Ryan stopped short when he saw Liana.
Not dramatically or obviously but just enough that Sylvie noticed it, the brief pause, the way his eyes flicked to Liana with an assessing glance.
"Is there a problem?" Sylvie asked coolly, stepping slightly in front of her friend.
Ryan’s gaze returned to her. "No."
"This is Liana," Sylvie said. "She’s my friend. She’s been here before, she's definitely not a threat, you have nothing to worry about ."
Liana offered a polite smile, though her curiosity was barely contained. "Hi."
Ryan gave a single nod. "Understood."
He stepped aside without another word.
Sylvie didn’t miss the way his shoulders remained tense as they passed, or the fact that he watched them climb the stairs before finally turning away.
_
The moment the bedroom door closed beh
