Chapter 5

Julian stood outside Chloe's apartment building, his heart hammering against his ribs. He'd been here a hundred times before, but never like this. Never as the enemy. The familiar brick facade loomed over him like a judge's bench, condemning him for his sins. Three months ago, he'd walked through those doors with a key and a smile. Now he stood like a stranger, watching residents hurry past with suspicious glances. A young couple emerged, laughing and holding hands – just like he and Chloe used to do. The girl's perfume caught his nose: vanilla and jasmine. Chloe's signature scent. The universe, it seemed, wouldn't let him forget what he'd thrown away. "Just do it," he muttered to himself. "Ring the bell." His finger hovered over the intercom when a familiar voice cut through the morning air. "Well, look what the garbage truck forgot to pick up." Roberto Martinez Jr. – Rob to his friends, which Julian no longer was – stepped out of his car. At six-foot-three, Chloe's older brot