Chapter 75. Confusion

Alexander’s POV

I stared at the message for a long moment, my heart pounding against my chest. Finally, some response, though it was just a text. My fingers hovered over the screen, hesitation creeping in before I finally opened it. A part of me dreaded what it might say.

“Hey, sorry I’ve been busy. I’ll get back to you later.”

Just that? No explanation, no warmth, nothing. The flatness of the words felt like a punch in the gut. What the hell was going on?

I leaned back on the couch, my jaw tightening. This wasn’t like her. The Nina I knew was direct, full of life and energy, even when she was going through her toughest moments. This sudden coldness… It wasn’t right. Something had changed, and I was missing it.

My mind raced back to the last few days. She hadn’t been herself since that phone call she’d gotten at dinner a few nights ago. She didn’t tell me who it was, but the change in her mood had been instant, and now she was avoiding