Sophie gripped the steering wheel as she made her way to the SOperbK headquarters. The sun had barely risen, casting an early morning glow across the road. But in her rearview mirror, she noticed the same black car trailing her at a distance. It had been three days now. At first, she thought it was just a coincidence, but each time she left for work or returned home, the car was there. A sense of unease crept up her spine, but Sophie pushed it aside. Maybe it was just a random person with a similar schedule.
But this morning was different. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
As she arrived at the SOperbK headquarters, she parked her car and glanced around, her eyes scanning the lot. It seemed normal—quiet and empty as usual. Sophie took a deep breath, hoping it was all in her head, then headed toward the building.
But her heart skipped a beat when she saw a man in her peripheral vision, trailing behind her. He was dressed head-to-toe in black—black pants, black cap, black leather jacket—and wearing a mask that covered most of his face. The man walked slowly at first, but as Sophie picked up her pace, he did too. She felt panic tighten her chest.
Keeping her eyes fixed ahead, Sophie tried to appear calm, yet each step felt heavier, her heart racing faster. She spotted her reflection in a car's side mirror and saw him clearly, walking with purpose, his eyes seemingly fixed on her.
In a sudden burst of fear, Sophie broke into a sprint toward the elevators, her heels clicking on the pavement. She heard the man's footsteps quicken behind her, each one echoing in her ears. Sophie reached the elevator and pressed the button frantically, her eyes darting back. The man was closing in. As soon as the doors slid open, she rushed in, mashing the close button repeatedly, willing the doors to shut faster. Finally, with a quiet ding, they sealed, just as the man reached out his hand, barely missing her.
When the elevator began its ascent, Sophie leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath, her heart still pounding.
As the elevator reached her floor, the doors opened, and she saw Ali waiting in the hallway, holding some documents. Relief washed over her, and before she knew it, she was in his arms, trembling. Ali, taken aback, dropped the papers and wrapped his arms around her.
"Sophie, what happened?" he asked softly, his face etched with concern.
She tightened her grip, pressing her face against his shoulder, feeling the warmth and safety of his presence. "Ali... someone's been following me. I thought it was my imagination, but today... he chased me all the way to the elevator. I was so scared."
Ali held her close, stroking her back soothingly. "It's okay, Sophie. I'm here now. Let's go to your office, alright? We'll figure this out."
Sophie nodded, feeling a sense of calm begin to settle over her. Ali took her hand, guiding her gently down the hallway, his protective presence reassuring her. She stole one last glance over her shoulder, but the hallway was empty.
When they reached her office, Ali locked the door behind them. He pulled her into another comforting embrace, his hand resting protectively on her shoulder.
"Don't worry," he whispered. "We'll get to the bottom of this. No one's going to hurt you."
Shaken but determined, Sophie knew she needed answers. As soon as she and Ali entered her office, she called the SOperbK security team, her voice steady but urgent. "I need the CCTV footage from the parking lot pulled immediately," she instructed, Ali by her side, his gaze fixed and protective. Within minutes, the head of security arrived, clutching a tablet with the footage queued up. Sophie, Ali, and the guard gathered around to watch.
The footage showed her walking from her car towards the building. The masked man was just a few paces behind her, dressed all in black, his face obscured. His pace matched hers, then quickened as she began to run, relentless and intent. They could see the man nearly reach the elevator, his hand just missing the doors as they slid shut with Sophie safely inside.
Ali's fists clenched, his jaw tight with anger. "Who the hell is this guy?" he growled, his eyes darkening as he watched the man's every movement. Wrapping his arms around Sophie, he pulled her close, his voice steady but filled with a promise. "This guy is a psychopath, Sophie. But don't worry. I'll take care of it. No one is going to touch you."
Without hesitation, Ali pulled out his phone and called the police, recounting the incident and sharing details of the man who had been stalking Sophie. Within minutes, officers arrived at SOperbK, ready to investigate. They took statements from Sophie, Ali, and the security team, reviewing the footage carefully.
"It's tough to identify him with the mask and cap," one officer noted, his brow furrowed. "But we're taking this seriously. We'll assign someone to keep an eye on the building and provide protection for Ms. Sophie as we investigate further."
Sophie's heart pounded as she absorbed the officer's words, but Ali's hand on hers grounded her. She looked up at him, her gratitude shining through the fear still lingering in her eyes.
After the police left, Ali turned to her, his gaze soft but serious. "I don't want you driving alone until this is sorted out, Sophie. I'll make sure there's security with you at all times."
Sophie nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you, Ali. I don't know what I would have done without you here."
Ali gave her a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."
After the police left, Ali's mind was racing. He needed backup. Pulling out his phone, he quickly dialed Alex, Patricia husband, his friend with a background in security services. After three rings, Alex picked up.
"Ali, what's up?" Alex greeted, his voice calm.
"Alex, I need your help. It's about Sophie." Ali's tone was serious, laced with urgency.
What's going on?" Alex's voice immediately sharpened, sensing the gravity of the situation.
"There's a psychopath following Sophie," Ali explained. "He's been trailing her for over a week now. We caught him on the parking lot CCTV, but he's hard to identify—wearing a mask and cap. The police are involved, but they're struggling to track him down. I need someone to act as both a driver and security for Sophie. Someone who can watch her closely and keep her safe."
There was a brief pause before Alex replied. "Is she okay?"
Ali sighed. "Physically, yes. But she's scared, Alex. I don't want her going through this alone."
"Say no more. I've got the perfect person for this job," Alex replied. "Bryan. He's one of my best guys. Ex-military, trained in close protection, and knows how to stay under the radar. I'll send him over first thing tomorrow."
Ali felt a surge of relief. "Thank you, Alex. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Don't mention it. And, Ali, bring Sophie to my office tomorrow. I want to meet with both of you and go over the plan myself. Let's make sure we've got every angle covered."
"Understood," Ali replied, feeling grateful for Alex's quick response. "We'll be there."
As the day wound down, Ali escorted Sophie to her car, his face still shadowed with worry. They hadn't even driven a block when he broke the silence.
"Sophie, listen carefully," he began, glancing at her with a fierce determination. "You're going to have a private driver starting tomorrow. He'll be your security, too. Alex is sending over someone I trust completely."
Sophie looked at him, eyes wide. "You mean... I'll have security everywhere?"
"Yes," Ali replied, his voice low but firm. "This guy has been following you for a week, Sophie. That's too long. And we're not taking any chances."
She could see the anger in his eyes, barely contained. His fists tightened on the wheel. "We're meeting Alex at his office tomorrow. We'll make a plan together, and we'll get this psychopath. Once we catch him..." His jaw clenched. "Once I get my hands on him, he's going to wish he never laid eyes on you. If I hit him, Sophie, he's not walking away."
A shiver ran down Sophie's spine—not from fear of Ali but from the intensity in his voice. She could see how deeply he cared, how protective he felt. Ali would do anything to keep her safe.
For a moment, Sophie's fear softened into gratitude. "Thank you, Ali," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
Ali softened, looking over at her with a reassuring smile. "You'll never have to find out, Sophie. Not as long as I'm around."
With that, he reached over and gave her hand a squeeze, his warmth cutting through the fear that had lingered all week. For the first time in days, she allowed herself to feel safe, knowing she had Ali by her side—and that, together, they would end this nightmare.