Chapter 2

But his mother’s marriage hadn’t worked out, and they’d separated when Sasha was thirteen. He’d had to go back to Moscow with his mom, where she eventually remarried and had another baby with her new husband.

But Sasha missed New York.

Now, here he was again. Sasha hoped he could stay for good this time.

* * * *

Sasha was dropped off at a stunning brownstone house on the upper west side. He’d known Elliot was wealthy in theory, but it was quite another thing seeing that wealth up close.

Sasha entered the building, looking around in awe at how beautiful it was. Like a very fancy hotel rather than an apartment block.

There was even a front desk with a clerk in uniform. Sasha collected an envelope with his name on it. Inside, a key for the apartment, and a card saying which apartment to go to.

It felt like a treasure hunt, in a way.