Chapter 2

We were halfway through dinner when her phone suddenly buzzed.

She glanced at the screen, and her face instantly darkened.

I caught a glimpse of the screen. It was a group chat for the building's residents.

She opened the messages, her frown deepening with every word.

"What's wrong?" I asked casually.

"Nothing," she said, setting her phone down on the table, her voice turning even colder.

Leo was full, curled up on the couch, and yawning.

I started clearing the dishes. "Thanks for the kitchen. We'll get out of your hair now."

"Wait," she stopped me.

I turned back.

She bit her lip, her eyes flickering away. "If you don't mind, you guys can crash here tonight."

"Huh?" I blinked.

"Your place doesn't have power anyway," she said, turning her face aside. "The guest room's got heat. Don't let him freeze."

I noticed her ears turning a little red and grinned. "Guess I'll be imposing on you then."

"No trouble at all," she said, getting up. "I'll go get the guest room ready."

As she rushed out of the room, I picked up her phone.

The screen was still on, open to the building's group chat.

The latest message was from Grace Holloway: [Who's cooking in here? The smell's drifting into the hallway. It smells so broke.]

Everyone chimed in, backing her up.

[Exactly. This is supposed to be a luxury building. Why are they letting random people in?]

[Must be a renter. Owners don't cook for themselves.]

[Elizabeth, did some weirdo move onto your floor or what?]

I narrowed my eyes. So she was Elizabeth.

I scrolled through the chat history and realized everyone in this group was pretty stuck-up and pretentious.

All they ever did was flex their money or brag about who had more.

Elizabeth barely ever said a word in there.

I put the phone back and headed to the guest room.

Elizabeth was making the bed, but she seemed a bit awkward, like she wasn't used to it.

"Let me do it," I said, walking over and taking the sheet from Elizabeth.

Elizabeth stepped back, mumbling, "I don't really know how—"

"Yeah, I figured," I said, quickly making the bed. "Guess you don't spend much time at home?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I'm basically always at the office."

"So, what kind of work do you do?" I asked.

She hesitated. "Just your average office worker."

I just grinned and didn't bother to call her bluff.

No regular office worker could afford a place like this.

And that watch on her wrist? I was pretty sure it was a limited-edition Patek Philippe, easily worth eight figures.

"That must be tough," I said.

She stayed quiet and headed for the door.

When she got to the doorway, she paused and glanced back. "You really lost your job?"

I hesitated. "Yeah, something like that."

"So, what are you planning to do now?" she asked.

"Looking for a job," I replied casually. "I'll start sending out resumes after the holidays."

She glanced at me, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "So, which company are you thinking about?"

"Vaughn Group," I said.

Her head snapped up, eyes wide.

I acted like I didn't notice her reaction. "Word is, their perks are solid. Might as well try my luck."

"You want to go to Vaughn Group?" Elizabeth's voice was noticeably shaky.

"Yeah." I nodded. "Why? Something up?"

"No, it's nothing," she said, taking a deep breath. "Anyway, good luck with that."

She said it and quickly walked out.

I watched her practically bolt from the room, a smirk creeping onto my face.

So even Ms. Vaughn got nervous.

It was a little after eleven at night, and Leo was already fast asleep.

I stepped out of the guest room and saw Elizabeth sitting alone by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The city outside was still swallowed by darkness, with only a few fireworks lighting up the sky here and there.

She was holding a glass of red wine, just staring out the window, lost in thought.

"Can't sleep?" I asked, walking over.

She turned her head, her gaze a bit hazy. "Had some wine."

I sat down on the couch next to her, keeping a polite distance.

"Spending Christmas alone?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said, looking down at her glass. "I'm used to it."

"What about your family?" I asked.

"They're gone," Elizabeth replied quietly. "It's been years."

I didn't say anything. Some pain didn't need comforting, just company in the quiet.

So we just sat there, quietly watching the occasional fireworks light up the night outside.

We sat there for a long time before Elizabeth finally broke the silence. "You know, I've pretty much been on my own since I was little."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, like she was just talking to herself. "My parents passed away early on, and all my relatives saw me as nothing but dead weight.

"I threw myself into my studies, then into work, just to prove I didn't need anyone. But in the end, I realized—"

She paused, letting out a bitter laugh. "What's the point of winning the whole world if you're all alone?"

I watched her from the side. In the dim light, her eyes glistened. It was the glint of tears.

"So when I saw you two today, I just..." Elizabeth quickly wiped at her eyes. "Sorry, I shouldn't be dumping all this on you."

"Yeah, it's good," I said quietly. "At least you finally said it out loud."

She turned to face me, her eyes flickering with a mix of feelings I couldn't quite read.

"What about you? Where's his mom and dad?" Elizabeth asked.

"My sister's living abroad," I said. "She left Leo with me for a bit."

"And your girlfriend?" Elizabeth trailed off.

"No," I replied.

Her eyes brightened for a moment, then quickly faded. "Oh."

The vibe between us got a little weird.

Just then, her phone buzzed again. She picked it up, glanced at the screen, and her face darkened again.

I leaned over to check the screen. In the building's group chat, Grace was stirring things up again.

[Ms. Vaughn, who did you bring home? My maid just saw some guy with a kid, looking pretty shabby.]

[Is he your boy toy or something?]

[Just kidding. Ms. Vaughn's way too cold and classy to go for someone like that.]

[But seriously, is it really a good idea to let that kind of guy into the building? What if he's a scammer or something?]

Everyone piled on, backing her up.

Elizabeth's hands were shaking.

She took a deep breath, her fingers flying over the screen.

I watched her type, a smirk tugging at my lips.

She was about to blow up.