Soraya's POV
After leaving Vanders Enterprise, the air in the car was heavy with silence. Ethan's gaze stayed fixed on the road ahead, his jaw tight.
I broke it first. "Maybe we should go to the apartment," I said quietly. "If Maya's not answering her calls, maybe… maybe she left something behind. A clue. Anything."
Ethan turned his head slightly, considering it. "Fine," he said at last. "We'll check."
When the car pulled up in front of the building, the sight of it hit me like a punch of nostalgia. Everything looked the same—the narrow balconies, the chipped paint, the smell of detergent and old wood. It was as if time hadn't moved at all.
Old memories swarmed in—the nights Maya and I sat by the window laughing over takeout, the mornings we argued about who'd use the shower first. My chest tightened.
I stepped toward the entrance, but Ethan followed right beside me.
"I want to go in alone," I said softly. "Please."
