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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bVJECxppZ
"She didn't just vanish. She jumped. During a hurricane. And never came back."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznc1xsV6vJ
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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVwOXlRvfP
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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzW8cTWXgY
She had to go back.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvqfxNlAo4
The cave had called to her once, and she needed to know why.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JDkkY0YXf
As she climbed out the window and into the cool night, she didn't notice the figure sleeping in the car across the street.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZB5UcyQr1
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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZIl69dome
When he saw movement from her window, his exhaustion vanished.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwupPdf7T6
His breath caught as Chrissy slipped into the night, her movements careful, purposeful.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UD7gamU8d
Nick cursed under his breath, grabbing his jacket. Where the hell is she going?224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNiT0BDoGR
Without hesitation, he got out of the car and followed.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprhrY22UBa
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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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdFJCI1EcK
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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzWuqyZnTp
Nick arrived just in time to see her disappear beneath the surface.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTrHy27Byv
His heart stopped.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXsE8UfwfP
"Chrissy—"224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xq8dPhOMD
Without thinking, he tore off his jacket and ran into the waves.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JTywJszyK
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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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8eEzuJMm6
Deeper.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmD285xosJ
More alive.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa80EqRcfCA
She ran her fingers along the walls, feeling the smooth stone beneath her palm. Then, something caught her eye.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawfy6hbEdG
A small, glinting object, half-buried in the rock.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBZQ7mImEX
She reached out, brushing away the damp sand.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCp1J0xy2t6
A gemstone.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5kYCD4JQL
A deep blue sapphire, its edges perfectly shaped, like it had been waiting to be found.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09zATo4kna
Her chest tightened as she turned it over in her palm, realization crashing over her like a wave.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrELXG0GgZ4
It was the missing piece.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fXkTLAVJX
The empty setting in her necklace.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJNThxMMAa
Before she could process it, she heard movement behind her.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIOGgOOsaI
She spun just as Nick hauled himself out of the water, breathless and dripping.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrt3PBUCrJN
"Nick?" Her voice wavered.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1EbQi9RkN
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?"224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dpXHARTAs
Chrissy gaped at him. "I—I needed to come back here."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA7hC4xxyD
"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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXA0kQQoWA
Chrissy clenched her fists. "I had to come back." She held up the sapphire, her voice shaking. "I found this."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bfHhhN3mZ
Nick's anger wavered as he glanced at the gemstone, but his frustration didn't fade. "Chrissy, you almost drowned two days ago. You—"224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtm0gAhnJJ
She wasn't listening.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjKG88lD9y
Her breaths were coming quicker now, her grip on the sapphire tightening. "Nick, I think—I think she was my mother."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoICq1xTYeb
Nick blinked. "What?"224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVscIIgaS2s
"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."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCj7cIqxaP
Nick's anger vanished. "Chrissy..."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5jd1FxCKW
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?"224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BUDRU2Gkc
Nick's chest tightened as he watched her unravel.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYY6fYOazJ
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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vcZZIoZzy
She was spiraling.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa70BDCmrbL
"Chrissy."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcg5UGHRaW
She didn't stop. "I need to know the truth! I need to know why they kept this from me! Why my whole life—"224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzI0xOMJ7l
"Chrissy—"224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbD2WCONrl
"I need—"224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzngWdWsF3I
He grabbed her face and kissed her.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzW5rZEfXt0
The cave was silent except for the distant sound of waves as her breath hitched against his.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJiksxVpRO
It wasn't a rushed, desperate kiss. It was firm, steady. A grounding force against the storm inside her.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWxENegmrD
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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWsM8RPZ1C
When they finally pulled apart, her lips parted in a shaky breath.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcKG1fbL7g
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."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYPMgGL2kK
Her eyes fluttered shut as she tried to catch up with her own thoughts.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcO4aPxrW5
Her heart was pounding.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhz0C2PwSVs
Nick's thumb brushed her cheek before he pulled back slightly, searching her face.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kLZDiWy9V
Chrissy swallowed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did you—Did you do that just to shut me up?"224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6k3vGnamRZ
Nick exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "No."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgf6790R8VD
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The walk home was a blur. Neither of them spoke.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLIw40uUQM
When they got back to her room, she hesitated before pulling the necklace over her head, holding it in her palm.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxUbJzsyz1
Nick sat at her desk, watching quietly as she gently pressed the sapphire into the empty setting.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tKJyguGIT
The moment it clicked into place—224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitoJ2IkKV4
A bright, silvery light burst from the necklace, flooding the room in a warm glow.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISkCFMkXCq
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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtM4GMoXCs
They were left in darkness again, the room silent.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5GGxs3Vde
Nick let out a breath. "Okay. That definitely wasn't normal."224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTLqiXoWmu
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.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAupJu346d
Did he kiss me because he wanted to... or just to quiet me down?224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Z93y6uGVv
Nick didn't say anything.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlZMSbrWjX
And she didn't ask.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqZETKTDZi
But as she lay awake that night, the sapphire warm against her chest, she knew one thing for sure.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf63TsPf2Jr
Something had changed.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYKy4On1z0
And there was no going back now.224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9w8uYRIREF
