(Darius's POV)
I stared at my phone for a long moment after the call ended, my thumb hovering over the screen.
Something was definitely up.
Ayra had answered, but the way she spoke… it wasn't her usual tone. It was stiff and distant. Formal even.
Mr. Williams.
The name rang in my ears like an alarm bell. She never called me that. Not even in public.
She had always addressed me casually by my first name.
It wasn't like I was expecting her to whisper sweet nothings over the phone, but this? This felt off.
She had spoken to me almost as if I was nothing more than a business partner.
And the way she had brushed me off with that clipped response about being busy—it felt deliberate.
I exhaled slowly, setting my phone down on the desk.
Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe she really was busy.
Still, something in my gut told me otherwise.
Shaking off the nagging feeling, I turned my attention back to the task at hand. Today was important.
