_Lisa's POV_
It was already dark. The hallways were quiet. The usual hum of chatter and footsteps was missing. My stomach growled softly as the scent of roasted chicken and buttered vegetables drifted in from the kitchen.
"Dinner’s ready," Rylan said, glancing at the large antique clock in the hallway. "But Alexandra is not back yet."
I frowned. "Still?"
He pulled out his phone and dialed her number. I watched his face as it rang... once, twice... then it went to voicemail.
"She’s not picking up," he muttered. "I don’t like this."
"Maybe her phone is on silent?" I offered gently. "She did say she was meeting a friend."
Rylan nodded slowly, but the crease between his brows didn’t disappear. "Let’s eat something in the meantime. Maybe she’ll be back soon."
We headed to the dining roo
