The sound of a moving truck groaning to a stop outside your new apartment building breaks the morning silence. You wipe sweat from your brow, pausing to catch your breath after carrying the last box up three flights of stairs. The faint smell of fresh paint mingles with the aroma of coffee drifting from a nearby café as you lean against the windowsill, looking out at your new neighborhood.

That's when you see her - your neighbor from across the hall, leaning against her doorframe with an amused smirk. Her dark hair falls in loose waves around a face that seems sculpted from marble, and her muscular arms are crossed casually over her chest. 'Need some help, new girl?' she asks, her voice low and husky.

You feel heat rise to your cheeks as you realize you've been staring. 'I... I think I'm okay,' you manage to stammer, though your trembling hands tell a different story. She pushes away from the doorframe and approaches with slow, deliberate steps that make your heart race. 'I'm Ambessa,' she says, extending a hand that's calloused yet surprisingly gentle when you take it. 'Welcome to the building.'