The Dark Side Of Fate

To Sam Street ~Liam~ I felt uneasy about how to handle sharing and discussing the text message.

I worried that mentioning Sophia might trouble Josephine, even though I knew she was resilient.

But I also feared that it could set back the progress we had made so far.

Instead of announcing the text to everyone, I decided to talk to Josephine first.

“Hey,” I said, linking her, and she turned to face me, her brow furrowing.

I expected this reaction, as linking in close proximity was reserved for private discussions.

“I want to show you something,” I said, handing her my phone with the text message.

She took the phone, read the message, and then returned it to me.

“The team should know,” she linked back, and I observed her carefully.

“It wouldn’t bother you?” I asked to be sure.

I was still new to this relationship thing and didn’t want to make any mistakes.

“Not at all, Liam.

We had our discussion this morning, and I’m confident that Sophia’s name won’t bother me anymore.

I promise,” she said with a smile and playfully punched my shoulder.

“I’m not that petty or jealous, Li,” she laughed, and I felt relieved.

“Attention, everyone; Li has something important to share,” Josephine declared, and a chuckle escaped me.

All eyes were on me, and I cleared my throat before speaking.

I put on a serious demeanour because the situation warranted it.

If they had Sophia’s mother’s phone, there was a possibility that something significant had occurred, and their circumstances might have altered.

Navigating through this with limited information wouldn’t be a simple task, but we must exercise utmost caution.

“I just received a text message from Sophia’s mother’s line, the same line she used to communicate with me,” I explained, passing my phone around so they could read the message.

“The last time she spoke to me, it was through Charlotte’s phone, as I hadn’t recovered my line back then,” I added.

Marvin was the first to ask a question.

“So why is she asking us not to search for her?” he inquired.

“That’s precisely my point.

If it were truly Sophia, she would have called instead of sending a text message.

message suggests

would have contained more helpful details,” I explained, and Noah voiced a different

to stay out of the matter to protect you? Sending a vague message would

called

messages; she’s more of a

by the enemy

choice but to send a

theory if I didn’t believe the message was from Sophia,

establish communication with me

been too long without any word from her, making this message

from her, it would

also contained more details about her well-being

will want to put my mind at

was back

of this message seems off, as if we’ve been in

would likely have sent the message to Charlotte’s phone

a line that might still be switched off,” I concluded, and Charlotte nodded

but I had

this message doesn’t provide much information,”

on the other hand,

line of communication

interact with ‘Sophia’ and see where it leads us,” she suggested, using air quotes when saying ‘Sophia,’ which elicited

is posing as Sophia must

not, you should engage in conversation and share

can wait

she’s being held captive, she might cleverly mislead her captors and provide us

searching for her, and her captors might

answers to help us

looking at her,

have to worry about my feelings when it comes

your friend, nothing more,” she assured

friends too,” she added, but I could sense that Alex

I managed to keep

noticed my momentary unease, but it was our inside joke, and the others

alive and safe,” Marvin expressed, echoing my

dispose of her

dare harm her, and if they have some ulterior motive involving her, they

alive until they accomplish whatever they have planned,” Oliver pointed

idea that Sophia couldn’t reach out to me when she

safety and prayed that we could resolve this situation as quickly

back after seeing the Gamma and the Beta off, and we

did they do?” he inquired, and we all laughed because it was clear that

was a smart move on his

and making it a casual conversation, it wouldn’t

couldn’t accuse us of treating them