Ethan was in the middle of making tea when the knock came.He froze, kettle humming softly on the cooking gas, heart jumping for reasons he didn’t immediately understand. Dan wasn’t expecting anyone. Neither was he.The knock came again.Ethan turned off the cooking gas and wiped his hands on his jeans, moving slowly toward the door. A strange unease crept up his spine, the kind that came when something unexpected brushed too close to a wound that hadn’t closed yet.When he opened the door, Martin Hart stood in the hallway.Impeccably dressed. Calm. Familiar in a way that made Ethan’s stomach tighten.“Ethan,” Martin said, offering a measured smile. “I hope I’m not intruding.”Ethan blinked. “Martin? How did you…”“I asked around,” Martin said lightly, as if that explained everything. “May I come in?”Ethan hesitated. Every instinct told him to say no. Instead, courtesy won, curiosity or the residual habit of deferring to people like Martin Hart.“Sure,” he said, stepping aside.Marti
Last Updated : 2026-01-29 Read more