st her legs. She stared out the scratched window at the passing city l

surfaced. During the dinner, Poppy had loudly bragged about hiring contractors to completely gut and remodel the master bedroom of the penthouse. Chloe's blood ran cold. She suddenly remembered a crucial old journal, filled with her rawest thoughts from their breakup and intimate details of Juli

. She tapped the plexiglass divider urgently. She impuls

ted luxury high-rise. Chloe paid the fare with her credit card

card, but tonight-thanks to the scheduled network maintenance that defaulted all security systems to a physical lock override-the panel displayed a small brass keyhole. She still had the old, heavy brass key Julian

cutting sharply through that staleness was the distinct, cloying aroma of an expensive floral perfume. Someone had been here recently. In the corner of th

he hallway sconces. The dim li

droom. She went to the nightstand, pulling the bottom drawer open to check for he

nd of the front door unlocking ec

ith absolute terror that she was trespassing in a place she hadn't lived i

g down the hallway. She darted across the room and

ly a tiny, millimeter-wide crack to peer through. Sh

loosened and hanging crookedly. He had clearly taken a company car

ied his face in his large hands, his shoulders shaking slightly.

lifted his head. He looked at the empty space beside him and clearly, unmi

eyes widened in absolute shock. Her mind raced, struggling to

ms spread wide. Within minutes, his deep, even breathing s

loset. Her legs cramped, but she didn't dare mov

pt out on tiptoe, her eyes fixed nervously on his

oor, her gaze fell upon the mirro

ce was a bright pink sticky note, illuminated

nt, looping handwriting: "Julian, l

The romantic, confusing illusion of him calling her name was

t Poppy to this bed. The very bed they used to sha

She spun around, desperate to fle

d the side of her coat pocket

h Persian rug near the doorway. It was compl

or handle, slipping out and quietly pulling the hea

freezing street corner outside the high-rise. She reached into her pocket