"What? How is that possible? She..." Sharen trailed off, disbelief evident in her voice.
"She has the same eyes as her, and Liam mentioned feeling a similar connection to her," Rayan explained. "That's why he's been so invested in finding out the truth."
"How could you all allow him to entertain such a notion? How can she suddenly reappear after all these years?" Sharen exclaimed. "She's gone, and he needs to accept that."
"We understand your concern, and I had the same doubts initially, which is why I had her background checked," Rayan revealed.
"And what did you find?" Sharen asked, intrigued.
"Nothing. Her records are nonexistent. No school history, no family information, Nothing..." Rayan disclosed.
"Not only our hackers but even contacts back home couldn't find a trace," he added.
Sharen fell silent, contemplating the implications. "Shouldn't we inform Auntie about this?"
"We're considering it, but we want to be certain first. Auntie has been through so much already; we don't want to raise false hopes," Rayan explained.
"But what if she's an impostor, posing as a friend?" Sharen pressed.
"We're confident she's not," Ria interjected. "Despite the lack of background information, she hasn't shown any malicious intent."
"Yeah, Sharen, Ria's right. Lea is genuinely kind-hearted," Alex chimed in, offering reassurance.
"You'll see for yourself when you meet her," Rayan added.
Reluctantly, Sharen agreed, but with a condition. "Alright, if you all vouch for her, we'll see. But if she's not who you think she is, we have to distance ourselves. You know the rules."
With a shared understanding, the group nodded in agreement.
As Liam returned, sensing the tension, he inquired, "What's going on?"
Rayan quickly deflected, "Nothing. Did you manage to reach Lea?"
Liam's disappointment was palpable as he shared the news. "No, she's already out and won't be back until late."
Observing Liam's expression, Sharen couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his disappointment. "Why do I sense there's more beneath the surface? I hope I'm wrong," she mused silently.
"Alright, let's head out then. Sharen can meet her at college tomorrow," Alex suggested, prompting the group to rise and follow suit.