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 underlying

from Sophia, it would have contained more helpful details,” I explained, and

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

have called me if

more of a phone person,” I

she’s surrounded by the enemy and

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

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

think someone is trying to establish communication with me while

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

were genuinely from her, it

also contained more details about her well-being

will want to put my mind at ease,” I

last time we spoke was back when we

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

she isn’t aware that I’ve recovered my line, so she would likely have

to a line that might still be switched off,” I concluded, and Charlotte nodded

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

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

on the other hand, had

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

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

posing as Sophia must

truly her or not, you should engage in conversation and share specific details that only she

can wait

held captive, she might cleverly mislead her captors

she knows we’re searching for her, and her captors might have informed

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

her, and she smiled

worry about my

your friend, nothing

could sense that

managed to

she noticed 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

dispose of

and if they have some ulterior motive involving her,

whatever

that

and prayed that we could resolve this

the Beta

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

was a smart move

it a casual conversation,

couldn’t accuse us of treating