Crossroads

Chapter 290

When fate turned sour, it felt like a cascade of misfortune crashing down all at once.

Carrying two bags of garbage to dispose of on the ground floor, Stephanie noticed quite a few male neighbors stealing glances at her as she rode the elevator. She felt self–conscious and uncomfortable the entire way.

Underneath her long, dark green wool coat, she only wore a light purple silk nightgown. It was winter, and though she thankfully hadn’t completely lost her wits, she remembered to throw on a long coat. The modern style and color of the coat made her look even more radiant, with rosy lips and bright eyes. Despite her appearance, she felt deeply troubled.

She had no money, no phone, and no bra. Worse, she had forgotten to bring her keys.

Stephanie wondered if other renters faced such ridiculous mishaps. Glancing down at her feet in shabby flip–flops, she couldn’t help but sigh.

She walked through the complex, feeling utterly embarrassed and questioning how she had managed to get through the past few years.

Maybe the slight fever was clouding her mind.

For the first time. Stephanie fastened every button of her coat before seeking help from the property management. But her bad luck hadn’t run its course.

“Miss, I’m new here and don’t know where the spare keys are. Could you wait a bit?” said the new property manager.

“How long do I have to wait!” she looked at him and asked instinctively, crossing her arms and pulling her coat tighter in embarrassment. “Could you call someone? I’m in a bit of a bind.

Though the young manager didn’t understand her predicament, since it was a request from a beautiful girl, he agreed to resolve it as quickly as possible, even shyly offering her a seat in the property office to wait.

“No, thank you,” she replied, deciding to wait in her apartment instead.

Seeing a group of returning office workers waiting for the elevator at 10 PM, Stephanic wisely decided to take the stairs to avoid the crowd

down at her chest and

stairwell was dusty, likely due to the lack of foot traffic and a lazy cleaning lady. Her footsteps echoed as she climbed. each step triggering the

had four flights to climb, so she took her time, but her mind

property staff had gone for a late–night snack and wouldn’t return for at least an hour. ‘So

too much, she might end up spending

phone and call Molly to come to my rescue?” In moments of crisis, she always thought of

thought and not watching her step, she suddenly bumped into someone. Startled,

even duller. The stairway lights cast a hazy, yellow glow, and she couldn’t be sure if he was a

was abrupt and familiar, low and deep, filled with

it was fear or shock, as she exclaimed, “Why are you here?” Her eyes reflected his stern

her. He turned and continued walking

left and saw her room,

the lunatic from 502!” she recalled, her tone complex, and quickly

of apartment 502, he turned to look at her, clearly displeased by

the stairs, stopping about 16 feet

mustered the

his response. She had suspected the resident above her might be someone she knew,

with an indescribable emotion, nervousness,

he remained silent, simply taking out his

why are you living here?” she pressed, his

taken over the whole area by writing a project plan. A thought lingered in her mind, but she didn’t dare

was just an ordinary person now. She didn’t have the confidence to hope he was

and the truth, and she desperately wanted to know. She shouted

should have been him caught off guard, yet

open the door of 502 ignoring her

inside, he paused, turned, and, with his sharp, cold eyes, asked, “Do you want

His cold question now felt like mocking

she cared about

why he asked that out of the blue. A thought flashed through her mind. It seemed that

and likely never would

stood quietly, watching him. This man seemed so distint from