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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZUqE3Qcpt
"She didn't just vanish. She jumped. During a hurricane. And never came back."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcxNCJUz3E
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMBDFdpOJR
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwbtxYt1gm
She had to go back.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQqviwEf3U
The cave had called to her once, and she needed to know why.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBdt5CR7Lr
As she climbed out the window and into the cool night, she didn't notice the figure sleeping in the car across the street.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHI6YbYRn4
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEKvpwPnlF
When he saw movement from her window, his exhaustion vanished.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpA5kuCaHVr
His breath caught as Chrissy slipped into the night, her movements careful, purposeful.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ729cCw7bXs
Nick cursed under his breath, grabbing his jacket. Where the hell is she going?184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZOOo9L1yc
Without hesitation, he got out of the car and followed.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtCC5CPWZc
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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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWUnEOdr7d
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxtVDadnp0
Nick arrived just in time to see her disappear beneath the surface.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFSvQNEAzd
His heart stopped.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xWLAPN04r
"Chrissy—"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0vfMKXyaV
Without thinking, he tore off his jacket and ran into the waves.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0qLaIsK3r
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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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweWt9LWz07
Deeper.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKK8vsSdy3
More alive.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYA7rdSquei
She ran her fingers along the walls, feeling the smooth stone beneath her palm. Then, something caught her eye.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK10VonHMAI
A small, glinting object, half-buried in the rock.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWCicSGAgG
She reached out, brushing away the damp sand.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoDojMSj7J
A gemstone.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9l9TrqRQu
A deep blue sapphire, its edges perfectly shaped, like it had been waiting to be found.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmKSDYafnb
Her chest tightened as she turned it over in her palm, realization crashing over her like a wave.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PC0K7kjLY
It was the missing piece.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioPR6bhvAw
The empty setting in her necklace.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqUxLcd9Xm
Before she could process it, she heard movement behind her.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmRkEp21d1
She spun just as Nick hauled himself out of the water, breathless and dripping.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAQf3OK6ej
"Nick?" Her voice wavered.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSasVtXBBG
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?"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrD6sJ6W0r6
Chrissy gaped at him. "I—I needed to come back here."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBTRmaXHDg
"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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpmegEuk4p
Chrissy clenched her fists. "I had to come back." She held up the sapphire, her voice shaking. "I found this."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6eioCdm0q
Nick's anger wavered as he glanced at the gemstone, but his frustration didn't fade. "Chrissy, you almost drowned two days ago. You—"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7MTSlXACH
She wasn't listening.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaRqQkl7T8
Her breaths were coming quicker now, her grip on the sapphire tightening. "Nick, I think—I think she was my mother."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4oWwBDecv
Nick blinked. "What?"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Kpm1z2rhy
"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."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9R9ugAx9c2
Nick's anger vanished. "Chrissy..."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBX5qNfhQu
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?"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1j67UN5X75
Nick's chest tightened as he watched her unravel.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELRt52CLLD
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvL4EJvPeP
She was spiraling.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclCraBUuy7
"Chrissy."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgq4wxVC3e
She didn't stop. "I need to know the truth! I need to know why they kept this from me! Why my whole life—"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwzXFjPr0c
"Chrissy—"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcpQh3F50N
"I need—"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwJB7k91ux
He grabbed her face and kissed her.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9YSRXwjWe
The cave was silent except for the distant sound of waves as her breath hitched against his.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEZVsWGXJL
It wasn't a rushed, desperate kiss. It was firm, steady. A grounding force against the storm inside her.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMv5cfMBZ6r
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKPYpOLbox
When they finally pulled apart, her lips parted in a shaky breath.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZ8UL6CcO4
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."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJM1bYIzce
Her eyes fluttered shut as she tried to catch up with her own thoughts.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnrLvufqGY
Her heart was pounding.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQntcMOusvA
Nick's thumb brushed her cheek before he pulled back slightly, searching her face.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKxdjSqGiQ
Chrissy swallowed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did you—Did you do that just to shut me up?"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIxkuAetMU
Nick exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "No."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeWLgsevsk
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The walk home was a blur. Neither of them spoke.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ybL492qMY
When they got back to her room, she hesitated before pulling the necklace over her head, holding it in her palm.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlb5ZDfpsBb
Nick sat at her desk, watching quietly as she gently pressed the sapphire into the empty setting.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSwz6akJDI
The moment it clicked into place—184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRORJQV7kPg
A bright, silvery light burst from the necklace, flooding the room in a warm glow.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCq575fZNGc
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQzFviV1QK
They were left in darkness again, the room silent.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNFZr3Dbko
Nick let out a breath. "Okay. That definitely wasn't normal."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWPoDMN4G3
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8bGvZBt5E
Did he kiss me because he wanted to... or just to quiet me down?184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSv9OrXNY6
Nick didn't say anything.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Qn0A7JIVt
And she didn't ask.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2X5wKkjOm
But as she lay awake that night, the sapphire warm against her chest, she knew one thing for sure.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymcM8fGTmU
Something had changed.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJaNV1DPg5
And there was no going back now.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3HWoDQTuI
