The eviction notice came on a Tuesday, slipped under my door like a coward’s whisper. “Final Warning: Rent Past Due.” I stared at it for hours, heart pounding, stomach twisting. At 23, I was already drowning in student loans, a part-time barista gig barely covering ramen and bus fare. The apartment was crappy: leaky faucets, peeling paint, but it was mine. Or had been. Mr. Harlan Vance my landlord, 38, silver-streaked hair, always in tailored shirts that hugged his broad chest had been patient at first. “Take your time, sweetheart,” he’d said last month, his deep voice smooth with that faint Southern drawl, eyes lingering on my legs a beat too long. Now patience was gone. Not until I texted him there was a leak in the house, which wasn't entirely true, I didn't call him for any of that but to get into his bed. He texted that night: Inspection tomorrow. 9 PM. Be there. I paced the tiny kitchen all day, nerves frayed. The place was clean, scrubbed top to bottom but I knew it
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