Ryan said goodbye to Alice and left the room, glancing down the empty hallway. He didn't head straight back to his own room.
Alice's house was full of servants and bodyguards, but they usually stayed in their own areas, separate from the living quarters. Other than mealtimes, you rarely saw them.
By now, Alice was already asleep, and with nothing in the room to be concerned about, only a few bodyguards were patrolling the villa. The rest had gone to rest.
The brief interaction with Alice had momentarily made him forget his troubles, but as soon as he stepped out of her room, that familiar feeling washed over him again. He let out a deep sigh.
It was already 11 p.m., but Ryan knew Bella was probably still awake.
What had happened earlier in the day—though Alice hadn't caught them directly—must have had a significant impact on Bella.
More importantly, Ryan's gut told him that Bella was waiting for him in the basement.