Rebirth Into My Second Chance

I sensed something off about Claude lately, 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 Claude leave my place. 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 Claude.

Feeling awkward yet compelled, 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 placed the second bottle down when a summer breeze slammed 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 a command, 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 plain, devoid of any branding. How he identified its origin so quickly was beyond me.

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

Was Claude 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, placing two bottles in the microwave to warm them up.

I managed a stiff smile, not committing to a preference.

In another life, my fondness for milk had led me down a complicated path with Claude, 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, makingNôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

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.

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.