Having You

Chapter -7 CHARADE

Carter couldn't sit still. His mind was a constant whirlwind as he paced his apartment, phone in hand, trying to keep himself occupied while waiting for updates. He had never been one to lean on his parents' connections, but right now, he had no choice. His friends who worked in the family business were all eager to help, but time was dragging. They were doing all they could—combing through old archives, analyzing the photos of the anklet and the engraving he sent them. It was a meticulous process, and while they were professionals at this sort of thing, it was a daunting task even for them.

The frustration was gnawing at him. Carter wasn't used to feeling this restless. He had always been a social guy, loved by many, but there was something different this time—something personal. As his friends pinned down the list to just five names from around twenty years ago, he felt a surge of hope, but it was quickly followed by the heavy weight of uncertainty. Four names led to dead ends, spread across different parts of the world. But the fifth? The fifth was local.

He ran a hand through his hair, his thoughts bouncing between relief and anxiety. What if this lead went cold too? The more he searched, the more determined he became, but with that determination came a building tension he couldn't shake. He tried getting out of his apartment, driving around, walking the city streets, hoping for a chance encounter or a clue that might steer him in the right direction. Every time he thought he saw something familiar, his heart would race, only for the feeling to crash when he realized it wasn't her.

The city felt different now—less like home and more like an endless maze, each turn leading him deeper into uncertainty. He knew that relying on his friends for answers was necessary, but his instinct to take matters into his own hands kept pushing him out the door, back into the search. He couldn't just wait around. There was something about this girl, the way she had slipped through his grasp, that made him desperate to find her again.

He was constantly distracted, his thoughts looping back to her. This search had become more than just a curiosity—it was starting to feel like a need. And that unsettled him. He wasn't someone who got fixated on things easily, but this was different. As he anxiously awaited news from his friends, Carter realized he wasn't just chasing a lead—he was chasing a feeling, something that had sparked the moment he saw her. The sense that finding her might unlock something important, something he couldn't quite name yet.

The waiting was torture, but giving up wasn't an option.

Carter's anticipation was mounting as his phone buzzed. His friends had finally narrowed down the fifth name, and he felt that familiar jolt of hope. After everything, after all the dead ends and restless nights, this was it. But when he answered the call, the silence on the other end was unsettling. "Well?" Carter pressed, his voice edged with impatience. "Did you find out who it is?"

There was a brief pause, followed by a hesitant reply. "Carter... it's... it's your mom."

He froze, his mind reeling. That couldn't be right. "My mom?" he repeated, the words sounding foreign as they left his mouth. "How can that be?"

His friends, who had been so eager to assist, were just as perplexed. They exchanged theories among themselves, unable to piece together how the anklet his mother had purchased twenty years ago could possibly have ended up with this mystery girl. It made no sense. The confusion was clear in their voices as they tried to rationalize it. "She bought it at an auction two decades ago," one of his friends explained, "but we can't figure out how it ended up anywhere outside her possession, let alone with someone completely unrelated."

Carter's mind spiraled. If the anklet belonged to his mother, how did it cross paths with y/n? He was desperate for answers but couldn't bring himself to confront his mom directly. What would he even say? It wasn't just about the anklet anymore—it was about the history behind it, the mystery girl, and the unsettling coincidence that connected all these pieces. The revelation turned everything he thought he knew on its head.