Chapter 136

Carolina looked at her struggling reflection in Ryder’s eyes, and she noticed there was no ill intention in his gaze. She hesitated momentarily, then extended her arm out into the air, cautiously as she did.

Ryder grasped her small, icy-cold hand, pulling her up gently.

"Thank you," she said.

From start to finish, Ryder’s face was adorned with a warm smile. "No need to thank me. I’ve seen you around before. I live here, so technically, we’re neighbors. Neighbors should help each other, right? What floor are you on? I can take you home."

Carolina withdrew her hand from Ryder’s grasp. "That won’t be necessary. I can make it upstairs alone. Thanks."

"But with your leg like that, perhaps I should take you to the hospital tomorrow," Ryder said, showing genuine concern.

"No, that’s not needed," she said, keeping some distance between them.

Ryder grew up abroad, immersed in foreign cultures, making