Stuck in an Island with Twelve Beautiful Women
Chapter 1067

Chapter 1067: Chapter 1067

Jude stood alone by the river, the morning sun catching on the ripples as small fish darted beneath the surface. The same water that had almost taken Rose. His fingers were wet, stained with cold, but his mind was far from fishing. The image of Rose, soaked and unconscious by the rocks, replayed again and again. She had been pale, lips slightly blue, and yet... something about her expression even then hadn’t felt entirely human. It was the way her mouth curled, almost smiling, just before her eyes opened.

He hadn’t mentioned it to the others, not when they’d carried her back, not when she lay silent in bed, nor when she awoke the next day with more energy than anyone should have after nearly drowning. At first, he chalked it up to relief, gratitude for survival. But then Layla started acting differently too. Too differently.

He watched them now from a distance as Rose and Layla walked together past the treehouse, their fingers brushing, laughing about something Jude couldn’t hear. A laugh that didn’t sound like Layla’s usual snort or Rose’s low chuckle. No, this was synchronized, melodic, like it belonged to someone else entirely. And Zoey, sweet, observant Zoey, was following behind them, eyes half-lidded, smile ever-present, like her thoughts were somewhere else entirely.

When had Zoey ever let herself get swept up in games and whispers?

The three of them moved as one now. A triangle of soft touches, glances exchanged too fast to track, words spoken in whispers only they seemed to understand. Jude had seen things like this before among the group, moments of closeness, romantic trysts that began and ended with the tide, but this wasn’t like that. There was no beginning. There was no teasing buildup. Just a sudden, all-consuming link between them. It felt unnatural.

Last night during dinner, Zoey had sat between Rose and Layla. She didn’t speak much, only smiled at everyone, only moved when one of the other two did. When Rose leaned close to whisper something, Zoey blinked slowly, as if in trance, and smiled that same unblinking smile. Layla’s hand was on her thigh the entire time. Jude had pretended not to notice. He hadn’t even brought it up when they all turned in. But he hadn’t slept well.

He was Jude. He was supposed to be the one who noticed things. The one who connected dots, saw patterns. But this time, the pieces weren’t fitting the way they should.

He dropped the fish net into the water, let it rest, and turned his eyes toward the forest. The sun was higher now, warming his neck. Somewhere nearby, Grace and Emma were gathering berries, their voices rising faintly in a duet of laughter. He wished for a second he could lose himself in that sound. But the unease crawling under his skin wouldn’t let him.

Earlier that morning, Rose had slipped into his bed before the others woke, her fingers finding his chest, her lips on his neck. There was a hunger in her touch that hadn’t been there before, not new in intensity, but new in intention. Her eyes didn’t leave his the whole time, not even when she arched against him, whispered his name, kissed him until the world narrowed. But even as his body responded, his mind was elsewhere. She felt different. Warmer. Wetter. But less real somehow. Like something imitating Rose, not the girl he’d once coaxed from the edge of a broken heart.

When it was over, she’d rested her head on his shoulder and traced circles across his skin. "I missed you," she said, her voice soft, almost childlike.

"You were only gone for a day," he had replied.

She lifted her face, eyes shining. "It felt like forever."

And that smile. That same, wide, cold smile that never quite reached her eyes.

Now he found himself watching her movements through the trees, cataloguing every gesture. When she leaned into Layla and whispered something in her ear, Layla shivered, Jude saw it. When Zoey looked at Rose, it wasn’t like before. There was reverence in her eyes. Worship. And Layla, Layla looked at Rose the same way.

He remembered when Rose first arrived on the island, quiet and unsure, always standing near Susan for comfort. Layla had been one of the strongest, most defiant, taking no orders from anyone unless she decided they were worth her respect. Zoey had always been sharp, independent. Now both of them moved like satellites around Rose’s sun.

He rubbed his hands over his face and shook his head. He needed to talk to someone. Not one of the three. Someone who could see this for what it was, or confirm he was losing it.

He thought of Susan. Too soft. Grace? Too emotional. Stella? No. Emma? She’d ask too many questions. Then his mind settled on Sophie. Sophie, who always had one eye on everyone. Who sat quietly but never missed a whisper. She might understand.

He set the net aside and walked toward the clearing.

When he found her, Sophie was washing clothes near the river, her sleeves rolled, her hair tied in a messy knot on her head. She didn’t look up as he approached but spoke as though she knew exactly who it was.

"You’ve been pacing all morning," she said, wringing a cloth. "That’s not like you."

He crouched beside her, watching the water swirl around her feet.

"I’ve been watching them," he said. "Rose. Layla. Zoey."

"Mm-hm," Sophie murmured, not surprised.

"They’ve changed," Jude continued. "Not in the usual way. It’s... like they’re moving in perfect rhythm. Acting like they’re sharing something we don’t know. Rose especially. Ever since she came out of the water."

Sophie stopped moving. Her fingers stilled over the fabric. Slowly, she turned to him.

"Go on."

"I don’t know what I’m seeing," he said, voice low. "It could be nothing. Maybe they’re just caught up in each other. Maybe it’s just lust, or adrenaline, or... I don’t know. But Layla’s not Layla. Zoey isn’t Zoey. They’re too... connected. Too synced. Like they’re responding to something only they can hear."

Sophie sat still for a moment, her face unreadable. The wind brushed against her cheek, lifting the ends of her hair.

"You think Rose brought something back from the water."

He blinked at her. "I didn’t say that."

"You didn’t have to." She dropped the cloth into the water and turned to face him fully. "I noticed it too. Last night. Zoey stared at me for five full minutes while I was brushing my hair. Didn’t say a word. Then smiled and left."

Jude’s heart thudded. "Why didn’t you say anything?"

"Because I wanted to be wrong," Sophie replied. "But now you’re saying it too."

Jude stood slowly. His stomach felt like it had dropped into his shoes. A rustle sounded behind them, and both turned.

Rose, Layla, and Zoey stood at the edge of the clearing, hand in hand. Their skin shimmered faintly in the sun. Not wet. Not glowing. Just... catching the light oddly.

They were smiling. All three. Wide. Beautiful. Unmoving.

Sophie’s eyes narrowed, and she stood, wiping her hands on her skirt.

"I think," Jude whispered, "we need to talk."