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

more helpful details,” I explained, and

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

called me if

messages; she’s more of a

by the enemy and

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

my theory if I didn’t believe the message was from Sophia, giving me the opportunity

to establish communication with me while pretending to be

been too long without any word from her, making this

it would have been

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

to put my mind at ease,” I

we spoke was back when

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

would likely have sent the message to Charlotte’s phone to

a line that might still

clear, but I had a gut feeling

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

on the other hand, had a different

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 laugh from

as Sophia

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

wait for

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

we’re searching for her, and

her answers to help us uncover what’s really going on,” Josephine explained, perfectly

nodded, looking at her, and

to worry about my feelings when it comes

just your friend, nothing more,” she

added, but I could sense that Alex wasn’t entirely

managed to keep

but it was

safe,” Marvin expressed, echoing my

won’t dispose of

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

alive until they accomplish whatever they have

but the idea that Sophia couldn’t reach out to

that we could resolve

Gamma and the Beta off, and we

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

a smart

it a casual conversation, it wouldn’t be considered

way, they couldn’t accuse us