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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0fHO31nd6
"She didn't just vanish. She jumped. During a hurricane. And never came back."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSY0AbNDRyL
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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQTj6qkI3t
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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgSIaGcTI0
She had to go back.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUgtsWA9kC
The cave had called to her once, and she needed to know why.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqDLQ2YK7W
As she climbed out the window and into the cool night, she didn't notice the figure sleeping in the car across the street.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWVb0nYEcS
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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYh6cIPAuZ
When he saw movement from her window, his exhaustion vanished.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAPGdtHZ4h
His breath caught as Chrissy slipped into the night, her movements careful, purposeful.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygYs6iMrbW
Nick cursed under his breath, grabbing his jacket. Where the hell is she going?169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QAYhLxuNy
Without hesitation, he got out of the car and followed.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡja9cTSEJVR
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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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzsYpJcDAc
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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjZzRbHo3N
Nick arrived just in time to see her disappear beneath the surface.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oqI5jurZn
His heart stopped.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfn349q60lr
"Chrissy—"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5apCL6G8kP
Without thinking, he tore off his jacket and ran into the waves.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ki6oBhbBq
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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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DrQ3TLeGD
Deeper.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5F4Vu8cSC
More alive.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSBhE7XR7q
She ran her fingers along the walls, feeling the smooth stone beneath her palm. Then, something caught her eye.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSfvm73WWc
A small, glinting object, half-buried in the rock.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZdYGLFHFO
She reached out, brushing away the damp sand.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7OdrcfmGR
A gemstone.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsU3PqDBhq
A deep blue sapphire, its edges perfectly shaped, like it had been waiting to be found.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJ0Reml41K
Her chest tightened as she turned it over in her palm, realization crashing over her like a wave.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThZ2R4gqPm
It was the missing piece.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcvkYrV98K
The empty setting in her necklace.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqV81tFLT3
Before she could process it, she heard movement behind her.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcw4lRvIbcJ
She spun just as Nick hauled himself out of the water, breathless and dripping.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcx7WlJCT9S
"Nick?" Her voice wavered.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYv645FurP
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?"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JH4H9VHib
Chrissy gaped at him. "I—I needed to come back here."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QtIXmQt73
"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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2U8fwecdC
Chrissy clenched her fists. "I had to come back." She held up the sapphire, her voice shaking. "I found this."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmq8GHdTpat
Nick's anger wavered as he glanced at the gemstone, but his frustration didn't fade. "Chrissy, you almost drowned two days ago. You—"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryuDc67GYQ
She wasn't listening.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxVRzDUvhY
Her breaths were coming quicker now, her grip on the sapphire tightening. "Nick, I think—I think she was my mother."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5o7AOwEKp
Nick blinked. "What?"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRs5E5Gl8Ii
"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."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfhLscHw0z
Nick's anger vanished. "Chrissy..."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnwjyHerJU
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?"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTCRttlHNU
Nick's chest tightened as he watched her unravel.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLq49iGWvry
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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPgc7NiRk5
She was spiraling.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4U40EbKi2
"Chrissy."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu57VuhBqnj
She didn't stop. "I need to know the truth! I need to know why they kept this from me! Why my whole life—"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5uv5tFjHq
"Chrissy—"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCe4h1351SV
"I need—"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLyYnbZw3B
He grabbed her face and kissed her.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKXUEMyZYd
The cave was silent except for the distant sound of waves as her breath hitched against his.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeawLmCpjuh
It wasn't a rushed, desperate kiss. It was firm, steady. A grounding force against the storm inside her.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UuhWQHMku
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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwR8zPCqL5h
When they finally pulled apart, her lips parted in a shaky breath.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjESrZUQDuw
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."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVfH8RWfQw
Her eyes fluttered shut as she tried to catch up with her own thoughts.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaxy9doSL6
Her heart was pounding.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGUwN0j4hj
Nick's thumb brushed her cheek before he pulled back slightly, searching her face.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6xU4aC11K
Chrissy swallowed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did you—Did you do that just to shut me up?"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BjbhL5Kdf
Nick exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "No."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jihNtiO4O
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The walk home was a blur. Neither of them spoke.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN72zc7xQ0h
When they got back to her room, she hesitated before pulling the necklace over her head, holding it in her palm.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIlSpbV5Uj
Nick sat at her desk, watching quietly as she gently pressed the sapphire into the empty setting.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMeMXjWyLA
The moment it clicked into place—169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoE7bkpGbOe
A bright, silvery light burst from the necklace, flooding the room in a warm glow.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZ489rYrpy
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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAohLLzeWCM
They were left in darkness again, the room silent.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9yEcPiWjb
Nick let out a breath. "Okay. That definitely wasn't normal."169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47P0qbAWdM
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.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtytLhidyBy
Did he kiss me because he wanted to... or just to quiet me down?169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrtKXbsDf0
Nick didn't say anything.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWz6WSgl3i7
And she didn't ask.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfNon8EeUF
But as she lay awake that night, the sapphire warm against her chest, she knew one thing for sure.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWjP9MA5QI
Something had changed.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjr4V7SXDe
And there was no going back now.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLD8TZsnqfV
