Chapter 236: Unexpected Turn of Events
Timmy disappeared into his room, returning minutes later with his laptop. He set it on the coffee table and began typing furiously, his focus unwavering. Then, pulling out his phone, he made a quick call.
"Hey," Timmy said into the receiver, his tone clipped. "I need information on soone. A man spotted near the beach and the bus stop earlier tonight. He bears a striking resemblance to Jas Lucas. I’ll send you a detailed description. I need answers as soon as possible."
The call ended quickly, and Timmy went back to his laptop, working through the initial stages of the investigation. Samuel, anwhile, paced the living room, his hands shoved into his pockets, his mind racing.
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Lily closed the door behind her, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor as she moved toward the couch. She set her purse down and pulled out her phone, her mind spinning with the day’s events. Her fingers hovered for a mont before she dialed a number.
When the line connected, she didn’t waste ti with pleasantries. "I need you to identify a man I saw today near the beach and the bus stop," she said, her tone brisk. "He looks exactly like Jas Lucas. I’ll send you a description, but I need this done as quickly as possible."
The person on the other end assured her they would start imdiately, and Lily ended the call with a sharp exhale.
Leaning back against the couch, she pressed a hand to her forehead, her thoughts swirling.
I’ve been searching for Jas’s whereabouts for so long. Why now? Why would soone who looks exactly like him appear when things are finally settling for Zinnia and Samuel?
Her brows furrowed as she thought about the possibilities. Is soone playing tricks again? Or is it really him this ti?
She bit her lip, her mind replaying the brief encounter. If it’s Jas, does that an he’s been alive all this ti but... forgotten about Zinnia?
Her chest tightened as doubt crept in. How could he have been alive all these years, and yet we found no trace of him? No clues, no leads. Nothing.
Lily’s hands clenched into fists. If this is truly Jas, we’ll need answers. Answers Zinnia deserves.
---
The morning light filtered gently through the curtains of Zinnia’s room, but she hardly noticed. Her mind was far away, replaying the image of the man she had seen the night before, the man who looked exactly like Jas. She had spent the entire night turning over the encounter in her mind, the questions swirling endlessly. Could it really be him? But why hadn’t he recognized her? Or had he simply not rembered? The thoughts felt like a heavy weight on her chest, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that sothing was terribly wrong.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts. She reached over and glanced at the screen. It was a call from her mom.
"Hello?" Zinnia answered, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Zinnia, are you coming to visit the hospital today?" Elena’s voice ca through, warm yet carrying a touch of concern. "Your father’s asking if you’ll join us for lunch."
Zinnia paused, glancing toward the window. The sun was already climbing higher in the sky, but she hadn’t made any plans for the day. Visiting her parents sounded like a good idea—at least it would give her sothing else to focus on.
"Yes, I’ll co by," Zinnia replied, her voice a bit softer than usual. "I need to clear my head anyway."
"Alright, dear. I’ll let your father know. We’ll be waiting."
Zinnia hung up the phone, standing for a mont in the quiet of her room. She felt a gnawing unease in her gut, but she pushed it down, telling herself that spending ti with her parents would help calm her racing mind. She dressed quickly, choosing sothing comfortable yet presentable, and left her apartnt, hoping the distraction of the day would provide so clarity.
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As Zinnia walked toward the hospital, the sounds of the busy city greeted her. The sidewalk was bustling with people going about their day, but she walked alone, lost in her thoughts. Her mind kept drifting back to the man she had seen, wondering if she’d ever get answers about who he was, why he looked so much like Jas.
She crossed a busy intersection, not paying attention to the cars as they zood past. It wasn’t until she reached the corner near the hospital entrance that her eyes caught a familiar figure. Her breath caught in her throat.
The man—the one who looked like Jas—was standing outside the hospital. He was wearing a simple black jacket, his hands stuffed in his pockets, and his head turned as if he was about to leave the building. He looked so much like Jas, her heart skipped a beat.
For a mont, she simply froze, staring at him in disbelief. The world around her seed to blur, and all she could see was him—Jas? Was it really him? The question reverberated in her mind.
The light changed, but Zinnia didn’t move. Her feet were frozen to the pavent, her gaze still locked on the man, her heart racing. Cars began to drive past her, honking their horns to signal that the light had already turned green. But Zinnia wasn’t aware. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from him.
It wasn’t until she heard a shout that she snapped out of her trance.
"Hey! Watch out!"
Zinnia’s head snapped to the side, and she realized with horror that the light had changed and traffic was now flowing. A car, speeding too fast to stop, was heading straight toward her.
Everything seed to move in slow motion.
Her legs wouldn’t move. She was rooted to the spot. The car was coming closer, closer—
And then, just as the car was about to hit her, a strong hand grabbed her arm and yanked her out of harm’s way. Zinnia stumbled, her heart hamring in her chest, but before she could even regain her balance, she turned to see the man—the man who looked like Jas—standing in front of her.
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