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

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

but she would have called me

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

by the enemy and needs

send a text message, Li,” he

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

is trying to establish communication with me while pretending to

been too long without any word

genuinely from her, it would have been sent

more details about

will want to put my mind at ease,”

was back

seems off, as if we’ve

so she would likely have sent the

to a line that might still be switched off,” I

might not have been entirely clear, but I had a

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

on the other hand,

message, a line of communication has

us,” she suggested, using air quotes when saying ‘Sophia,’ which elicited a

is posing as Sophia must

her or not, you should engage

we can wait

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

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

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

nodded, looking at her, and she

really don’t have to worry about my

know she’s just your friend, nothing more,” she assured

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

I managed to

was our inside joke, and the others remained oblivious

alive and safe,” Marvin expressed, echoing

dispose of her

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

until they accomplish whatever they have planned,” Oliver pointed

comfort, but the idea that Sophia couldn’t reach out to

safety and prayed that we

the Beta off, and we remained on high

it was clear that Justin had cleverly left us alone

a smart

directly conducting the questioning and making it a casual conversation, it wouldn’t be considered an official

us of treating them as