Chapter 8: The Truth Beneath the Waves
Chrissy lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind refusing to settle. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the lighthouse. The storm. The woman plunging into the sea. Kyle's words echoed in her head.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72vPWbzklB
"She didn't just vanish. She jumped. During a hurricane. And never came back."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZk9PgwgGlN
Her fingers curled around the necklace at her throat. She had spent her whole life feeling like something was missing. A part of her that she could never quite name. But now, with every new discovery, she felt herself being pulled closer to a truth she wasn't sure she was ready for.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8nxHGdwRG
With a quiet breath, she sat up and pushed back her blankets. Her room was dark, the soft glow of the streetlight outside casting shadows across her floor. She moved quickly, slipping on her jacket and sneakers before easing the window open.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvIo3uYXB6
She had to go back.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbhxXbSfmH
The cave had called to her once, and she needed to know why.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOTfw8m5dG
As she climbed out the window and into the cool night, she didn't notice the figure sleeping in the car across the street.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyTYAQJh2q
Nick had been parked outside her house for hours, arms crossed over his chest, attempting to rest but never quite letting himself fall asleep. He had been on edge ever since the hurricane. Ever since he'd nearly lost her.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNYOF617j3
When he saw movement from her window, his exhaustion vanished.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqE2LS2xfa
His breath caught as Chrissy slipped into the night, her movements careful, purposeful.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfq4KYiLwFc
Nick cursed under his breath, grabbing his jacket. Where the hell is she going?81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmi20fm7up
Without hesitation, he got out of the car and followed.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLZqky7BdR
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Chrissy reached the shoreline quickly, the waves crashing gently against the sand. The moon hung low in the sky, its silver light illuminating the water. She didn't stop to think.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOEPsqO5YN
She stepped into the surf, the cold biting at her skin as she waded in deeper, her breath hitching as the current tugged at her. But she didn't fight it. She let it pull her forward, her body cutting through the water as she swam toward the hidden cave.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdESDsYVNV
Nick arrived just in time to see her disappear beneath the surface.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWLiWj9eIT
His heart stopped.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjb6Vm7cuX8
"Chrissy—"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTVzOQfPgJ
Without thinking, he tore off his jacket and ran into the waves.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ReEhrOg32
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Chrissy surfaced inside the cave, gasping as she pulled herself onto the rocky ledge. Water dripped from her clothes, her breath uneven. The cave felt different this time.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5v9C6NmOt
Deeper.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpguGdQYav2
More alive.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvr4qQ8zAX
She ran her fingers along the walls, feeling the smooth stone beneath her palm. Then, something caught her eye.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbF1ntnXVp
A small, glinting object, half-buried in the rock.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0giQ539IoH
She reached out, brushing away the damp sand.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlZXiWgoaY
A gemstone.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0tZb1DzOY
A deep blue sapphire, its edges perfectly shaped, like it had been waiting to be found.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmYXWycYEs
Her chest tightened as she turned it over in her palm, realization crashing over her like a wave.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZuhDZy91l
It was the missing piece.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXV4O1Rq938
The empty setting in her necklace.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsXAbGDnSm
Before she could process it, she heard movement behind her.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRvMGMo5YM
She spun just as Nick hauled himself out of the water, breathless and dripping.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3liCGk2Hf
"Nick?" Her voice wavered.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYkZMShFgi
He was soaked, his hair a mess, his eyes burning with frustration. "Are you insane?" he snapped, striding toward her. "You just—just vanished into the ocean! Do you even know what could've happened to you?"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESsWB1lLwP
Chrissy gaped at him. "I—I needed to come back here."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UKmgbwAtj
"In the middle of the night?" His voice was rising, his hands running through his wet hair in exasperation. "Do you even think about what you put me through? I thought you—" He broke off, shaking his head.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdVrHqd5gR
Chrissy clenched her fists. "I had to come back." She held up the sapphire, her voice shaking. "I found this."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3M4LjwqSrw
Nick's anger wavered as he glanced at the gemstone, but his frustration didn't fade. "Chrissy, you almost drowned two days ago. You—"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbo5oCEnVZb
She wasn't listening.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYvADyFIU0
Her breaths were coming quicker now, her grip on the sapphire tightening. "Nick, I think—I think she was my mother."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6mAL9W8mh
Nick blinked. "What?"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhwldKyG2Q
"The woman in the lighthouse. The one who disappeared. I think she was my mother. And the lighthouse keeper—" She swallowed hard. "I think he was my father."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡou53TFT5j6
Nick's anger vanished. "Chrissy..."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jzuuS2JEZ
She took a shaky breath, the words pouring out of her like a flood. "It makes sense, doesn't it? Why else would I be so drawn to this place? Why do I look like her? Why is my necklace connected to all of this?" Her voice cracked. "And what if my adoptive family knew? What if they knew the truth this whole time and never told me?"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQBqaNsHi2
Nick's chest tightened as he watched her unravel.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPPAXH94sY
Her breathing was uneven, her hands trembling. He could see the weight of everything crashing down on her all at once—the questions, the doubt, the fear of what it all meant.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kkmEWJ1KK
She was spiraling.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshRupuBoKw
"Chrissy."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGcP81vWuQ
She didn't stop. "I need to know the truth! I need to know why they kept this from me! Why my whole life—"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZAdIJFDFx
"Chrissy—"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffZwpKqS5o
"I need—"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7UuO9rDJK
He grabbed her face and kissed her.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcB7zmq7M0X
The cave was silent except for the distant sound of waves as her breath hitched against his.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxfMgHK4GB
It wasn't a rushed, desperate kiss. It was firm, steady. A grounding force against the storm inside her.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJF32JYBLW
Nick felt her stiffen, but then—slowly—she melted into him. Her hands clenched the front of his damp shirt as she let herself fall into the moment, into him.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMpdeN6DKC
When they finally pulled apart, her lips parted in a shaky breath.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WcOkso5Vz
Nick rested his forehead against hers, his hands still cradling her face. "I need you to breathe, okay?" His voice was soft now. Steady. "Just breathe."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP6lZte8LM
Her eyes fluttered shut as she tried to catch up with her own thoughts.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zcVmlIDVF
Her heart was pounding.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMHyIHcsus
Nick's thumb brushed her cheek before he pulled back slightly, searching her face.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8Y4myEkfI
Chrissy swallowed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did you—Did you do that just to shut me up?"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmdQoQCRLJ
Nick exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "No."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSscsHIhgx
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The walk home was a blur. Neither of them spoke.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jIs90wLTR
When they got back to her room, she hesitated before pulling the necklace over her head, holding it in her palm.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYj9dytkDm
Nick sat at her desk, watching quietly as she gently pressed the sapphire into the empty setting.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjdnKn0JSm
The moment it clicked into place—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxJAvOF2Ot
A bright, silvery light burst from the necklace, flooding the room in a warm glow.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXwAC7QZmO
Chrissy gasped as the light wrapped around her skin, sinking into her like a pulse. Nick flinched, shielding his eyes. Then, just as quickly as it had come, it was gone.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoiqoP5vWe
They were left in darkness again, the room silent.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyvZSAB753
Nick let out a breath. "Okay. That definitely wasn't normal."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFv2NncviCl
Chrissy's fingers trembled against the now-cool metal. She looked up at him, her mind racing with a hundred thoughts, but one stood out above the rest.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXX5fyAJHm1
Did he kiss me because he wanted to... or just to quiet me down?81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWqSkGAmYa
Nick didn't say anything.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCDPKFWUMn
And she didn't ask.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FwjLEv7ko
But as she lay awake that night, the sapphire warm against her chest, she knew one thing for sure.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLeu5BA0gK
Something had changed.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJVNhRPLi7
And there was no going back now.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAaidpxkNx
