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

her chest and sighed

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 sensor lights above, casting an eerie

so she

The old property staff had gone for a late–night snack and wouldn’t return for at least an hour. ‘So I have to wait at

they enjoyed themselves too much, she might end up spending the night outside her

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

in thought and not watching her step, she

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

you’re going. The voice was abrupt and familiar, low and

as she exclaimed, “Why are

and continued walking up the

second. She looked to her left and saw her room,

lunatic from 502!” she recalled,

her, clearly displeased by her calling him a lunatic. His eyes were sharp in the

stairs, stopping about 16

but she mustered the courage to ask. “Why are you

She had suspected the resident above her might be someone she knew, and she had considered it might be him, but it was only a

indescribable emotion, nervousness, confusion, and a hint of

out his key to open bis

she pressed,

like him would randomly choose to live in this old apartment complex. He could have taken over the whole area by writing a project plan.

She didn’t have

between her and the truth, and she desperately wanted to know.

caught off guard, yet she was the one feeling anxious

open the door of 502

he paused, turned, and, with his sharp, cold eyes,

now felt like mocking if she had been

she cared about

of the blue. A thought flashed through her mind.

and likely never would

This man seemed so distint