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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZfCEzNccK
"She didn't just vanish. She jumped. During a hurricane. And never came back."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ657Eeb6Zty
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Z8dcb1Ai3
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRmGjZyqWt
She had to go back.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyhe9Np5Om
The cave had called to her once, and she needed to know why.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGMRLa5UBz
As she climbed out the window and into the cool night, she didn't notice the figure sleeping in the car across the street.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTc4YbYt0SK
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfSEVY9xFf
When he saw movement from her window, his exhaustion vanished.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KOzdno5LD
His breath caught as Chrissy slipped into the night, her movements careful, purposeful.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZBPa3amAS
Nick cursed under his breath, grabbing his jacket. Where the hell is she going?13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKBKSnCjkJ
Without hesitation, he got out of the car and followed.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8QmLXNPAP
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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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdmqPGSzsx
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXarye08FyZ
Nick arrived just in time to see her disappear beneath the surface.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxEylb6hjS
His heart stopped.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFu3Ysxtpf
"Chrissy—"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLAxhmQXby
Without thinking, he tore off his jacket and ran into the waves.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziZ5He3r2S
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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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUcGpDGjnN
Deeper.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HGaOBRIjR
More alive.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6wK79EjM7
She ran her fingers along the walls, feeling the smooth stone beneath her palm. Then, something caught her eye.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJj7O8vho5w
A small, glinting object, half-buried in the rock.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiwoO1NSru
She reached out, brushing away the damp sand.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9poVuff3O
A gemstone.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJEkLnFIgA
A deep blue sapphire, its edges perfectly shaped, like it had been waiting to be found.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4tHUKCWEP
Her chest tightened as she turned it over in her palm, realization crashing over her like a wave.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GnAqgel4F
It was the missing piece.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTl0HUWlUf2
The empty setting in her necklace.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtizHfCUCG
Before she could process it, she heard movement behind her.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngPJGJBBsy
She spun just as Nick hauled himself out of the water, breathless and dripping.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsfsLlwLBg
"Nick?" Her voice wavered.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7lTI1dn9B
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?"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLypXHCo9Z
Chrissy gaped at him. "I—I needed to come back here."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfJ5mZzqY4
"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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguUx4h2ff1
Chrissy clenched her fists. "I had to come back." She held up the sapphire, her voice shaking. "I found this."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8BBLBb9QB
Nick's anger wavered as he glanced at the gemstone, but his frustration didn't fade. "Chrissy, you almost drowned two days ago. You—"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjERDSIt2D
She wasn't listening.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQczq2qs3u
Her breaths were coming quicker now, her grip on the sapphire tightening. "Nick, I think—I think she was my mother."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxhAY2wHUf
Nick blinked. "What?"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJ97BoHGex
"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."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYejr8caWxY
Nick's anger vanished. "Chrissy..."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeAvYFXN4z
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?"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZT2G5xUbi
Nick's chest tightened as he watched her unravel.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuosCnEbxg
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYyBtrKFJx
She was spiraling.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1DLXEGKMQ
"Chrissy."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsXjyHka4y
She didn't stop. "I need to know the truth! I need to know why they kept this from me! Why my whole life—"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDYwFyX266
"Chrissy—"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMepvuD9tzo
"I need—"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94N44wyszl
He grabbed her face and kissed her.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPCWsgzXN8
The cave was silent except for the distant sound of waves as her breath hitched against his.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgi0HtwGvOM
It wasn't a rushed, desperate kiss. It was firm, steady. A grounding force against the storm inside her.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxofNOWJ8xl
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIz2ml2qEdR
When they finally pulled apart, her lips parted in a shaky breath.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mLUF3F9VO
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."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwdAGJ0XyX
Her eyes fluttered shut as she tried to catch up with her own thoughts.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpHoXUjq9z
Her heart was pounding.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8v6qYS7sN
Nick's thumb brushed her cheek before he pulled back slightly, searching her face.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3rvaPkpik
Chrissy swallowed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did you—Did you do that just to shut me up?"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHatmod8FY
Nick exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "No."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkNejXAm50
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The walk home was a blur. Neither of them spoke.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHEqeAiccK
When they got back to her room, she hesitated before pulling the necklace over her head, holding it in her palm.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDcdKqtZHs
Nick sat at her desk, watching quietly as she gently pressed the sapphire into the empty setting.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoIzirSUS6
The moment it clicked into place—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRLMXrcNCJ
A bright, silvery light burst from the necklace, flooding the room in a warm glow.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWiANwiuZh
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsx3IdD06GL
They were left in darkness again, the room silent.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dCLGFfGnm
Nick let out a breath. "Okay. That definitely wasn't normal."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Kn4Nc2UmF
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SrfS9DwVu
Did he kiss me because he wanted to... or just to quiet me down?13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVENyQoEF0X
Nick didn't say anything.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKqtSA9cQm
And she didn't ask.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ksRiUurGx
But as she lay awake that night, the sapphire warm against her chest, she knew one thing for sure.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RQuHobVdA
Something had changed.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6aeFTGvwN
And there was no going back now.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgey636D1W
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