The next morning, Evelyn sat at her desk, her fingers tapping restlessly against the cool surface as she stared blankly at her computer screen. Her mind wasn't on work; it was far from it. She was thinking about Rayna. The image of her friend's tear-streaked face from the previous night haunted her, making it impossible to concentrate.

Rayna had always been level-headed, the one to offer advice and support. Now, seeing her broken and vulnerable, made Evelyn feel utterly helpless.

She sighed and picked up her phone, dialing Rayna's number again, hoping she would answer. But once more, the call went straight to voicemail. "Her phone must be off," Evelyn thought, biting her lip anxiously.

What was she supposed to do? Rayna needed her, and Evelyn didn't know how to help. As the minutes dragged on, Evelyn's worry deepened. She couldn't shake the guilt weighing heavily on her chest. Rayna had always been there for her—Rayna had been her rock. But now, when Rayna needed support, Evelyn felt lost.

"I have to do something," she thought. Instead of giving Rayna space, she could visit her during her lunch break. Even if Rayna didn't want to talk, Evelyn could check on her and make sure she wasn't alone.

Glancing at the time, she pushed back her chair and stood up a few minutes before her lunch break. Grabbing her handbag, she headed for the door. Another thought intruded—one that had lingered at the back of her mind for several days: Liam.

He had promised to call after returning to Husla, but he hadn't. She had initially dismissed it, thinking he was busy, but now wondered if he was avoiding her. The thought stung more than she cared to admit. Without thinking, once in a cab, she pulled out her phone and scrolled to Liam's name.

She hesitated only a moment, her thumb hovering over the call button as she considered what to say. Liam had seemed sincere when he confessed his feelings, and she wondered if she should mention their awkward conversation. She shook her head. No. It was best to leave it. There was no reason to; he knew about Derek. She didn't owe him an apology for being with someone else. She wasn't doing anything wrong.

Maybe she was overthinking it. She just needed to confirm his safe arrival and check on him. That's what friends did.

Taking a deep breath, she dialed his number and held the phone to her ear, listening to the ringing tone. After a few moments, Liam answered.

"Hey, Evelyn," his voice came through, sounding distant and distracted.

"Liam, hi," Evelyn said, feeling awkward at the lack of his usual cheerfulness. "I just wanted to see how you're doing. You said you'd call once you got back, but I hadn't heard from you, so"

There was a long pause. Then Liam sighed. "Yeah, I've been really busy. Sorry about that. Look, I'm in the middle of something right now, but I'll call you back later, okay?" Before Evelyn could respond, the line went dead. She blinked, pulling the phone away and staring at the screen.

Busy? Liam hadn't even given her a chance to speak. He had never hung up first, no matter how busy he was. The dismissal stung, even if unintentional.

Concluding he needed space, she decided to respect that and let him be, hoping he would reach out soon. He was a good friend, and she didn't want to lose their friendship.

Meanwhile, Liam leaned back on his apartment couch, staring at his phone. The lie had slipped out easily. He wasn't busy—not in the way he'd implied. But he couldn't have a proper conversation with Evelyn. Not after making a fool of himself.

He glanced around his apartment; boxes still lined the walls. He hadn't unpacked because he regretted his decision.

The truth was, he hadn't returned to Husla as he claimed; he hadn't attended a conference. He'd applied for a job in Ludus to be closer to Evelyn and Samantha. He'd planned to surprise her, to show he was ready to be part of her life. But seeing her with Derek crushed his hope. Now, he didn't know what to do.

Coming to Ludus had seemed right at the time. He'd thought proximity might make Evelyn more accepting of his feelings, but instead, he'd walked into an unforeseen situation.

He sadly realized he'd foolishly assumed Evelyn was single and waiting for him. Even though she hadn't explicitly introduced Derek as her boyfriend, seeing them together—their interaction, the way she looked at him—Liam knew he'd been wrong. Evelyn wasn't single, and she wasn't waiting for him.

He regretted not telling her sooner. If he had, maybe things would be different. He wouldn't be hiding in his Ludus apartment, avoiding her because he was too embarrassed to admit he'd moved there for her.

He would continue avoiding her, at least for now. He didn't want to complicate her life by revealing his presence in Ludus or make her feel guilty.

He stood, walked to the window, and looked out at the quiet street. Ludus was supposed to be a fresh start, but now it felt like a mistake. He decided to stay out of Evelyn's way and focus on settling in. Maybe with time, things would feel less awkward, and he could contact her again without the weight of his feelings between them. For now, distance was best.