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

from Sophia, it would have contained more helpful details,” I

stay out of the matter to protect you? Sending a vague message would be the best way to ensure you have

called me if

of a

enemy and needs to

choice but to send a text message, Li,” he argued, and

I didn’t believe the message was from Sophia,

think someone is trying to establish communication with me while pretending to

any word from her, making

her, it would have been sent to Charlotte’s

have also contained more details about

put my mind at ease,”

last time we spoke was back when we were in

tone of this message seems off, as

aware that I’ve recovered my line, so she would likely have sent the message to Charlotte’s phone to ensure I

sending a message to a line that might still be switched off,” I concluded,

but I had a gut feeling

point, Li, but you’re right; this message doesn’t provide much information,” Charlotte acknowledged,

hand, had

communication has been opened

leads us,” she suggested, using air quotes when saying ‘Sophia,’ which

posing as Sophia

it’s truly her or not, you should engage

can wait

cleverly mislead her captors

her, and her captors might have informed her about

her answers to help us uncover

her, and she

have to worry about my feelings when it comes

your friend,

but I could sense

I managed to keep my

was our inside joke,

she’s still alive and safe,” Marvin expressed,

won’t dispose

her, and if they have some ulterior motive

remain alive until they accomplish whatever they have

but the idea that Sophia couldn’t reach out to me when she wanted, troubled me

was deeply concerned about her safety and prayed that we could resolve this situation as quickly

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

because it was clear that

a smart

conducting the questioning and making it a casual conversation, it wouldn’t be

couldn’t accuse us of treating them as