The apartment was an old-fashioned one, with no security door, just a wooden one. The previous homeowner, in an effort to save space, had installed it to swing outwards.
Vera Wave was used to doors that opened inwards at her place. She tugged the door inwards with all her strength, but of course, it refused to budge.
Upon hearing his voice, she pushed it outwards. Sure enough, the door swung open smoothly.
She looked up and saw the familiar old security door and staircase opposite her. She froze on the spot.
This wasn’t her apartment?!
Looking at the door opposite, she then turned to look at Kris Cooper’s door beside her.
"Who... asked you to live across from me?"
Kris Cooper stepped forward.
"Where I choose to live seems to be my prerogative, isn’t it?"
"Cut it out!" Vera turned around to confront him, pointing a finger at his face. "Don’t think for a moment that I don’t know what you’re up to. You deliberately moved to the apartment across from mine, didn’t you?"
Kris Cooper leaned on the door frame, looking down at her. "Since you claim to know my motives, go ahead and tell me. If you guess correctly, there’s a reward!"
"HMPH!" Vera snorted. "Aren’t you just worried I’ll skip town and not repay you?"
Kris Cooper’s mouth fell slightly agape; for a moment, he was speechless.
Over one hundred thousand USD... was it really worth him moving just to keep an eye on her?
Indeed, she had hit the nail on the head!
Vera curled her lip. "Rest assured, I may be poor, but I won’t evade a debt."
With that, she pushed him aside and re-entered his apartment. She scanned the space but found no trace of her purse.
"I forgot to grab it when I brought you back last night, so I had Tommy Taylor take it. He’ll bring it to the office for you today."
"What about my clothes?"
"I took them to be cleaned."
That morning, when he left, he had conveniently taken them to be laundered.
Vera was left speechless. "Then what am I supposed to wear?"
The keys are in my bag. Without them, I can’t open my door, let alone go in to change. Is he expecting me to go to work in my pajamas?
"Take the day off," Kris said. "I’ll get your keys back to you by noon."
He had initially planned to buy new clothes for her, but it was too early, and the Shopping Mall was still closed. Considering how heavily she drank the night before, he figured she needed to rest today. Consequently, he hadn’t paid much attention to the clothing issue.
That sounds nice and all, but I already skipped work unexpectedly yesterday. If I don’t go in today, I can kiss my job goodbye.
"I don’t have someone to cover for me like you do!"
With an angry glance, Vera stormed into the bedroom.
Someone to cover for me?
A grim line appeared on Kris Cooper’s face. He started to advance, but SLAM! The door swung back, narrowly missing his face.
After firmly locking the door, Vera swiftly walked over to the laundry basket. Peering in, she found it empty—her clothes were indeed missing.
He knew I had nothing else to wear and still sent my clothes to be laundered. That guy is definitely doing this on purpose!
Vera glanced around the room, her gaze landing on his closet. She strode over and flung open the doors.
Quickly scanning the range of shirts and suits inside, she finally picked out a tracksuit and quickly put it on.
The clothes were large and baggy. Fortunately, the pants had drawstrings, so even when pulled to their tightest, they just barely hung on her waist.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, dressed in his oversized clothes that made her look like a child playing dress-up, Vera felt a wave of despair.
What had she done to deserve this? She had been hit by such a terrible string of bad luck recently.
If I go to the office , I’ll be laughed out of the building!
Of course, being laughed at is better than being fired. Thinking this, she steeled herself, swapped her slippers for the high heels she found beside the bed, and left his apartment.