Chapter 53: The shadows VS Elijah
Ash’s pov ;
Oliver’s lips curved into a small smile. "The photos are fake," he declared.
I exhaled the breath I was holding, my entire body easing with relief. The weight of anxiety that was crushing me lifted instantaneously.
"Thank goodness," I whispered, tears of solace threatening to spill from my eyes. Elijah...he never betrayed me. The trust I lost in him momentarily...he never broke it. Ryder was right.
I was an idiot for believing someone else but doubting my love and belief. Now...I don’t have to give up on him at all.
I quickly wiped away the tears before they could fall and turned to face Oliver. "How did you know? I mean how did you find out?"
He handed back my phone with a confident look. "It was glaringly obvious, Ash. The shadows were too sharp, the lighting too perfect. And the textures...they just didn’t match up. Not to mention, the angles and framing were completely off. These aren’t real."
A burst of laughter escaped my lips, bordering on hysteria. "Thank you, Oliver. You have no idea what this means to me."
His smile widened as he nodded. "Don’t mention it. I’m just glad I could help." He paused for a moment before asking softly, "Is everything okay?"
I nodded profusely. "Yeah, everything’s fine now. Everything will be ok from now on!"
I was soaring on the highest clouds, floating in a sea of relief and joy as Oliver’s words sank into my mind again and again. The photos are fake. Samantha lied to me. Like a floodgate opening, the weight that had been crushing my heart lifted, making me feel light and carefree.
