Between crushing an eyesore of a pest and hurrying home to feed his Rosebud, Sterling didn't hesitate—he chose the latter. He'd never been in a relationship, but he knew the saying: sometimes a dead crush hurts worse than a living rival. Not that he intended to date Claudia. But the thought of his pet secretly yearning for someone else? Unacceptable. Killing Jasper outright would've been too easy. Much better to peel him open layer by layer—strip away that polished mask until the rotten, fickle core underneath showed itself—until even the memory of him made Claudia flinch. Sterling entertained himself with a hundred and eight ways to drive them apart. Down by the hedge, Jasper shivered. A chill crawled up his spine, that instinctive prickle when something unseen turns its gaze on you. He glanced around. Nothing—just a car speeding past, far too close. Probably a resident, though the lack of apology was appalling. Jasper scowled. Once he and Claudia made up, he'd move her out of this place. He couldn't stand her living among such careless people. Still… the face behind the wheel—he frowned, replaying that split-second glimpse. No. Couldn't be. That man was supposed to be missing. And even if it was him, what the hell would he be doing here? This wasn't the kind of neighborhood the golden boy would lower himself to visit. Jasper shook his head, dismissing the thought. Then he looked up again, eyes fixed on Claudia's darkened window—never noticing the way more and more residents were staring, whispering, their suspicion mounting. Sterling parked in the underground garage and headed for the elevator, grocery bags dangling from his hands. Claudia had already texted that she'd order takeout if he didn't show soon. His recovery was nearly complete now; he no longer had to be so cautious about being seen. On nights when Claudia overate, she sometimes dragged him out for a walk, and the two of them looked—well, domestic. Neighbors had drawn their own conclusions. The mysterious man and the quiet beauty in 7B—the building's "model couple." Sterling didn't bother correcting them. As the elevator doors slid open, he found himself face-to-face with an elderly couple from downstairs. The grandmotherly woman gave him a kindly smile before leaning in, lowering her voice. "Young man, did you see that Mercedes parked downstairs? Do you know the owner? You'd better keep an eye on your wife. We've all seen that man knocking at your door, again and again. Once, he even cornered her while she was taking out the trash! Security had to intervene. And he's still hanging around every day." They said "your wife" without hesitation. Sterling not only let it stand—he savored it. He smiled, low and dangerous, then played along. "I know him. The guy's a shameless homewrecker. Obsessed with Claudia's looks. Even after I told him we're married, he swore he'd steal her away. The police couldn't even scare him off. And the best part? He's already married—his wife's lying in the hospital." The couple gasped. "He looked so decent! But to be that vile—!" "Don't worry," the grandmother said firmly. "We'll keep watch. We'll make sure he doesn't bother you again."Sterling's smile softened. "Thank you. Living among such good neighbors is our blessing." Tall, handsome, and polite—he made them feel guilty for ever thinking he was intimidating. Their resolve to "protect the young couple" only hardened. The grandmother wasted no time. Her fingers flew across her phone: Community Chat: "Confirmed—the man in the Mercedes is a shameless homewrecker. His wife's in the hospital, yet he still tries to steal our Claudia! They've rejected him, but he keeps coming back. We all need to be on guard." Replies flooded in: "What?! He looked so clean-cut—guess appearances fool you!" "Men like that are always good at pretending. His poor wife—maybe he's why she's hospitalized." "So he's a cheater and a wife-beater?" "Wait, a stalker in our building? Or worse—a killer?" And like wildfire, the story twisted further with every retelling. ... Within the hour, righteous fury had taken over the complex. "Catch him!" "Security, over here!" "Don't bother—call the police! He's been stalking her for days! We've all seen him!" Lost in bittersweet memories, Jasper didn't even see it coming. Suddenly, hands grabbed him from behind—he was slammed against his own hood, a knee digging into his spine. A crowd swarmed him. Someone yelled. Someone else kicked. He had never been so humiliated. Rage and disbelief turned his face an ugly shade of blue. What the hell was wrong with these people?! Unlucky for him, no one here knew who he was. Claudia had only bought this apartment earlier that year—she barely interacted with anyone. So to them, Jasper wasn't the ex-boyfriend. He was just a stranger— a stalker caught lurking around their "model couple's" home.