Dylan froze, his teasing demeanor vanishing instantly. His brow furrowed as he studied Ava's expression.
Ava pressed a finger to her lips, signaling him to stay silent. Then, she tapped the loudspeaker button on her phone.
A long sigh echoed through the speaker. "It's a long-buried topic," Thomas said dejectedly. "I never thought she would harbor so much hatred toward me because of it."
Ava and Dylan exchanged a quick, puzzled glance. A heavy silence settled between them, anticipation crackling in the air.
"When we were young, she once told me she loved me."
Ava gasped. "What?" She tensed, her fingers tightening around the phone. "Lydia liked you?"
Dylan remained still, his jaw tightening as the revelation sank in. He faintly recalled how Lydia had refused to marry the man his grandfather had chosen for her. At the time, he was too young to understand why. But now, hearing Thomas's words, everything suddenly made sense.