NovelAppCillian glanced over at Lucy as she sneezed and asked with a hint of worry, "Feeling unwell? That sneeze cout of nowhere. Remember to bundle up at night and resist cranking the AC too high." Lucy gave a resigned nod, but she was tempted to roll her eyes. Geez, Cillian was turning into a total mom-always fussing over her. Should she tell him to cut out the mother hen act? She was thankful he could not hear her thoughts. He would be livid to know that his well-meaning concern was being met with such sass.
Seeing Lucy's compliant response, Cillian relaxed and shifted the conversation to more mundane topics. "You've got a new phone number, right? If there's anyone you need to keep in touch with, you'd better give them a heads-up about the change." Lucy could not help but roll her eyes. She stayed silent.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtIt dawned on Cillian that they were in Charleston, far from home. Lucy had no old friends to call here. With her identity being a touchy subject, it was not wise for her to reach out anyhow. Realizing his blunder, Cillian chose to zip it. This spared them both from any more awkwardness.
Meanwhile, Lucy's thoughts drifted to her bestie, Chelsea. She spaced out, wondering what Chelsea might be going through now that she thought Lucy was gone. The weight of that thought pulled her mood down. Chelsea would be devastated and was probably drowning in guilt.
"Can I just call Chelsea?" Lucy's question cout of nowhere, catching Cillian off guard.
He frowned, the lines on his forehead deepening, but he did not hold back his thoughts. "I'd say no. We're in too deep, and it's risky. If word gets out that you're alive, that's one thing. However, dragging her into this mess? That's another." Cillian left the thought hanging, but Lucy did not need him to spell it out. She was not clueless. After days in Charleston under Cillian's watchful eye, with him never letting her out of his sight, she knew all too well the danger they were in.
With a heavy sigh, Lucy sent a silent plea to the universe. She wished for a swift end to their troubles. She longed to see Chelsea and to make amends. Chelsea had to be heartbroken.
Heartbroken was an understatement.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmChelsea had been holed up at home, not touching food or water for days on end. She was a prisoner in her own room, haunted by memories in old photo albums and the images on her phone. Her eyes were gloomy with exhaustion.
Hugh was beside himself with worry. He had thought Chelsea just needed sspace, that she would snap out of it after a day or two. However, days had passed, and she had not budged.
He glanced at the untouched food that had gone cold. No one could survive without eating for that long, not even the toughest of the tough.
He gently tapped Chelsea on the back. "Hey, Chelsea. How about m joiningfor a bite to eat? Wearing yourself out won't do any good, and I'm pretty sure Lucy would say the same."
At his words, Chelsea gave a small shiver but remained seated. Her gaze was fixed on Lucy's radiant smile on her phone screen. Chelsea's stubbornness was unwavering.
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