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 suggests an underlying

it was genuinely from Sophia, it would have contained more helpful

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

have called me if it were

rarely sends text messages; she’s more of

enemy and

but to send a text message, Li,”

didn’t believe the message was from Sophia, giving me the

establish communication with me while

too long without any word from

were genuinely from her, it would have been sent to Charlotte’s

about her well-being before

want to put my mind at ease,” I

we spoke was back when we

off, as if we’ve

I’ve recovered my line, so she would likely have sent the message to Charlotte’s

message to a line that might

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

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

the other hand, had a

message, a line of communication has been opened between

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

posing as Sophia must have a

her or not, you should engage

we can wait

being held captive, she might cleverly mislead her captors and provide

her, and her captors might have informed

help

at her, and she smiled

to worry about my feelings

your friend,

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

I managed to

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

still alive and safe,” Marvin

won’t dispose

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

alive until they accomplish whatever they have planned,” Oliver pointed out, and his assessment

the idea that Sophia couldn’t reach out to me when

was deeply concerned about her safety and prayed that we could resolve

the Gamma and the Beta off, and we

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

was a smart move on

a

accuse us of