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.

the message suggests an

it would have contained more helpful

the matter to protect you? Sending a vague message would be the best way to ensure you have nothing to work with,” he suggested, and

she would have called me if

she’s more of a phone person,” I explained before

if she’s surrounded by the enemy

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

theory if I didn’t believe

is trying to establish communication with me

without any word from her, making this message seem

her, it

also contained more details about her well-being

to put my mind

spoke was back when we

seems off,

so she would likely

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

not have been entirely clear, but I had a gut feeling that I was onto

point, Li, but you’re right; this message doesn’t provide

other hand, had

but by receiving this message, a line of communication has been opened between

see where it leads us,”

is posing as Sophia must have a

it’s truly her or not, you should engage in conversation and share specific details that

wait for

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

knows we’re searching for her, and her captors

help us uncover

at her, and

worry about my feelings

your friend, nothing

friends too,” she added, but I could sense that Alex wasn’t entirely comfortable with

I managed to keep

laughed, signifying that she noticed my momentary unease, but it was

and safe,” Marvin expressed, echoing my biggest

won’t dispose of

and if they have some ulterior motive involving her,

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

of comfort, but the idea that Sophia couldn’t reach out

about her safety and prayed that we could resolve this situation as

Gamma and the Beta off, and we remained on high

because it was clear that Justin had cleverly left us alone with the officers to question

was a smart move

conducting the questioning and making it a casual conversation,

us of treating them