Chapter 6 —Houses of Review

Narrator:

The journey passed in a heavy silence, laden with everything that neither of them said.

Roman drove with the same confidence with which he managed everything else in his life, slowly but surely, as if every traffic light, every intersection, and every street were part of a route he knew by heart.

And, indeed, he did know it.

He remembered perfectly the way to that forgotten area, where the houses looked as if they were about to collapse and the asphalt had more cracks than broken promises.

Behind them, a black SUV escorted the car, silent, discreet, but impossible to ignore.

When Roman stopped the car in front of the building, Aylin hurried out, clutching her purse to her body as if that could give her some protection.

But Roman got out too.

She spun around, stopping him with a trembling hand raised halfway.

“Mr. Adler, you don't need to accompany me...” Roman watched her silently, with that look that said nothing and everything at the same time. Aylin held his gaze for barely two seconds, until she looked down, resigned. “Of course... you are not to be argued with, only obeyed.”

Roman smiled, just a flicker on his lips, satisfied.

“Exactly.”

Aylin climbed the narrow stairs to the second floor, with Roman following her in complete silence.

When she reached the top, she opened the door gently and turned on the light.

The apartment was tiny. A single room where everything coexisted in the same space: a small bed next to a makeshift table, a minimal kitchenette, and shelves worn by time. But it was immaculate.

Everything was tidy, down to the last detail, without a single glass out of place or a piece of clothing badly folded.

Roman looked around the place slowly, as if inspecting every corner.

He had expected worse. Much worse.

But somehow, he liked the meticulous orderliness amid such scarcity.

Without saying a word, he leaned against the doorframe while Aylin began to gather her things.

Roman didn't rush her. He just watched her in silence, thinking that, however humble her life was, Aylin clung to it with the same dignity with which she now challenged him.

And for the first time since they had arrived, he thought that having her around didn't bother him so much.

Aylin moved around the small apartment with ease, focused on packing the few things she had into an old suitcase. She didn't even notice Roman watching her from the doorway, as if she were under a microscope, analyzing her every detail, from the way she folded her clothes to how she carefully arranged each object.

“Would you like something to drink?” she asked suddenly, without looking at him, more out of politeness than genuine intention.

Roman raised an eyebrow, surprised by the offer, but without hesitation.

“Coffee would be nice.”

Aylin opened the small cupboard and rummaged through the cans, jars, and nearly empty packages.

She sighed.

“I only have tea...”

Roman looked at her with that half-smile that was hard to tell whether it was mockery or approval.

“Tea is fine.”

She nodded and began to boil the water, not noticing that he was still there, standing still, as if he enjoyed watching her go about her business in her little world. Aylin carefully pulled out a small wooden stool that was hidden under the table. She wiped it clean with the palm of her hand before bringing it closer to him.

“You can sit here, Mr. Adler. I'm sorry... I don't have many options. I live alone, so I only have one of each item.”

Roman nodded, without a trace of annoyance, and sat down without protest, settling as best he could into the tiny seat that creaked under his weight.

Aylin handed him the only cup she had, filled with hot tea, while she herself remained seated at the foot of the bed, holding a glass with the same drink.

The scene was absurd.

He, in his impeccable suit, drinking tea from a mismatched cup, sitting on an uncomfortable stool, inside that tiny apartment.

And yet Roman didn't seem bothered.

In fact, there was something about that simplicity, about the carefree way Aylin tried to hide her embarrassment, that he found... strangely pleasant.

He watched her as she looked down at the glass, fingering the rim as if she wanted the moment to pass quickly.

But he was in no hurry.

And, for the first time in a long time, he had no intention of leaving right away.

“I hope it's okay...” he murmured. “It's cheap tea, the kind they sell in big packages.”

“As long as it's hot, it'll do,” she replied expressionlessly, but with unexpected calm.

Aylin smiled shyly, looking down at her glass.

“I'm sorry about the amenities... or lack thereof. As I told you, I only have what I need for myself.”

Roman watched her as she played with the rim of her glass.

“Always so cautious?”

She frowned slightly.

“What do you mean?”

“That you apologize for not having more than you need.”

Aylin shrugged, taking a quick sip of tea before replying:

“I don't have much, Mr. Adler. And when you have little, you learn not to expect visitors.” Roman set the cup aside, crossing his arms as he looked at her intently. Aylin finished putting away the few things she had.

She closed the suitcase with a long sigh, as if by doing so she was also sealing the last page of her life there. She said nothing. He just watched her from the stool, patient, as if there were no rush, as if enjoying the spectacle of seeing her say goodbye to her tiny world was part of the plan. “I'm ready,” she said at last, picking up the suitcase.

Roman stood up and took the bag without asking permission.

“I'll carry that.”

She wanted to protest, but she bit her tongue. She already knew that arguing with him was useless.

When they went downstairs, the car was still there, escorted by the black van behind it, as if the simple act of picking up her things were a secret operation.

Aylin turned one last time before getting into the car. She looked at the peeling facade of her building, the broken windows of the stairwell, the constant buzz of the neighborhood that never slept.

That had been her life. Until today. Roman drove off slowly. The entire ride back was spent in silence. She just looked out the window, watching the city change as they drove away. From broken streets and graffiti-covered walls to clean avenues and magazine-worthy houses.

When they arrived at the mansion, one of the employees came out to greet them and took her suitcase before she could react.

“Follow me,” Roman ordered, entering without giving her time to stop.

They crossed the entrance, and this time, even though she already knew the house, Aylin felt that it was different. Definitely. Roman went up the stairs, and she followed him to a wing she had never seen before.

He opened a double door and pointed inside.

“This will be your bedroom.” It was spacious, bright, with a large bed and windows overlooking the back garden.

Nothing like anything she had ever had. “Leave your things. Rest if you want. We'll talk later.”

Aylin nodded.

“Thank you, Mr. Adler.”

Roman looked at her for a moment, with that way he had of analyzing without giving anything away.

“Remember what I told you, Aylin. Here, you obey me.”

“Yes, sir, that's already more than clear to me.”

Roman smiled slightly, satisfied, before turning and disappearing down the hallway.

And Aylin stood there, in the middle of a room that didn't feel like hers, wondering what the hell she had done.