Sydney Sawyer was still reeling from the incredible fact that she was now Sebastian Lockwood's neighbor. The moment she stepped inside, she was stunned by the incredibly luxurious decor.
Everything was practically new. 'Who would rent out a place like this?'
Standing in the room, Sydney Sawyer called her mother to ask about the specifics of the apartment.
"Is something wrong with the apartment?" Jane Spencer asked in return.
"It's decorated too well, and everything is brand new. I'm almost afraid to use anything."
"Actually, this is one of your Mr. Sharp's properties. It's been sitting empty. He heard you wanted to move out, but he was worried you'd be too embarrassed to live there if you knew the truth, so he asked me to keep it from you..."
Mr. Sharp was the man her mother was about to marry.
She was very supportive of Jane Spencer's second marriage.
Her parents had been divorced for many years, and her mother had raised her all alone. Now that she was about to graduate from university, there was no reason to stop her mother from pursuing her own happiness.
She had met Mr. Sharp a few times and found him to be a good person.
He was a middle-aged widower with a son two or three years older than her.
"So it's Mr. Sharp's house. Why would he buy property in Keston?" After all, he lived in Aethelgard most of the time.
"The apartment belongs to his son. He probably bought it as an investment and it's been empty. Mr. Sharp wanted me to tell you not to feel burdened at all. You can stay as long as you like. He also asked me to ask you, how's the apartment? Are you satisfied?"
"Satisfied."
She was beyond satisfied!
She wanted to spin around in circles from sheer excitement.
"Mom, please thank Mr. Sharp for me, and his son too."
Although she had only met him a few times, Mr. Sharp treated her very well. However, Sydney Sawyer had never met his son.
She had only heard that because he lost his mother at a young age, the whole family had spoiled him rotten, making him an incredibly arrogant person. In Mr. Sharp's own words, he was a "typical second-generation heir."
'But judging by the decor, he has pretty good taste.'
'Buying a place here shows he has a good eye, too.'
After hanging up, Sydney Sawyer took another walk around the apartment.
It was a duplex with four bedrooms and two living rooms—very spacious. The balcony had a large glass window, and half of the loft's ceiling was a curved glass structure, perfect for stargazing at night from your bed.
Mr. Sharp must have had someone come and clean and set up the place in advance; the apartment was neat and spotless.
The place was well-decorated but had likely never been lived in. There wasn't a single trace of daily life—no pots, pans, oil, salt, soy sauce, or vinegar. Many things needed to be bought.
Sydney Sawyer looked up the location of a nearby supermarket online, opened all the windows to air the place out, and then left.
**
Sydney Sawyer only bought the essentials for the day. After returning home and just as she sat on the sofa, she heard a "MEOW—" There was a cat by her window.
The window was open, but a screen was in the way, so it couldn't get in.
The cat was small, looking to be only a few months old. It was pure white, but its eyes were as black as ink.
'This is the tenth floor. If it falls, the consequences would be unthinkable...'
Sydney Sawyer walked to the window. The little cat noticed her, its eyes wary. Its four paws gripped tightly onto a ledge outside, its body arched, and its tail stood straight up as a low growl rumbled in its throat, as if warning her.
"Don't be scared, I won't hurt you." Sydney Sawyer carefully opened the screen and then stepped back.
But the kitten didn't come in. It held its posture for a dozen or so seconds, then, as if realizing Sydney Sawyer meant no harm, it leaped into her room.
"Where did you come from, little one?" Sydney Sawyer asked, looking at it.
The kitten was very clean; it was clear someone took great care of it.
"Do you want some water?"
Sydney Sawyer didn't have anything for it to eat, and since it was so small, she didn't dare feed it just anything. So, she got a small bowl, filled it with some purified water, and placed it on the floor.
The kitten was very cautious. It watched from a distance, and only after a few tentative moves did it boldly hop over and take a couple of licks.
Sydney Sawyer didn't have any food or toys for it. She figured it would leave once it got bored, so she left the window and screen open.
By the time she had put away her newly purchased items and straightened up the room, dusk had fallen.
Gilded twilight streamed through the window, draping the room in a thin layer of gold.
The soft evening breeze was comfortable and pleasant.
Sydney Sawyer stretched and discovered the cat had actually curled up and fallen asleep on the rug by her balcony.
By eight or nine in the evening, no one had come looking for it. The cat, it seemed...
...had no intention of leaving!
Just as Sydney Sawyer was wondering what to do, the doorbell rang. She looked through the peephole and saw a man in a uniform who looked like he was from building management.
"Sorry to bother you. You must be the new resident, right? I'm from property management," the man said with a smile.
"Can I help you?" Sydney Sawyer asked.
"We need to register you as a temporary resident. We need you to fill out a form for the community." This area was zoned for two good schools, so most residents had school-aged children. Because of all the students, they were strict about managing temporary residents.
"No problem, please come in."
The so-called registration just involved filling out personal information. After Sydney Sawyer finished, she looked at the property manager. "Actually, there's something I was hoping you could help me with."
"Of course."
"A cat ran into my apartment. It probably belongs to someone in the complex. Could you help me find its owner?" Sydney Sawyer pointed to the little kitten, which was currently licking its paws.
"Well..." The property manager frowned. "If it really belongs to someone in our complex, I can post a message in the residents' group chat and ask."
"That would be a huge help, thank you."
The property manager took a photo of the kitten, posted a message in the residents' group chat asking the owner to contact Miss Sawyer, and included Sydney Sawyer's phone number.
**
The cat didn't leave, and Sydney Sawyer stayed home, waiting for news.
It was past ten o'clock at night. By now, the little cat and Sydney Sawyer were getting along quite well. As she sat on the sofa watching TV, the kitten was curled up on her lap.
Just as she was starting to feel drowsy, her phone buzzed. It was an unknown number.
She pressed the answer key, but before she could speak, a familiar voice came from the other end:
"Hello? Is this Miss Sawyer? Did you find my cat?"
Compared to during the day, the man's voice was now even deeper. Perhaps it was the phone receiver, but that husky quality was infinitely amplified...
...pressing against her ear, as if he were right there.
Sydney Sawyer's heart stuttered, thumping hard twice.
She looked down at the cat sleeping on her lap. 'This is...'
'His cat?'
Sydney Sawyer had wondered if the cat might belong to Sebastian Lockwood. After all, their balconies were only separated by a single wall.
'But then again,' she thought, 'he doesn't seem like the type to own a cat...'
"Hello?" When he got no response, Sebastian Lockwood cleared his throat. "Miss Sawyer?"
The night was dark and quiet all around, which only made his voice clearer, every word landing on her heart...
...so clear it felt unreal.
There was still no answer. Just as Sebastian Lockwood was about to hang up, the person on the other end spoke. "I... I am."
The moment Sydney Sawyer finished speaking, a low chuckle unexpectedly came from the other end of the line.
It was close, almost unrealistically so, yet so light it felt like it was tickling her heart.
"You're..." His voice paused.
Along with a faint crackle of static, Sydney Sawyer heard Sebastian Lockwood call out in a low voice:
"Syd?"
That one word nearly sent Sydney Sawyer's soul flying.
She already had no resistance to Sebastian Lockwood's voice. In a daze, she could almost hear her own heartbeat...
...so violent it made her head spin, so heart-pounding she could barely breathe.