CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY TWO: REQUEST DENIED

The second call from Ariana came unexpectedly, catching Jonathan off guard as he sat at the kitchen table, lost in thought. He glanced at his phone, the familiar pang of apprehension returning as he saw her name flashing on the screen once again. With a deep breath, he answered the call, steeling himself for whatever she had to say. "Hello, Ariana," Jonathan greeted, his voice betraying none of the turmoil that churned inside him. "Jonathan," came the soft reply on the other end of the line. "I was hoping we could talk." Jonathan tensed at the sound of her voice, his grip tightening on the phone. He wasn't sure what she wanted from him, but he knew better than to trust her intentions. "What do you want, Ariana?" There was a pause on the other end of the line, as if Ariana were searching for the right words to say. "I… I want to see Oliver," she said finally, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I want to talk to him, to explain things to him." Jonathan's jaw tightened at the mentio