C381 Complicated Truth

After the group call finally ended, Sarah remained seated for a few moments, staring at the blank screen of her phone. She slowly walked toward Samantha's room, who was still trying to find a better way to tell her parents. Sarah smiled faintly. "Let's go and tell them." Samantha looked at her. "Tell them now?" Sarah stood in front of her carefully, still feeling some pain from giving birth. "Yes now." Samantha understood immediately and nodded. "You're right. We can't just take them without inviting them." Sarah smiled. "Exactly." The two women left the room together and slowly made their way downstairs.

By the time they reached the living room, Valeria and David had already said their goodbyes and left. The rest of the family was preparing to retire for the night. Tracy was speaking quietly with Kelvin while Ben sat nearby, looking exhausted after everything that had happened during the day. The moment Tracy noticed Sarah and Samantha approaching, she turned toward them. "Sam, is something wrong?" Sarah smiled. "No, Mom. Everything is fine." She then looked toward Ben. "Brother, are the renovations at your club finished?" Ben raised an eyebrow. "They're finished. The club officially opened today." Sarah smiled. "Already?"

Ben nodded. "Yes, but the customers haven't exactly turned up the way I expected." Samantha laughed softly. "This early and our investment is already in danger?" Ben shook his head. "Don't start. Give it some time." Sarah laughed. "Well, tomorrow we're going to book the club." Ben looked confused. "For what?" "You don't have to book it," he said. "You can just come. It's not exactly going to be crowded." Sarah shook her head. "No. I want it booked." Ben frowned. "Why?" "Tomorrow. Six o'clock." Ben stared at her. "You still haven't told me what you're booking it for."

Samantha smiled mysteriously. "You'll know when the time comes." Ben opened his mouth to argue, but Sarah had already turned toward her parents. "Dad, Mom... you're invited to come with us. Tomorrow we have a very important meeting." Kelvin immediately became serious. "A meeting? About what?" Sarah smiled. "Dad, what's the point of inviting both of you if I'm going to tell you everything now?" Kelvin stared at her for a moment. "You're becoming very secretive." Sarah laughed. "Maybe I've learned from the best." Ben suddenly raised his hand. "What about me?" Samantha looked at him. "If you want to be invited, you have to apologize to Mike and Chris."

Ben's expression immediately changed. "A no would have been a much more straightforward answer than that." Sarah burst out laughing. "Then it's a no." Ben sighed dramatically. "Fine." The family laughed softly. For a few moments, the tension that had followed them throughout the day disappeared again. Sarah looked toward her parents. "Good night, Mom. Good night, Dad." Tracy smiled. "Good night, my child." Sarah turned toward the stairs, but before she left, Tracy called after her. "You only came downstairs to invite us?" Sarah nodded. "Yes." She smiled. "Tristan is alone upstairs, and Monica is probably waiting for Samantha too. We should let everyone rest." Tracy nodded. "You're right. Get some sleep."

Sarah and Samantha then disappeared upstairs. Neither of them noticed the worried look Kelvin gave Tracy after they left. Something about the meeting tomorrow clearly concerned him. When Samantha entered her room, she expected to find Monica sleeping peacefully. Instead, she stopped at the doorway. Monica was sitting on the bed, holding a phone. She was still young, Seeing her talking on a phone somehow shocked Samantha. Samantha stared at her daughter in surprise. "Monica?" The little girl looked up. "Mommy." Samantha walked closer. "Who taught you how to answer a phone?" "And who are you talking to?" Monica pointed at the phone. "Aunt called."

Samantha's eyebrows rose. "Aunt?" Monica nodded. "Your phone woke me up." Samantha slowly reached for the phone. Then she froze. Faith's face appeared on the screen. For several seconds, Samantha simply stared. She hadn't expected Faith to call her. She took the phone from Monica and sat beside her. "Faith... I was out just now." Faith smiled. "I know. I figured you were probably telling your parents about tomorrow." Samantha nodded. "Yes." She glanced toward Monica, who was now watching her curiously. Samantha smiled. "Monica, you know how to answer a phone now?"

Monica didn't respond. She simply smiled before settling back against the pillow. Samantha shook her head affectionately. She then turned her attention back to the screen. "How are you, Faith?" Faith's smile faded slightly. "I'm okay." There was a brief silence. Then Faith asked quietly, "Are you still upset with me?" Samantha sighed. "No." Faith looked relieved. "I'm sorry about everything." Samantha shook her head. "You don't have to apologized." She paused before continuing. "Things became complicated after Sarah found out about us."

Faith nodded. "I know." "Sarah and I talked about it," Samantha continued. "She promised me she wouldn't interfere with my personal decisions. She said she would let me handle my own life." Faith smiled slightly. "That's good." Samantha remained quiet for a moment. There was something she had been thinking about. Finally, she decided to ask. "But I still have a question." Faith's expression became serious. "What question?" Samantha took a slow breath. "You know I'm married." Faith nodded. "I know." "And yet you still decided to get involved with me." Faith remained silent.

Samantha continued carefully. "My marriage is complicated. I won't pretend otherwise. But I need you to be honest with me." Faith watched her through the screen. "About what?" "If we're going to continue this relationship, how serious are you?" Faith didn't answer immediately. Samantha continued. "What happens if my marriage ends? What happens if it doesn't? What happens if you meet someone else, someone who isn't married, someone who can give you a normal relationship?" She looked down for a moment. "Are you simply experimenting? Are you trying to understand what it feels like to be with a woman?" Faith's expression softened. "Or are you serious about me?"

For several seconds, Faith said nothing. Then she finally spoke. "Samantha... I know this is strange." Samantha looked back at her. "I don't even completely understand myself." Faith took a breath. "But I know how I feel when I'm around you." She smiled faintly. "I'm attracted to you. I think about you more than I should. I look for reasons to talk to you. And when you're not around, I miss you." Samantha's expression softened. Faith continued. "I don't know why my feelings became this strong, but they did." She shook her head. "And I can't simply tell my heart to stop liking someone because the situation is complicated."

Samantha swallowed. "But I'm married." "I know." "What if my husband finds out?" Faith remained calm. "Then we'll deal with that when it happens." Samantha stared at her. "You make it sound so simple." "I know it's not simple." Faith smiled sadly. "But right now, I'm not asking you to destroy your marriage. I'm telling you how I feel." She paused. "I love you, Samantha." Samantha's cheeks slowly became warm. She looked away from the screen. Faith smiled. "Why are you blushing?" "I'm not." "You are." Samantha shook her head, trying to hide her smile. Faith laughed softly. Then Samantha finally looked back at her. "But what about our friends?"

Faith shrugged. "What about them?" "What if they find out?" Samantha immediately shook her head. "They won't say anything." Faith smiled. "So you're saying you trust them?" "Yes." "And what about Alicia?" Samantha hesitated. Then she smiled faintly. "She knows my past." Faith laughed. "That's not an answer." Samantha lowered her eyes. "And I don't think she'll expose me." Faith stared at her for a moment. Then she asked the question Samantha had been avoiding. "So..." She smiled. "Do you love me too?" Samantha's cheeks turned even redder. For a moment, she didn't answer. Then, very slowly, she nodded.

Faith's eyes widened. "Really?" Samantha nodded again. Faith suddenly jumped from her bed. "You love me!" Samantha covered her mouth to suppress her laughter. "Faith, stop!" Faith laughed and spun around her room like a child who had just received the best news of her life. Watching her excitement, Samantha couldn't help smiling. But dhe knew very well that her life had become more complicated than she had ever imagined. She was a wife. A mother. And now she was falling in love with someone she had never expected to love. A women. The call continued for several more minutes. Eventually, Faith looked toward Monica. "Good night, Monica." Monica waved. "Good night, Aunt." Faith smiled warmly. "Sleep well." The call ended.

Samantha stared at the screen for a moment before locking her phone. Then her expression changed. She remembered tomorrow. She remembered the plan. She remembered that she and the other Lions were preparing to disappear for three months. There was no guarantee that her life would remain peaceful. She needed to warn her family without revealing everything. After thinking for a while, Samantha opened her messages. She selected Lindsey Heaps' name. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. She didn't know exactly how to explain what was coming. Eventually, she typed. "Mother, I have something important to tell you. In the coming days, there may be some news about me and my friends. Just know that it won't be entirely true." She read the message twice. Then she pressed send.

At the Heaps residence, Lindsey was sitting beside Nicolas when her phone vibrated. She picked it up and opened the message. Her eyebrows immediately tightened. She read it again. Then once more. Nicolas noticed the change in her expression. "What is it?" Lindsey slowly handed him the phone. "Husband... Samantha sent me a message." Nicolas took the phone and read it carefully. His expression became serious. "What does she mean by news about her and her friends?" Lindsey shook her head. "I don't know." She looked toward him anxiously. "But whatever she is talking about... it sounds like something bad is about to happen."