died.»
«Everything’s okay, baby,» he soothed, stroking her hair. «Now everything will be okay. I found you and will never let go again.»
Veronica watched the scene with emotion but didn’t forget time. «We need to leave. Quickly.
The other one could return any minute. But I managed to slash all four tires on their car with a knife.» Sinclair nodded and helped his daughter stand.
Catherine was very weak, her legs buckling. «I can’t walk fast,» she said guiltily. «They…
They gave me some drugs to keep me calm and not try to escape.» «I’ll carry you,» Sinclair said decisively and lifted his daughter in his arms. «Veronica, lead us to the car.»
They left the cabin and quickly moved toward the forest. Veronica went ahead, peering intently into the darkness and listening to every rustle. Sinclair followed, carefully carrying his daughter.
Suddenly, a shout behind them. «Stop! Stop, I say!» It was the guard. He’d noticed their escape.
«Run!» Veronica cried. «I’ll delay him!» She turned sharply and charged at the pursuer, hoping to buy time for the fugitives. The man didn’t expect the move and hesitated momentarily, giving Veronica a chance.
She collided with him full force, and both tumbled to the ground. A struggle ensued. The guard was stronger, but Veronica fought with desperate resolve of someone with nothing to lose.
She scratched, bit, hit wherever, trying to gain every second for the escapees. Suddenly, a shot rang out, and the man recoiled from her. A few yards away stood Sinclair with a gun in hand.
«Get away from her!» he said coldly. Or the next bullet won’t be in the air. The guard slowly stood, raising his hands.
«Give me your weapon and phone!» Sinclair said evenly, aiming at the guard’s forehead. He obediently tossed his phone, gun, and knife, which Veronica promptly picked up. Keeping the guard at gunpoint, he backed away with Veronica to the forest, where Catherine waited.
Once hidden among the trees, the guard shouted after them. «You won’t get far.» This spurred them on.
They quickened pace, Sinclair again carrying his daughter, moving to the car as quietly and fast as possible. «Where did you get the gun?» Veronica whispered when they’d distanced from the cabin a bit. «Brought it along.»
«Always keep it in the car,» he replied quietly. «In our business, sometimes you travel with large sums. Never thought I’d use it in such a situation.»
The way back seemed twice as long. Every rustle, every branch crack made them freeze and listen. But luckily, no pursuit.
Apparently, the guard decided not to chase them alone in the dark forest without a weapon. They’ll discover the car not drivable a bit later, and without phones, can’t call for help. And it’ll take them a whole day on foot to the nearest road.
Finally, they reached the car. Sinclair carefully laid his daughter on the back seat. Veronica sat next to her to monitor her condition, and Ethan took the driver’s seat.
«Hold on tight,» he warned, starting the engine. «The road will be rough.» The SUV lurched forward, bouncing on roots and bumps.
Catherine moaned quietly; the shaking caused pain. Veronica hugged the girl by the shoulders, trying to hold her steady. «Hang in there, dear,» she said gently.
«Soon we’ll be home, and this will end.» «Who are you?» Catherine asked weakly. «I remember you.»
«From the clinic, right?» «Yes, I worked there as a nurse when you were brought in,» Veronica confirmed. «My name is Veronica Benson. I’m helping your father care for your grandfather.»
«Grandfather.» Tears welled in the girl’s eyes. «He’s alive?» They said he died of grief after my death.
«Alive and waiting eagerly for you,» Veronica smiled. «He’s a very strong man, your grandfather.» The car emerged onto a smoother road, and Sinclair accelerated.
They raced through the forest, praying to reach the city before Grayson organized pursuit. «Dad,» Catherine called, «you need to know.» Grayson and Markham.
They’re planning something big. I found documents proving they plan to seize company assets through shell companies. They want to bankrupt Sinclair Construction and buy it all cheap.
«I suspected something like that,» Sinclair replied grimly. But couldn’t figure out how exactly they planned to pull it off. «Everything’s on my laptop,» Catherine continued.
«I copied the documents before the Austria trip. The laptop should be in my room if they didn’t find it.» «They didn’t,» her father assured.
«I checked your laptop after…» «After your disappearance, but found nothing unusual.» «Files in a hidden folder,» Catherine explained.
«Under password.» «Mr. Snowball, remember?» «My first cat’s name.» «Remember, of course,» Sinclair smiled.
«Katie, you have no idea how I missed you. And I thought I’d never see you again,» she replied quietly. «At first, in the early months, I tried to escape.
But they kept me on drugs; I was semi-conscious most of the time. Then took me to that clinic. And when they took me from there, said you died, everyone died, and I had nowhere to go.
I stopped resisting. Lost hope.» «It’s all behind us,» Sinclair said firmly.
«Now we’re together again, and no one can separate us. And Grayson and Markham will answer for everything they’ve done.» Veronica looked at father and daughter with warmth and relief.
Despite all dangers of this night, despite worry for the future, she was happy. She managed to help reunite the family, correct a monstrous injustice. That was the main thing.
When they hit the highway to the city, Sinclair slowed a bit to avoid drawing traffic police attention. About an hour’s drive to home. «What do we do next?» Veronica asked.
«First, take Katie home and call the doctor,» Sinclair said decisively. «Then I’ll contact my friend in the police, Lieutenant Colonel Sawyer. Tell him everything and hand over evidence from Katie’s laptop. Let law enforcement handle those scoundrels.»
«And if Grayson has connections in the police?» Veronica asked worriedly. «Possibly,» Sinclair agreed. «But I’m not staying silent.
Besides, I have influence and connections too. We’ll fight, and we’ll win. Truth is on our side.»
Catherine fell asleep, head on Veronica’s lap. Likely stress and residual drug effects. Veronica gently stroked her hair, thinking what this girl had endured.
A year and a half in captivity, isolated from loved ones, under psychotropics. It could break anyone. She’d need time to fully recover physically and psychologically.
But now she had family support, and that’s key. Finally, they arrived at the Sinclair mansion. It was past midnight, but lights were on; Constantine hadn’t slept, waiting for their return.
When the car stopped at the porch, the door flung open, and the old man, leaning on his cane, came out to meet them. Ethan carefully carried his daughter from the car. Catherine woke and, seeing her grandfather, burst into tears.
«Grandpa! You’re alive!» Constantine, unashamed of tears, hobbled to them. «Katie! My girl!» Ethan brought his daughter to his father, and they embraced, all three, united by joy of reunion and sorrow of endured separation. Veronica stood aside, not wanting to intrude on this touching moment.
But Sinclair noticed her and gestured to join. «Veronica, this wouldn’t have happened without you! You’re part of our victory!» They entered the house, where worried Anna Paulson and Victor waited. Seeing Catherine, the housekeeper cried and rushed to hug the girl, lamenting and thanking heavens for the miraculous return.
«Anna Paulson, please prepare Katie’s room,» Sinclair ordered. «Victor, call Dr. Klein immediately, say it’s an emergency. And call Lieutenant Colonel Sawyer, have him come as soon as possible.»
While these orders were carried out, Veronica helped Catherine shower and change into clean clothes. The girl was very weak, moved with difficulty, but sparks of former vitality appeared in her eyes. «Thank you,» she said quietly as Veronica helped brush her hair.
«You risked your life for me, though we weren’t even acquainted.» «I did what I had to,» Veronica replied simply. «Anyone in my place would do the same.»
«And call me ‘you’; we’re about the same age.» «Then you too.» «And not anyone,» Catherine shook her head…
