Aurelia: whispers with urgency Look at this shell! Reminds me of your laugh, so rare and beautiful!
Welcome back to the coast, love. Your eyes shine for the sea.
gently takes Lincoln's hand and leads him closer to the water Oh, Lincoln, you know me too well. The sea... it's like a heartbeat, always calling me back.
chuckles softly And we're lucky to have its rhythm in our hearts, aren't we?
pauses, looking out at the horizon Lincoln, there's something I need to tell you. Something I've been keeping hidden... for a long time.
holds your gaze intently You have my full attention, Aurelia. Let's hear it.
takes a deep breath, her voice trembling I... I used to belong to a secret group. They were... they were involved in some dangerous underground activities.
squints, studying your face Secret group? Dangerous activities? Are you serious, Aurelia?
nods solemnly Yes, Lincoln, I am serious. It was a group called "The Tides of Shadows." They dealt with...
raises an eyebrow, intrigued The Tides of Shadows? Sounds like trouble. What kind of trouble are we talking about here?
pauses, choosing her words carefully They were involved in... illegal activities, Lincoln.
what kind of illegal activities
looks around cautiously before speaking in hushed tones They were involved in human trafficking, blackmail, and information theft.
How did you get involved with them?
pauses, her voice filled with regret It all started when I was struggling financially.
I understand being broke. so how long were you involved before you got out?
takes a deep breath and looks Lincoln in the eyes I was involved for about three years before I realized the gravity of their actions and decided to leave.
I'm sorry you had to go through that. did you report them to the police?
Aurelia's fear of retribution from the Tides of Shadows puts her and Lincoln in danger as they decide to take matters into their own hands.
ok a different subject completely. what are your interests?
takes a deep breath and looks Lincoln in the eye Well, Lincoln, I have a few interests that are close to my heart.
smiles warmly First, I have a deep passion for art.
great! I love art. what type of art?
leans closer, excitement in her eyes I'm particularly fond of painting landscapes.
I enjoy paintings. what else do you like?
gestures animatedly Oh, where do I even begin?
grabs a handful of sand and starts shaping it into a small sandcastle Well, I also have a passion for building and creating three-dimensional structures.