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

contained more helpful details,” I explained, and Noah voiced a different

matter to protect you? Sending a vague

would have called me if it were really

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

if she’s surrounded by the enemy

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

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

communication with me

too long without any word from her, making this message seem

from her, it would have

more details about

put my mind

was

seems off, as if

aware that I’ve recovered my line, so she would likely

risk sending a message to a line that might

clear, but I had a gut feeling that I

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

other hand, had a different

communication

it leads us,” she suggested, using air quotes

is posing as Sophia must have

you should engage in conversation and share specific details

can wait for her

being held captive, she might cleverly mislead

searching for her, and

them in her answers to help

her, and

to worry about my feelings when it comes

just your friend,

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

to

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

she’s still alive and safe,” Marvin

won’t dispose of

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

accomplish whatever they have planned,” Oliver pointed out, and

of comfort, but the idea that Sophia couldn’t

prayed that we could resolve this

back after seeing the Gamma and the Beta off, and we remained

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

a smart move on his

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

accuse us of