Chapter Two

Elena’s POV

The leak announced itself at 6:14 a.m. with a dark stain spreading across the ceiling corner above my kitchen.

Water gathered, dripped, and formed a small steady rhythm against the counter. I stood barefoot on the cool tile, phone in hand, already calculating repair costs and the likelihood of the super answering before noon. The building had a reputation for slow responses. By the time I finished a second unanswered call, a soft knock sounded at my door.

Roman stood in the hallway holding a small toolbox and a folded drop cloth. He must have noticed the faint watermark in the shared corridor or heard the...