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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrMpomhaqd
"She didn't just vanish. She jumped. During a hurricane. And never came back."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBQ2dS2Pey
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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRKemcxsud
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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAXmVVGJHZ
She had to go back.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYIEhbM1s5
The cave had called to her once, and she needed to know why.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMlS6Nl1h2
As she climbed out the window and into the cool night, she didn't notice the figure sleeping in the car across the street.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQW122FS9it
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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofRp2LPiXO
When he saw movement from her window, his exhaustion vanished.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VWVcuGU2S
His breath caught as Chrissy slipped into the night, her movements careful, purposeful.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdDB3lIRbe
Nick cursed under his breath, grabbing his jacket. Where the hell is she going?114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOM0QmwnrJz
Without hesitation, he got out of the car and followed.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6KCCVHRtO
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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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVPUqShPad
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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYa83TEMnPx
Nick arrived just in time to see her disappear beneath the surface.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7yxCUYcbf
His heart stopped.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBqr4ztTmH
"Chrissy—"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gtoGJ2yj5
Without thinking, he tore off his jacket and ran into the waves.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbu7YLCMAi5
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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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHYxMCTKY6
Deeper.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzPxKKVzQV
More alive.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjjhBfrOvJ
She ran her fingers along the walls, feeling the smooth stone beneath her palm. Then, something caught her eye.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLxiGaV7hn
A small, glinting object, half-buried in the rock.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcT9rxbNKA
She reached out, brushing away the damp sand.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIrkj1x9GA
A gemstone.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9ug1kft4h
A deep blue sapphire, its edges perfectly shaped, like it had been waiting to be found.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zRDZC0YmV
Her chest tightened as she turned it over in her palm, realization crashing over her like a wave.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0f2uRBLgxZ
It was the missing piece.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡionOsbMCsg
The empty setting in her necklace.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyOMkwGHr7
Before she could process it, she heard movement behind her.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILb9CCbVnH
She spun just as Nick hauled himself out of the water, breathless and dripping.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleG0OTIahU
"Nick?" Her voice wavered.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqt49s1E2J7
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?"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirmcvTEVqH
Chrissy gaped at him. "I—I needed to come back here."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogFIcwwnVj
"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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdb8PzKRqE
Chrissy clenched her fists. "I had to come back." She held up the sapphire, her voice shaking. "I found this."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdhsyHc8V1
Nick's anger wavered as he glanced at the gemstone, but his frustration didn't fade. "Chrissy, you almost drowned two days ago. You—"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6DYdq4U2L
She wasn't listening.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfAmIpkKhY
Her breaths were coming quicker now, her grip on the sapphire tightening. "Nick, I think—I think she was my mother."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HN4xMq4OL
Nick blinked. "What?"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zFcU8i1OV
"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."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMOuRixRJo
Nick's anger vanished. "Chrissy..."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRxa74iCBU
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?"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglIsGKShY5
Nick's chest tightened as he watched her unravel.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdWMta2S3n
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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4723mznal
She was spiraling.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXmQgQPZuJ
"Chrissy."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyx64hQP96
She didn't stop. "I need to know the truth! I need to know why they kept this from me! Why my whole life—"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Tq9eCo6Um
"Chrissy—"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDYZpidmBf
"I need—"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaXf88gHga
He grabbed her face and kissed her.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs288NgH8Of
The cave was silent except for the distant sound of waves as her breath hitched against his.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aRsWJUUSo
It wasn't a rushed, desperate kiss. It was firm, steady. A grounding force against the storm inside her.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUBbuXMLL3
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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IEaPIaMSt
When they finally pulled apart, her lips parted in a shaky breath.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuTX8zIFg0
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."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9iXXBylpW
Her eyes fluttered shut as she tried to catch up with her own thoughts.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqV4XWuABm
Her heart was pounding.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZzEYxH9fz
Nick's thumb brushed her cheek before he pulled back slightly, searching her face.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPTrORJfa4
Chrissy swallowed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did you—Did you do that just to shut me up?"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkkGTpAg8H
Nick exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "No."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZoPC7u5Xu
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The walk home was a blur. Neither of them spoke.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PONciXIzq
When they got back to her room, she hesitated before pulling the necklace over her head, holding it in her palm.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5L60K8jg3N
Nick sat at her desk, watching quietly as she gently pressed the sapphire into the empty setting.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRg8iD3hRi
The moment it clicked into place—114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7ZnxyYMyq
A bright, silvery light burst from the necklace, flooding the room in a warm glow.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohwRJXHzYg
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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlYAlub9np
They were left in darkness again, the room silent.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvB169U9uG
Nick let out a breath. "Okay. That definitely wasn't normal."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXcL1Y7e9U
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.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDmWem9rZo
Did he kiss me because he wanted to... or just to quiet me down?114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLm8gSE4Fjs
Nick didn't say anything.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcfyClVVzc
And she didn't ask.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLn40Wnm3K
But as she lay awake that night, the sapphire warm against her chest, she knew one thing for sure.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwg7rI62Gyp
Something had changed.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1kJesksqJ
And there was no going back now.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBQpqdcWkv
