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 an

it was genuinely from Sophia, it would have contained more

Sending a vague message would be the best way to ensure you have nothing to

but she would have called me if it were really

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

the enemy and needs

send a text message, Li,” he argued, and many others seemed

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

is trying to establish communication with me

too long without any word from her, making

it were genuinely from her, it would have been sent

more details about her well-being before asking

want to put my mind

time we spoke was

this message seems off,

she isn’t aware that I’ve recovered my line, so she would likely have sent the message to Charlotte’s phone to ensure I received

sending a message to a line that might still

but I had a gut feeling that

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

hand,

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

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

is posing as Sophia

you should engage in conversation and share specific details that only she

we can wait

she’s being held captive, she might cleverly

searching for her, and her captors might

wise for her to mislead them in her answers to help us uncover what’s really

at her, and

about my feelings when it comes to

just your friend, nothing more,”

added, but I could sense that Alex

I managed to keep my

momentary unease, but it was our inside joke, and the others remained oblivious to our unspoken

she’s still alive and safe,” Marvin expressed, echoing my biggest

won’t dispose of her

dare harm her, and if they have some

she’ll likely remain alive until they accomplish whatever they have planned,” Oliver pointed out, and

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

and prayed that

seeing the Gamma and the

all laughed because it was clear that Justin had cleverly left us alone with the officers

smart move

making it a casual conversation, it wouldn’t be considered an

us