جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 80

CHARLOTTEI woke up to someone knocking on the door, reached for my phone, and glanced at the time. I tried to stifle a yawn as I stood up and walked toward the door. “Who is it?” I asked, placing a hand against my forehead.“Sonia,” came the reply, and I opened the door. “How are you feeling?” she asked as soon as she stepped inside.“I feel great,” I said, hesitating. “Though I’m not sure I should… with everything that’s happened.”“It’s good you focus on getting better. We can’t keep dwelling on the past. The best way forward is to look for some silver lining.” She interrupted, and I raised an eyebrow.“When did you become so optimistic?” I teased. She chuckled and shrugged.“I’ve had a few hours to think things over. Bottom line? It might be better to look on the bright side.”“What’s the…” I began, but trailed off, turning back toward the bed. “I got a message from Thiago last night,” I said, sitting down. “Is he back?”“Yes, he heard…” she started, but stopped, shaking her head.

CHARLOTTEWhen I opened my eyes, the car had slowed to a halt in front of a black gate, and the driver was speaking to a guard who held a large notepad. I sat up and watched as the guard shook his head and peered into the vehicle. I blinked in confusion and caught a flash of recognition in his eyes when he looked at me. He stepped back and sighed, returning to the security post to speak with his companion, who pressed a button, opening the gates.I tried to see his face as we drove past the post, but he had already moved inside, making it impossible to get a clear look. I replayed the moment of recognition in my mind, searching for a reason why he’d react like that, but nothing came to me. I shook the thought away and turned my attention to the environment as we passed trees and shrubs. Slowly, we made our way toward a building in the middle of a clearing, the pastel blue walls contrasting against the bright green landscape that surrounded us.The car slowed to a stop in front of the

CHARLOTTE“Dafoe & Higgins,” I said as I stepped into the room. “I’ve never heard of them,” I added, glancing at Sonia, who had moved from her former position to sitting on the couch.“Yeah? I didn’t know about them either. I asked a friend for someone they could trust, and they recommended her. What do you think?” she replied. I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth.“I think she’s too excited to do this,” I answered, and she chuckled.“Isn’t that supposed to be a good thing?” she asked, and I shook my head.“Ideally, yes. But Berkeley was excited too, and that didn’t go well for him. I guess there’s a part of me that’s still scared of things going wrong,” I admitted, and we sat in silence for a while.“It’s okay to feel that way. The best we can do to prevent anything like that from happening is to ensure our security measures are airtight,” she replied as I walked toward the bed.“Yes, we’ll do that. The first thing on the list is to stop using the same location twice, esp

CHARLOTTEHe stood up and shoved his hand into his pocket, and for the first time since he walked through the door, I noticed his outfit. He was wearing a blue shirt and black pants, with a white rose embroidered at the hem of his shirt, which served as a reminder that we were from different worlds.Yet somehow, our realities had intertwined. “Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened if we never met on the plane?” I asked, and he shook his head.“I think we would’ve crossed paths somehow, Ms. Edwards,” he said, smiling.I relaxed as a familiar warmth filled his eyes. “You sound so sure,” I replied, and he put his hand in his pocket.“Yeah, this seems like one of those things you just know,” he answered with a shrug and walked to the door. “Would you like to go to the beach later today? It might help to be out a bit,” he added, and I shook my head.“I’d love to...” I swallowed before continuing. “I have a lot to do today, another time perhaps? I wouldn’t want to accept the invite and

CHARLOTTE“I’m sorry for bringing you all the way here, Ms. Higgins,” I said as she walked to the seat. Sonia walked away to address the guards who had just arrived, and we had a moment to talk alone.“Oh, it’s nothing. I understand how sensitive this case is,” she replied and sat down. “I hope you’re feeling a lot better?”“I am,” I answered, exhaling slowly. “I’ve been doing other things to keep my mind from dwelling on it too much,” I added, and she smiled.I turned my gaze to the park and watched people as they walked past, speaking in hushed tones. The kids in the playground were jumping around with toys or fussing about getting on the swings, while their parents tried to hush them or pacify them with sweets. My eyes lingered on the confectionaries, and I started craving something sweet. We hadn’t eaten yet, and I was eager to get a cup of coffee to wake up my body and clear out the drowsiness I was feeling.“I think I’ve got news that can put your mind at ease,” she said. I turn