Alicia’s POV

I pulled up in front of the apartment and parked along the curb. The engine ticked softly as I turned it off, my hands lingering on the wheel for a moment before I unbuckled. No nerves. No drama. Just another task I’d set out to finish.

Walking up the stairs felt both familiar and distant, but none of it slowed me down. The same faint scuff marks along the railing. The same slight unevenness in the second step. I noticed them, sure—but they ...