"I should've just pushed myself to run home earlier. Now we're stuck here. This is torture!" "Wait it out. If the rain doesn't stop, we can't risk going outside." The residents who had rushed into Building 6 during the acid rain were huddled in the lobby, restless and scared. A girl, about ten years old, clung to her mother's arm. "Mom, I want to go home." Her mother pulled her close, whispering gently, "Don't be afraid, Lottie. As soon as the rain stops, I'll take you home." The only ones able to speak now were those who had reacted quickly or happened to be near the entrance when the rain began. Others weren't so lucky—several people were badly burned. Now, they were lying on the ground, unable to say a word. Someone suggested, "This storm isn't letting up anytime soon. Why don't we go upstairs and find empty rooms? At least there'd be beds." Another person scoffed, "With this many people? Where would we find that many empty beds?" A man lowered his voice. "You don't know, do you? This place belongs to the psycho. She has already killed most of the people in her building. Several gasped and asked curiously, "What psycho?" The others stared at them in disbelief. "You mean you've never heard of the Chainsaw Psycho? You must not live in our neighborhood." The strangers nodded. "We're from Clearview Court. We just came here to trade supplies. Didn't expect to get trapped." That was enough to spark stories. Someone jumped in and explained, "No wonder you haven't heard of her. Everyone around here knows about her. Let me tell you."The night pressed on heavily outside, rain hammering against the windows, making the tale sound even darker. Occasionally, those from Maplecourt chimed in, adding details and exaggerations. The Clearview folks listened wide-eyed. Their neighborhood had its share of fights over supplies, but the thought of one woman wiping out an entire building was beyond belief. Stories spread—about a chainsaw killer, about stabbing people dozens of times, about forcing victims to eat filth, and even whispers of her eating human flesh and cutting people into pieces. The wilder the rumors grew, the less believable they sounded. Still, one woman held her daughter tighter, spooked by every word. The folks from Clearview Court just treated it like a scary campfire story, never taking it seriously. But when they climbed the stairs, their bravado faded. The bloodstains smeared across the walls were too real. Everyone remained on the lower floors; no one dared to go higher. Unit 1402. Steam rose from a platter of pork ragu with gnocchi. Cassian set down two plates, one for each of them. The stew was rich and savory with the sauce. As soon as they put the pork into their mouth, the meat burst with flavor. Natalie ate with delight, savoring every bite with some salad on the side. Across the table, Cassian watched her with soft eyes. This girl always ate like she meant it—no pretense, no show. Just honest enjoyment. And that made every meal he cooked feel like a triumph. Cassian had been to plenty of dinner parties before. Most women there barely touched their food—two or three small bites, then they set their forks down and dabbed their mouths with a napkin. Beautiful, yes, but it always left him with no appetite. Natalie was different. She was graceful, and the way she ate made the food look delicious. She popped two gnocchi in a row, then looked up, ready to compliment the chef—only to find him staring at her, fork still in hand. Natalie frowned. "Why are you watching me? Gnocchi tastes best when it's hot." She spoke with the natural respect of someone who took meals seriously. "You should focus on eating." Cassian chuckled softly and finally put the gnocchi into his mouth. But after just a few bites, something felt off. He glanced down. A dog and a rabbit were staring straight at him. Lucky's drool was already stringing down her chin. Cassian almost laughed out loud. He turned to Natalie and reminded her, "Lucky's about to lose it. Maybe we should let them have some too?" Natalie swallowed and shook her head. "No way. They eat too fast. It has to cool down, or it'll burn their throats." Cassian let out a grunt. Under the burning gaze of the animals, he forced himself to eat another gnocchi. For the first time in his life, he finally understood what it felt like to be watched intensely by audiences for dinner—not by people, but by animals with big, pleading eyes. Natalie was used to their fiery stares, but she knew Cassian had to feel uncomfortable. So she gave each of them a little kick. "Shoo! Don't you know it's rude to stare while people are eating?"The two small ones dragged themselves away with pitiful faces. They stopped in the corner of the living room, but their burning gazes never left them. "Turn your heads," Natalie ordered. Lucky obeyed and turned away. But a second later, she peeked back at them from the corner of her eye. Cassian almost burst out laughing. He set down his fork, picked up the gnocchi meant for the two of them, and pulled out a fan to cool it down quickly.