You Had Me, You Lost Me, You'll Never Find Me novel Chapter 23

It wasn't the first time Sylvia had met a fan in person, but it was incredibly rare for someone to speak to her with such earnest conviction.

She had always assumed she was just an invisible extra in the background.

Yet here was Julian, telling her he was her fan.

A tight, emotional lump formed in Sylvia's throat, and she managed a soft smile. "Thank you."

It was hard not to feel deeply moved. After such a long, grueling journey, realizing that someone out there had actually noticed her hard work and was offering such genuine encouragement was overwhelming.

"Actually, I..."

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. "Dr. Sterling? Do you need any help?"

The delicate atmosphere in the room shattered instantly.

Julian walked over and opened the door, speaking in a flat tone. "No need."

He turned back to Sylvia. "Actually, what?"

Sylvia shook her head. "It's nothing."

Julian didn't press the issue. Instead, he smoothly changed the subject. "Let's get started on that check-up."

The past two days had been rough for Sylvia. Her emotions had been wildly erratic, leaving her terrified for the baby's safety. Thankfully, the results showed everything was perfectly fine.

She let out a quiet sigh of relief, her hand resting gently on her stomach. It was still completely flat, betraying no sign of the tiny life growing inside her.

Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a real estate agent.

Sylvia had been browsing apartments online and left her contact information. Since she had some free time over the next couple of days, she needed to finalize her living situation as soon as possible.

After a brief chat, she agreed to meet the agent that afternoon for a viewing.

The agent showed her a beautifully lit unit where she could wake up to natural sunlight every morning. It came fully furnished with modern appliances—perfect for moving in immediately. However, the price tag was steep.

"Look, this price is a steal for this neighborhood. The only reason I'm even showing it to you is because you're a single woman. Landlords hate it when tenants trash the place before moving out."

The agent was a smooth-talker, trying his hardest to close the deal, but the rent was still well above Sylvia's budget.

She didn't have much cash left. Running the numbers in her head, the rent, utilities, and maintenance fees would easily total several thousand dollars a month.

Thinking about all her upcoming expenses, a wave of financial anxiety washed over her.

Even at this price, the apartment was a massive downgrade from the sprawling place she had shared with Ashton. Ashton used to live in his family's sprawling estate but had moved to a new place purely to make Sylvia's commute easier. Everything in that house was brand new, and the space was massive.

Ashton always claimed that small spaces felt suffocating and restrictive, but in reality, it was just his billionaire standards talking.

Still, when Sylvia was with him, she had never once had to worry about money.