Nova didn't sleep that night.
She kept replaying the moment in her mind—his words, her hand, the sharp sound of skin on skin. She hadn't meant to slap him.
But she wasn't sorry.
In the morning, the house was quiet. Too quiet.
She came downstairs late, hoping to avoid everyone. Instead, she walked into a storm held together by strained silence.
Max was at the table, eating cereal like nothing ever happened. He glanced up and grinned. "You've officially made history."
Nova raised a brow. "What?"
"Ryder's never shut up this long. It's kind of impressive."
She poured herself coffee, ignoring the tension clinging to the air like dust.
Ethan walked in next, holding a newspaper, acting as calm as ever. "I heard about last night."
Of course he had.
He didn't sit. Just stood there, watching her carefully. "Ryder's… difficult. But that was unexpected."
Nova looked at him directly. "He crossed a line."
Ethan nodded. "He does that."
"But I'm not going to be silent just because he's used to people backing off."
"I didn't ask you to," Ethan said, his voice level. "But be careful. You're in his world now. He doesn't forget things easily."
Nova clenched her jaw. "Neither do I."
Leon didn't mention it.Not directly.
But that evening, he knocked on her door—a first.
"I just wanted to say," he said gently, "this house wasn't built to feel like home. But I hope, over time, you'll make it yours anyway."
Nova didn't answer. She wasn't sure if she believed him yet.
She didn't see Ryder for two days.
When she finally did, he was at the front steps, talking to someone on the phone. The bruise was gone, but the stiffness wasn't. He looked at her once—and looked away.
No smirks. No threats. No apology either.
But he didn't speak.
That was enough for now.
Later that night, as she walked past the library, she caught Max lounging on the couch, feet kicked up, flipping through a comic book.
"You really shook the throne," he said without looking up.
Nova frowned. "What?"
"You hit the untouchable. Ryder doesn't let anyone in, and he definitely doesn't let anyone talk back. So yeah—congrats. You cracked the wall."
Nova leaned against the doorframe. "I didn't do it for fun."
"I know," Max said. Then he grinned. "Still—remind me to stay on your good side."
Nova gave a faint smile, but her eyes stayed distant.
For the first time, she wasn't the ghost in the house anymore.
She was something else.
A storm they couldn't ignore.