74.

It was late in the afternoon when they made it to his apartment. Dimitri had told her on the flight that he didn’t have the heart to sell it when he left. Something about being sentimental about a place he lived in for so long. He also didn’t want it to sit idly when he was away, but until he figured out what to do, he hired someone to handle the upkeep every week.

The curtains had been opened, the air fresheners had been filled, spritzing the room with a peculiar scent. One Ayesha wasn’t familiar with but smelt amazing. The floors had been waxed, the chairs polished and shined. Whoever was maintaining the apartment must have come to prepare it for him the day before.

She set her purse down on the sofa and took off her jacket. Dimitri had asked her to go up so he could talk with someone at the reception. So, as she waited for him to come in, she stood by the balcony, looking at the sea of houses below her.

“It’s quite a view, isn&rs