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.

vagueness of the message

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

you considered the possibility that she just wants you to stay out of the matter to protect you? Sending a vague message would be the best way to ensure you have nothing to work with,” he

called me

sends text messages; she’s more of a phone

if she’s surrounded by the enemy and needs

no choice but to send a text message, Li,” he argued, and

then asked me to share my theory if I didn’t believe the message was

is trying to establish communication with me while

word from

it were genuinely from her, it would have been sent

would have also contained more details about her well-being before asking me to

put my mind at ease,” I

spoke was back when

this message seems off,

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

might still be switched off,”

clear, but I had a gut

you’re right; this message doesn’t provide much

the other hand, had

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

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

as Sophia must have a

you should engage in conversation and share specific details that

wait for

if she’s being held captive, she might cleverly mislead her

her, and her captors might have informed her

wise for her to mislead them in her answers to help us uncover what’s really going on,” Josephine explained, perfectly echoing my

looking at her,

really don’t have to worry about my feelings when it comes

she’s just your friend, nothing more,”

I could sense that

I managed to keep my

was our inside joke, and the others remained oblivious

hope she’s still alive and safe,” Marvin

won’t dispose

for them, they won’t dare harm her, and if they have some ulterior motive involving her,

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

of comfort, but the idea that

prayed that we could

back after seeing the Gamma and the

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

was a smart move on

and making it a casual conversation, it wouldn’t be

couldn’t accuse us of treating