But before he could ponder it any longer, the elevator doors opened and while he had only left this space mere minutes before, it felt as if the world had tilted on its axis since he’d seen Hannah exit through the spinning doors ahead.

None of this made sense.

‘Not possible,’ he muttered to himself. ‘You’re projecting, you’re going crazy.’

Striding briskly through the lobby, note still in hand, Ward headed straight toward Bruno standing near the entryway.

‘Aha! Here’s the man I wanted to see!’ The doorman smiled. ‘I have a delivery for you, just signed for it. I was going to bring it up on my break.’

But Ward was shaking his head. ‘Great, but that woman, the one who just came through here a couple of minutes ago . . .’

Surprised by the urgency in his voice, Bruno’s face flushed with worry, it was clear something distressing was afoot. ‘What woman?’ He looked around the empty lobby space as if searching for a hint.

‘She just walked out, literally two minutes ago, right after I came back from the park. Dark hair. About five foot six or so. Pretty. Really pretty.’ Ward looked expectantly at the doorway as if Hannah might suddenly reappear out of thin air.

‘Oh, you mean Miss Ryan?’

Hearing the name confirmed made everything come into focus. Hannah hadn’t been here in this building by chance. Far from it, it seemed.

‘She lives here, then? She’s a resident?’ Ward pressed.

Bruno looked at him strangely, like he’d suddenly sprouted wings and a tail.

‘Does she live here, Bruno?’ he demanded, already knowing the answer.

‘Well, of course, I mean technically speaking – but not for much longer it seems. Julie told me she’s vacating soon in preparation for Miss Wilde’s return.’

Ward honestly thought he might pass out.

‘Courtney Wilde? The influencer?’

‘Yes, your neighbour, in P-2. Miss Ryan has been housesitting the penthouse while Miss Wilde’s been away in Europe. I really would’ve thought you already knew this . . . I mean, since you and Miss Ryan work together and live side by side.’ Bruno looked at him curiously. ‘Edward, are you sure you’re feeling OK?’

Chapter 69

Ward was still reeling as the reality of the situation sank in and the implications of it all came crashing down on top of him. Hannah was living in this very building, had been staying next door in P-2 this entire time.

Hannah was P-2. Not Courtney.

He had been spilling his guts to her over and over, and she in turn, had been baring her soul to him.

But now that he knew, and once he’d started to connect the dots, things started to make sense . . . the assumption that he was old-fashioned and curmudgeonly, the cat that had decided to make its home in both places, the ‘advice’ he had supplied in the guise of helping her win over a ‘difficult’ male associate.