In person, the Riverside Apartments looked better than they did in the pictures online. Logan parked his car—yes, this man has a car because of his life savings—and looked at the three-story brick building with its neat landscaping and clean outside. It wasn't fancy at all, but it was a giant improvement over the small studio he'd been living in for the past two years.
He took his two duffel bags and the three cardboard boxes that had fit in the back seat out of the trunk. He had everything he owned in the world packed into five boxes.
It should have made him feel sad, but it made him feel free. No baggage from his past life, no reminders of who he used to be. It's just a clean slate and only the basics from now on.
There was a small lobby with mailboxes on one wall and a bulletin board full of notices about community events and maintenance schedules. Logan looked over the email Mrs. Hendricks had sent him.
Logan was on the second floor of Unit 4A, which faces the courtyard. He was about to go up the stairs when the front door flew open behind him.
"Oh, thank God you're here!" A woman in her fifties rushed in, her salt-and-pepper hair a little messy and her professional blazer wrinkled like she'd been wearing it for too long.
She held a clipboard in one hand and a phone in the other. "Are you Logan Hart? The new tenant for 4A?"
"Yup. That's me," Logan said, putting down one of his boxes so he could shake her hand. "Mrs. Hendricks?"
"Please... there are no formalities in this apartment, keep that in mind. You can call me Patricia."
"I'm very sorry about this." She looked at her phone when it buzzed with another message. "I planned to be here to show you around myself, but something terrible is happening at one of my other properties."
"There was a burst pipe with water everywhere, and renters threatening to sue me. It's going to be a fucking disaster if I don't come fast to solve it."
Logan, taken aback by her swearing, said, "That... sounds bad. Don't worry about the tour. I'm sure I can figure things out."
"No, no, I can't just let you walk around by yourself on your first day." Patricia looked around the lobby, and then her face lit up. "Oh! Veronica should be at home!"
"She lives in 4B, which is right next to your unit. She's a delightful woman to talk to and very responsible."
"Let me just knock on her door and ask if she would mind showing you around."
Patricia was already halfway up the stairs before Logan could say that it wasn't necessary. She was moving surprisingly fast for someone who was holding a phone and a clipboard.
Logan picked up his bags and followed her up to the second floor, where there was a hallway with doors on either side. Patricia knocked hard on the door with the number 4B on it.
"Veronica~? It's Patty. Are you home?"
There was a short pause, and then the sound of a lock turning. When the door opened, Logan's presence detection skill went off in the back of his mind right away.
She was in her late twenties or maybe thirties, and her pale hair was gathered with quiet precision, braided as though she had taken her time that morning, yet loose strands still slipped free, which was lovely. She had on a simple cream-colored sweater and dark jeans.
It was a casual outfit that somehow made her look classy. But the gold wedding ring on her left hand caught Logan's eye right away, and he felt sick to his stomach.
"My next-door neighbor is a married woman...?! THIS SEXY AND BEAUTIFUL MARRIED WOMAN!?" Logan said in his mind.
"Holy fuck...! I'm losing focus... her tits... those tits...! They are massive! I can already tell those are H cups or maybe more...!"
Well, you can already tell, Logan was a perverted man, especially after he achieved such a peak physique, where his testosterone kept on going higher and higher, just because he had never dated a woman before. Maybe this time, he has a chance...?
"Oh... Patty. Good morning, is everything all right?" Veronica's voice was warm but a little worn out, like she had just woken up from a nap or had a long day.
"If you have a moment, I'm having a problem at the Maple Street property, and this is Logan Hart, who lives in 4A." Patricia pointed at Logan, who waved back in an awkward way. "Would you mind showing him around?"
"Just the basics, like where the laundry room is and how the heating works?"
Veronica looked at Logan, and he felt the presence detection ping again, but this time it was stronger. She was definitely paying attention to him, but her face stayed politely blank. "Of course, I'd love to help."
"You're a lifesaver!" Patricia was already backing up toward the stairs with her phone to her ear. "Logan... Veronica here will take great care of you."
"You can call me if you need anything else. And..." Patricia gives a full-force smack on his back. "Welcome to Riverside Apartments!"
And just like that, Patricia was gone. Her hurried footsteps echoed down the stairs, leaving Logan alone in the hallway with a married woman and a terrible feeling about what was about to happen.
The feeling got worse a second later when a system notification flashed in his vision and made his blood run cold.
[TARGET DETECTED: VERONICA JOHANSON]
[STATUS: MARRIED]
[DIFFICULTY: EXTREME]
[CLASSIFICATION: CONQUERABLE TARGET]
Logan said, "What the fuck does that even mean?" too quietly for Veronica to hear.
"Sorry?" she said, tilting her head a little.
"N-Nothing! Just talking to myself, it's a bad habit for me, honestly, hahaha." Logan smiled, but it was forced. "Thanks for agreeing to show me around. I appreciate the help..."
"Not a problem at all."
"Just let me get my keys." Logan's mind was racing when Veronica went back into her apartment for a moment.
The system viewed a married woman as a target capable of conquering any level of difficulty. It was extreme, and that small warning sign next to her marital status didn't mean he should back off, but it just meant that things were complicated.
The system was still counting her.
[I can hear you freaking out from here. Take it easy.]
"She's someone's wife...!" Logan hissed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why the hell are you counting her as a target?"
[I'm trying to figure out how emotionally available and compatible they are. It is noted that she is married, but this may not be permanent. You will soon understand.]
[You should know life is complicated, and you need to have the new mindset of someone who has already reached perfection.]
"The fuck was that supposed to mean..."
Veronica came out of her apartment with a small keyring and a nice smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Okay, let's start with your unit. I guess you want to leave your bags first."
"Yes, that would be great."
She took him two doors down to 4A and used one of Patricia's master set keys to open it. The door opened to show a small studio apartment with hardwood floors, a small kitchen along one wall, and a window that looked out over the courtyard below. It was clean, empty, and just what Logan needed.
"It's not big, but it's cozy," Veronica said as she walked in and pointed around. "The controls for the heating are right here on the wall."
"It's pretty simple. Hot water usually works, but it can take a minute to warm up in the morning."
"And there aren't many people in the building here, mostly students and young professionals."
"I see..."