C94 Reunions

Chris had barely stepped out of the airport when his phone started buzzing nonstop. Messages kept flooding in from different groups and colleagues. At first, he thought it was just normal updates, but then he noticed something unusual.

His name… or rather Mike’s name… was being mentioned repeatedly. Curious, he opened the chat and immediately froze. A photo of Mike and Laura holding hands at the mall was circulating everywhere. Below it were messages. “Isn’t that Mike from? Cybersecurity?” “Who is that girl with him?” “Isn’t he dating Miss Mooney?”

Chris frowned and quickly opened the group chat where the three of them always communicated. "Brother, I went away for two days and I come back to find you trending? What happened?" Alicia replied almost instantly. "We don’t know yet. The photo was taken secretly while Mike was with Laura."

I joined the conversation shortly after. "Brother, I honestly don’t know who took that photo, but we need to investigate this. It’s spreading too fast." Chris leaned against the airport wall, reading carefully. "Do you think someone in the company is behind it?" "Most likely. It already reached your department, Mike’s department, and even Laura’s father’s contacts."

I exhaled deeply before typing again. "The worst part is that it looks like we’re hiding something. Josh might get involved soon." Chris frowned. "Then we need to be careful. Don’t make any sudden moves until we understand who is doing this."

There was a short pause before Alicia added. "For now, act normal. We’ll observe and wait." Although they agreed, the atmosphere remained tense. Chris put his phone away and sighed. Even after returning from a happy trip, reality had already pulled him back into trouble.

Later that same day. At the airport arrivals terminal, a completely different scene unfolded. Sarah had just landed. She stepped out with her luggage, expecting a quiet return home. But the moment she walked toward the exit, she froze. A long line of people was waiting for her.

Kelvin stood at the front, dressed formally as always. Tracy stood beside him, smiling warmly. Samantha was there too, gently pushing little Monica in a baby stroller. Ben stood quietly a little behind them, hands in his pockets. The drivers were lined up neatly. Even the maids had formed a respectful line. And to Sarah’s complete shock…

Mary and Quinton were also there. They all stood like they were waiting for an important executive rather than a student returning home. People passing by kept turning their heads. Some whispered. “Who is this girl?” “Is she a celebrity?” “Why is Kelvin Wood here personally?”

A few even recognized Kelvin, the director of Wood’s IT Company, which only made the crowd even more curious. Sarah felt her face heat up instantly. Why is everyone here? I was just gone for a few days… Before she could react further, Kelvin suddenly stepped forward.

His usually strict face broke into a rare smile. “My daughter!” He rushed forward and pulled Sarah into a tight hug. “Welcome home, my child.” Sarah froze for a moment before slowly relaxing into the embrace. “I… I didn’t expect this,” she muttered softly. Tracy followed immediately and hugged her as well. “You didn’t think we would let you return quietly, did you?”

Sarah smiled awkwardly. “I thought I’d just take a taxi home…” Behind them, Samantha smiled while gently adjusting Monica in the stroller. Monica giggled when she saw Sarah. Sarah immediately walked over and touched her tiny hands. “She’s grown again…” Ben also stepped forward slightly. “Welcome back,” he said calmly.

It was simple, but sincere. Mary and Quinton stood nearby, slightly amused. Mary waved. “Look who finally came back!” Quinton chuckled. “Welcome back sarah.” Sarah’s face turned red instantly. “Uncle… Aunt…” The entire group laughed lightly. Even Kelvin, who rarely showed public emotion, looked genuinely happy. After a few more minutes of greetings, they all left the airport together, drawing even more attention from onlookers.

Meanwhile, back at the Chambers family home, Chris had finally returned. Valeria was the first to notice him entering. “You’re back,” she said, observing his expression carefully. David also looked up from the couch. “You look… unusually happy.” Chris froze for a second. They had been waiting for him to return with Mike, yet Mike had come back same day while Chris had stayed away without explanation.

He sighed. “I think I should explain.” Valeria raised an eyebrow. “Go on.” Chris took a deep breath. “I went to England.” Both his parents paused. David blinked. “To England?” Chris nodded. “I attended a friend’s graduation ceremony.” Silence filled the room for a moment.

Valeria slowly processed the information. “So… you traveled overseas without telling us… just for a graduation?” Chris scratched the back of his head. “It wasn’t planned like that originally.” David leaned back, amused. “You are becoming more mysterious than I thought.” Valeria folded her arms. “And who is this friend?” Chris hesitated slightly. “…Someone i once knew .” both parents exchanged glances.

Valeria narrowed her eyes. “That person does not have a name?” Chris said slowly. "Sarah" David chuckled. “So you flew all the way to England for her graduation.” Chris looked away awkwardly. “Something like that.” For a moment, silence returned. Then Valeria sighed softly. “Well… at least you’re safe.” David shrugged. “As long as you’re happy, we won’t interfere too much.”

Chris was slightly surprised. “You’re not angry?” Valeria shook her head. “You’re grown enough to make decisions.” David added lightly: “But next time, at least tell us before you disappear.” Chris smiled. “Okay.” Although they were still curious, they decided not to push further.

Back at the Smith residence, I sat quietly in my room staring at my phone. The photo. The message threads. The growing misunderstanding. Everything kept replaying in my mind. I leaned back on my chair and sighed. “This is getting out of control…” The worst part wasn’t the company rumors. It was Laura. I didn’t want her to suffer because of me. I clenched my fist slightly. I need to fix this before it gets worse.

Later that evening, I finally told my parents everything. At first, they were shocked to hear about the photo. But after I explained everything clearly, they listened calmly. My mother placed a hand on my shoulder. “If you didn’t do anything wrong, then don’t panic too much.” My father nodded. “But you must find out who is spreading it. This could affect your work reputation.” I nodded firmly. “I will.” That night, I lay in bed unable to sleep. I needed to find out who… before everything collapsed.