Chapter 179
Isabella tossed and turned in her hospital bed. Ever since this floor had been filled with other patients, she’d barely slept. Some moaned in poin (irosighted the night, their suffering echoing through the hallways. After just two days, she was already at her breaking point.
If she wasn’t terrified of irritating Henry, she would have called him to complain ages ago. She’d have begged him to rescue her from this nightmare. This was all William’s doing that stubborn old man.
Why should she suffer like this? She deserved better treatment.
As she punched her pillow for the twentieth time, her phone lit up with a notification. Opening the message, she gasped. There on her screen was a photo of Henry struggling to climb out of a fountain, his entire body soaked, looking utterly disheveled.
Without hesitation, she called him.
After being pushed into the fountain by Sophia, Henry quickly pulled himself out. Completely drenched, he shivered as the cold wind cut through his wet clothes. His drunkenness had completely cleared, replaced by cold fury.
“Sophia, you’ll pay for this!” he growled through clenched teeth, watching her disappear into the night.
His security team rushed over, helping him to the car. As they drove back How dare she humiliate him like that? And in public!
to
Maple Grove, Henry sat in silence, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge.
He had barely made it back to his bedroom when his phone rang. Isabella’s name flashed across the screen. After a moment’s hesitation, he answered.
“Henry! Are you okay? I just saw the photo of you in the water! What happened?” Isabella’s voice was filled with concern.
“I’m fine,” he replied flatly, not interested in explaining his humiliation.
“But Henry, you’re soaking wet in that picture! Who did this to you?”
“It’s nothing,” he said, his tone making it clear he didn’t want to discuss it.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” she pressed, sensing an opportunity to get back into his good graces. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about the other day. It wasn’t what it looked like-
‘I’m not in the mood to discuss that,‘ Henry cut her off. “I need to change. Goodnight, Isabella.”
He hung up before she could respond, tossing his phone onto
the
nightstand.
Standing in his bedroom, Henry’s gaze fell on the bed where Isabella had staged her little scene. The memory made his skin crawl. Without a second thought, he called for the staff.
**Get rid of it,” he ordered the housekeeper, pointing at the king–sized bed that could easily fit three people. “I want it out of here tonight.”
The housekeeper’s eyes widened, but she nodded quickly. “Yes, Mr. Harding. Right away.”
After a hot shower that did nothing to cool his temper, Henry wrapped himself in a robe and picked up his phone again. He dialed Frank’s number, ready to unleash his fury.
“What kind of idiotic plan was that?‘ he demanded when Frank answered. “You
Frank’s unrestrained laughter came through the speaker, joined by Benjamin’s voic
set
me up!”
in the background.
“Sorry, man! We couldn’t resist!” Frank managed between chuckles. “But hey, at least Sophia came running to you, right? That’s something!”
“Yeah, and then she pushed me into a fountain!” Henry snapped.
This only made the two friends laugh harder, Frank finally composed himself enough to speak. “We actually saw that part! When she helped you out, we were hiding near the back door of the club. We followed at a distance to make sure you were okay.”
1/2
Chapter 179
“You saw her push me and didn’t think to step in?*
“It happened so fast!” Benjamin chimed in, barely containing his amusement. Besides, if I’m being honest, it was pretty hilarious. The great Henry Harding soaked like a drowned rat!
Henry exhaled deeply, unable to stay angry at his idiotic friends. “I’m hanging up now. Don’t call me again–ever.”
He tossed his phone back onto the nightstand and collapsed onto the sofa. Lying back against the pillows, he closed his eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. All he could think about was how to deal with Sophia.
