Scarlett wakes in the dark, still held by Lukas, and checks the time—9:39 p.m. She carefully wriggles free, dresses, and notes she feels unexpectedly clean, inferring Lukas followed through on his promise to take care of her after she fell asleep.

She slips out without waking him, passing a quiet apartment and assuming Hasan and Kyle are out or asleep. On the walk back to her place, she basks in the afterglow, recognizing how precisely Lukas met her needs and how right their dynamic felt.

Back home, after a quick bedtime routine and a teasing text from Maryam about stolen jasmine rice, Scarlett reflects on how good the experience was and how seen she felt. She sends Lukas a short message—apologizing for sneaking out and noting he needed rest—to prevent worry about her sudden departure.

Scarlett falls asleep anticipating Lukas’s reply. The chapter closes with the suggestion that her message may prove unnecessary, hinting at an imminent development.