Written in Love

Chapter 27: Tangled Fates

Leslie arrived at the 7th Cafe in Silver Mall Rosario, walking towards Aerish and Alodia with a confident stride. Aerish's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized who she was. 

The atmosphere in the cafe grew tense as the three women exchanged knowing glances, each silently acknowledging the unexpected turn of events.

Leslie's gaze met Aerish's, a glint of recognition flashing in their eyes. With a cryptic smile, they uttered words that sent a chill down Aerish's spine: "I know the truth, Aerish. And it's time to reveal it all."

The air in the cafe grew heavy with anticipation as Aerish and Alodia exchanged wary glances, unsure of what revelations were about to unfold.

With a dramatic pause, Leslie leaned in closer, their voice barely above a whisper: "The secrets buried in the past will soon come to light. Brace yourselves for the storm that's about to break."

Aerish glanced at Alodia and Leslie with a hint of curiosity in her eyes. She could sense the familiarity between the two, and she wondered how their past connections might influence the current situation.

"You two know each other?" Aerish asked Alodia, and vice versa as Leslie sat beside her.

"Yeah, we know each other way back ten years ago," Alodia began, her voice tinged with reminiscence. "Katelyn, one of Leslie's friends who is also a friend of one of your assistants, informed me about the plagiarism issue you're facing. She mentioned that Kjin was helping you, so I advised Leslie to come here."

Aerish nodded, absorbing the information. "Unfortunately, Kjin has already withdrawn from our investigation. And for the records, Leslie and I met five years ago."

Leslie chimed in, adding more pieces to the puzzle. "Kjin, Katelyn, and I were once part of the Fictional Writing Club back in our high school days. Icebert and Kaiser Martin too. We were the five founding members of our club."

Aerish's mind raced with thoughts, connecting the dots. "I'm sure Kjin already knows about the involvement of Icebert and Kaiser Martin in my plagiarism issue. That's probably why he withdrew," she mused, reaching for her phone in her bag to text Quila to join them.

Alodia's curiosity sparked another question. "You, Icebert, Kaiser Martin, and the fourth person named Auel collaborated to create 'The Cutest Couple,' right?"

Aerish nodded, a mix of frustration and determination in her expression. "And now, Eduardo claims that he was the original creator."

Leslie shook her head in disbelief.

"That's the biggest mystery of my plagiarism issue," Aerish admitted, a hint of worry creeping into her tone.

Meanwhile, Quila received Aerish's text and decided to inform the others of her departure. "Guys, I'm going out for lunch," she announced before heading to the 7th Cafe in Silver Mall Rosario.

While on the bus, Quila gazed out of the window, lost in her thoughts about Kjin. The gentle sway of the bus matched the rhythm of her contemplation. "It's Saturday today," she whispered to herself, a small smile playing on her lips. "I wonder what he's up to at this time."

As if in response to her musings, a notification chimed on her phone. It was from novelist.com, informing her about Kjin's newly uploaded chapter of his story. Quila's eyes lit up with excitement as she tapped on the notification to read the latest installment.

"Now I know what he's doing," Quila chuckled softly to herself, feeling a sense of connection with Kjin through his writing. The bus rumbled on, but Quila was lost in the world of Kjin's story, her imagination taking flight.