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

at her

the lack of foot traffic and a lazy cleaning lady. Her footsteps echoed as she climbed. each

to climb, so she took her time, but her mind

wouldn’t return for

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

Molly to come to my rescue?” In moments

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

yellow glow, and she couldn’t be sure if he was a

going. The voice was abrupt and familiar, low and deep,

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

ignored her. He turned and continued walking up the

left and saw her room, 402. But he was

502!” she recalled, her tone complex, and quickly

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

hesitated on the stairs, stopping about 16

gaze made her uncomfortable, but she mustered the courage to ask.

suspected the resident above her might be someone she knew, and she had considered

with an indescribable emotion, nervousness, confusion, and

out his

living here?” she pressed, his

taken over the whole area by writing a project plan. A thought

Stephanie was just an ordinary person now. She didn’t have

to you!” There seemed to be a thin veil between her and the truth, and she desperately

have been him caught off guard, yet she was the one feeling

open the door of 502

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

like mocking if she had been pushed to

she cared about

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

and likely never would

This man seemed so distint from her