Chapter 20: Unsolved Mysteries
The next morning, things between Ayla and Caden felt… better. Not perfect, but better. They shared coffee, traded sarcastic remarks, and even made plans to finish the puzzle later that week.
But just as Caden was getting ready to leave, Ayla's phone buzzed with another text—from the unknown number.
Unknown:
Enjoy your little reunion while it lasts. The truth always comes out.
Ayla's stomach dropped. She stared at the message, the familiar weight of doubt creeping back in.
Caden noticed her expression change. "What's wrong?"
She hesitated, debating whether to show him the text.
"Is it Sabrina again?" Caden asked, a hint of frustration in his voice.
"No," Ayla said quickly. "It's… nothing. Just spam."
Caden gave her a skeptical look, but she forced a smile. "Don't worry about it."
He didn't seem convinced, but he let it go. "Okay. I'll see you tonight, then?"
"Yeah," Ayla murmured, distracted by the message on her phone.
As Caden left, Ayla sat down heavily on the couch, her thoughts spinning.
Who keeps sending these messages? And what do they know about Caden?
She knew she couldn't ignore it any longer. If she was ever going to trust Caden fully, she needed to get to the bottom of this—before the past caught up with them both.