Chapter 23 Doubt and Devotion
XHILO’S APARTMENT — MORNING The faint scent of Kaito’s cologne still lingers in the air, and the warmth of his presence from her dreams hasn’t completely faded. Xhilo sits at the small dining table, her half‑empty coffee cup growing cold as her thoughts begin to piece together one strange coincidence after another. My old apartment burned down… and the very next day, this place was ready, affordable, and right next door to him. The rent is far too low for a building this new and well‑maintained. My tuition was suddenly paid in full, and the school refuses to name the donor. He always knows what I like, what I need — even things I’ve never said out loud. She stands up, determined to find answers. She dials the number the “landlady” gave her — only to be sent straight to voicemail. She
- Writer
