I sensed something off about udetely, but I knew better than to let my guard down around him.


    As I was about to close my door, I caught sight of Dr. Hilton across the hall, his door wide open, eyes fixed on me. It was almost certain he''d seen ude leave my ce. With his lips pursed, I couldn''t help but wonder what he was thinking, especially since he''d met her


    earlier


    today.


    He must have recognized ude.


    Feeling awkward yetpelled, I grabbed a bottle of milk my brother had dropped off earlier and walked over to him. "This is from my brother," I said, handing him the milk without waiting for a response and leaving it at his doorstep.


    Then, remembering Ronald, I dashed back to fetch another bottle. "This one''s for Mr. Collins," I mused, feeling a sense of warmth towards both men. Without their presence in my life, my untimely demise would''ve likely remained a mystery.


    No sooner had I ced the second bottle down when a summer breeze mmed my door shut behind me.


    And, of course, I was locked out.


    Biting my lip in frustration, I turned to Max. "Could you lend me your phone? I need to call a locksmith."


    "I don''t have a locksmith''s number. Try Ronald," he suggested, barely concealing the smirk on his face.


    Their openness about their lives made them all the more appealing, especially since both were undeniably attractive.


    Max then dialed Ronald, his tone firm yet casual, "Need you to unlock a door."


    To an outsider, it might have sounded like amand, but I could tell there was a different kind of affection between them, which made me suppress a smile.


    Noticing Max examining the milk, I saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "Is this from the Hilton family farm?"


    His question caught me off guard. The milk bottle was in, devoid of any branding. How he identified its origin so quickly was beyond me.


    Seeing my puzzled look, he chose not to borate, simply leading the way with the milk to his fridge, which, to my surprise, was stocked with bottles from the same farm.


    Was ude delivering gifts to Max? And here I was, thinking she was just being generous with me.


    Compared to Max''s stash, my few bottles seemed insignificant.


    "Do you like it?" he asked, cing two bottles in the microwave to warm them up.


    I managed a stiff smile, notmitting to a preference.


    In another life, my fondness for milk had led me down aplicated path with ude, a mistake I wasn''t keen on repeating.


    Seeing my hesitation, Max didn''t press further, leaving the milk untouched.


    It wasn''t long before Ronald arrived, his annoyance palpable. "Seriously, couldn''t you just call a locksmith


    instead of dragging me out here?"


    His eyes widened when he saw me sitting calmly on the sofa, a silent greeting exchanged between us.


    His gaze bounced between Max and me, confusion written all over his face.


    "Max, I didn''t expect you to..."


    "Shut it,"


    snapped, making


    ald instantly pay attention toet


    was doing. "Oh, it''s your


    that''s busted, not his."


    The lock gave way under his skilled hands in no time. "You should


    sider a keypad lock," he advised


    opening the door. Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Grateful, I nodded my appreciation and hurried back to my apartment.


    But as I walked away, Ronald called out, "The milk."


    Pausing, I turned back to see Max, silent but for a moment, stepping aside to let me through.