Chapter 39

Earlier, I felt nervous when Ryder suddenly called my phone. After several months, it was his first time reaching out, and I was anxious about hearing his voice again.

But I couldn’t bring myself to answer the call. Instead, I rejected it and turned off my phone, focusing on getting ready for a movie outing with Lucas.

True to his word, Lucas arrived at my unit an hour before lunch, ringing the doorbell. Before opening the door for him, I checked my appearance once more. I couldn’t shake off the discomfort with my chosen outfit. What if he didn’t like it?

Pausing before opening the door, I hesitated for a moment. What if Ryder showed up unexpectedly? Slowly, I approached the door and pressed my ear against the wooden panel, hoping to hear Lucas's voice and not Ryder Paxley's.

“Nova, are you there? We will be late,” Lucas's voice reassured me, and relief washed over me as I confirmed it wasn’t Ryder outside.

“Coming!” I called out, opening the door wi