With a sigh, Stella Sterling slipped out of the space, seeing that her time was nearly up.

She could only stay in the space for an hour at a time. After that, she had to leave and wait another hour before she could re-enter.

But the space had a bug: if she left before the full hour was up, she could re-enter immediately, and the timer would reset.

"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!"

The sound of knocking made Stella Sterling glance toward the door, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

She had already warned them not to disturb her.

Stella Sterling ignored it, but the person outside didn’t give up, continuing to knock.

Stella Sterling assumed it was Yasmine Holloway at the door. Judging from their last encounter, she hadn’t given up on pestering her.

She had warned her not to come bother her again, but clearly, the woman hadn’t taken her words to heart.

’It seems my attitude was too gentle before,’ she thought. ’Or maybe I was too nice to her last time, which gave her the wrong idea.’

With this in mind, Stella Sterling walked to the door, grabbing her large blade. She threw the door open and swung the blade at the person on the other side. "I told you, we’re not the same kind of people! Don’t come bothering me again. Since you refuse to listen, you can just die!"

The person at the door jumped back in alarm. He was about to counterattack when he got a clear look at his assailant—the very person he was looking for. "It’s me, Gordon Ford!" he said quickly.

That familiar yet foreign name made Stella Sterling’s blade freeze mid-swing.

She finally took a proper look at him. When she saw his face clearly, her brow furrowed even more deeply.

She calmly retracted the blade, saying nothing.

Gordon Ford never imagined their reunion would involve her swinging a blade at him. He thought of the gentle yet strong girl she used to be, now so guarded, and his expression became unreadable.

He said softly, "Be careful. Don’t hurt yourself with that."

Stella Sterling didn’t speak. She just stood in the doorway, watching him with a bewildered expression. ’Why is he here?’ she wondered.

After a long moment, it was Gordon Ford who broke the silence. "Long time no see, Stella Sterling."

Stella Sterling seemed to have no intention of reminiscing. Still standing in the doorway, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

After seeing him two days ago, she had thought they wouldn’t meet again. She never expected to see him again this soon.

In her previous life, after they had gone their separate ways, she had never seen him again—not even during the years of the apocalypse. Their paths had never crossed, and she had no idea if he was dead or alive.

’To think that after being reborn, we’ve met twice in just two days,’ she mused. ’Although the first time, it was only me who saw him; he didn’t see me.’

Seeing Stella Sterling’s wary gaze, Gordon Ford’s eyes darkened slightly. He said gently, "Today, I went to your biological parents’ place, the Sterling Family’s home, and learned that you no longer live there."

After seeing a figure from behind that resembled her in this complex two days ago, his heart had been unsettled. Unable to shake the feeling, he made a trip to the Mirefall Villas and found the Sterling Family.

But he discovered that she wasn’t there as he’d expected. He learned from her parents that she had moved out of the Sterling family villa long ago and was now living in this very complex.

So the figure he had seen that day really was her.

Stella Sterling listened with a placid expression. She didn’t understand what he was trying to say, or why he would have gone to the Sterling Family home to find her.

She didn’t ask if he had come here specifically for her, simply saying, "Mr. Ford, did you need something? If not, I’m closing the door. It’s cold out."

"It is cold," Gordon Ford agreed with a nod. He wore a black, fleece-lined overcoat and a hat, and his clothes were dotted with snowflakes and droplets of water. A chill radiated from him, as if he had just rushed here from the cold.

His eyes crinkled into a warm, bright smile. "It’s freezing. Could I possibly come in to warm up?"

The man’s smile sent Stella Sterling into a daze. A flood of memories washed over her—in them, he was always looking at her with that same gentle smile.

On instinct, she started to step aside to let him in, but then her senses returned. Remembering the state of her apartment, she blocked Gordon Ford’s path and shook her head. "I’m sorry, it’s not a good time."

’Whatever was between us is long over, and it went nowhere,’ she thought. ’Now, we’re little more than acquaintances.’

Besides, Stella Sterling didn’t want him to know what her apartment was like inside. After all, Gordon Ford wasn’t as easy to handle as the other residents.

Seeing Stella Sterling block his path, her eyes filled with even more caution, Gordon Ford’s heart sank, but he didn’t dare to press the issue.

He smiled. "It’s all right. I was being presumptuous."

After a pause, he continued, "I’m with the military now, and the conditions are much better where I am. I’m worried about you being here all by yourself. The main reason I came looking for you today was to ask you to come with me."

He hadn’t been able to relax since he learned she wasn’t living with the Sterling Family. He remembered the chaotic scene he’d witnessed in the complex a few days ago, people fighting over dry rations, and worried about how she could possibly cope on her own.

So he had come. He had to bring her with him. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Hearing this, Stella Sterling was stunned. She had never expected this to be his reason for coming. For a moment, her emotions were a complicated mess.

However, after a second or two of thought, she let out a soft laugh. "Thank you for your kindness, but don’t forget, there’s nothing between us. It wouldn’t be appropriate. Besides, I think I’m doing just fine here on my own."

Gordon Ford’s brow furrowed deeply, a flash of urgency breaking through his usually calm exterior. "What happened back then was a misunderstanding. I..."

Stella Sterling cut him off. "Whether it was a misunderstanding or something else, it’s all in the past. We’re just former classmates now. I appreciate you coming to see me, thank you."

’Why should I leave?’ she thought. ’I’m comfortable and at ease here. I can easily handle the people in this complex, so there’s no reason for me to go.’

Besides, she didn’t want to get entangled with him; it would only mess with her peace of mind.

Gordon Ford hadn’t expected this outcome. As he looked at Stella Sterling, his expression shifted continuously.

He stared at her, enunciating each word. "The day we were supposed to meet... I was in a car accident on the way. I was in a coma. My family sent me abroad. I was only back the day before the blizzard started... I didn’t stand you up on purpose. In fact, that day, I had even prepared..."