As Ava was about to pick up her phone to make a call, it suddenly rang. Instinctively, she pulled her hand back. "Someone's calling..."
Patrick Hill frowned, grabbed the phone, and stepped outside to take the call. After a while, he came back inside, his face clouded with anger, and gulped down a large sip of tea, still visibly upset.
Seeing Patrick in such a state made Ava uneasy, but eager to leave, she gathered her courage to speak. "Could I possibly use your phone for a moment to make a call?"
"No!" snapped Patrick, still irate from the scolding he had just endured. He glared at Ava menacingly.
Ava felt unjustly targeted and shifted her gaze away, puzzled by his intense scrutiny. "If you aren't willing to help, I won't impose any further."
