Three

Willow paused for a moment, her gaze sharpening as she instantly recognized the girl standing in front of her.

Chloe Taylor. Her descendant's supposed "best friend," closest confidante, and apartment roommate.

The two of them had grown up together through the foster care system, sharing an exceptionally deep bond on paper.

But after the apocalypse hit in the original timeline, Chloe had shamelessly leeched off Willow, eating through her stored rations, demanding protection, and even trying to manipulate Willow into selling her body to local gangs just to secure extra supplies when things got desperate.

What an absolute viper. Willow sneered inwardly.

She had returned to the apartment quietly, yet Chloe had immediately noticed her driving a commercial box truck; she must have been watching her movements for a while.

Willow said coldly, "I picked up a gig driving freight. Twelve grand a month. I'm just trying to bank some cash before graduation."

Chloe’s eyes flickered, her expression turning calculating and manipulative. She rubbed her hands together and sidled closer.

"Willow, babe, if you're making big money now, don't leave me hanging. We grew up together so you gotta share the wealth and help cover my expenses."

Chloe said it with a light, joking laugh, but Willow knew there wasn't an ounce of humor in it. Wasn't this exact mindset what had dragged her poor descendant down to an early grave?

"Chloe," Willow cut in sharply, "how can you live off me without even batting an eye?"

Chloe’s expression twisted instantly, her brows furrowing in righteous indignation. "What is that supposed to mean? Willow, I've treated you like a sister, and this is how you talk to me?"

"Treated me like a sister?" Willow let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Chloe, haven't you been freeloading off my rent and groceries for years? I had to work double shifts through college just to pay your share of the bills while you spent every dime on designer clothes."

"Have some actual shame, Chloe."

Chloe hadn't expected Willow to finally push back, especially since her old self had swallowed every insult and complaint without a word for years. Could it be that she'd been silently keeping score the entire time?

And now she was dropping this cold, unbothered act…it was genuinely sickening!

Chloe felt a spike of deep resentment, but forced a pathetic, fawning smile back onto her face. "Willow, are you hearing yourself? Have you forgotten that you never had any other friends growing up? I was the only one willing to stick by your side."

"Ha! And do you think I don't know why I never had any other friends?"

In her descendant's memories, the truth was glaringly obvious. Chloe couldn't stand seeing her succeed at anything, actively sabotaging her social life and poisoning the well behind her back to keep her isolated and dependent.

And her foolish descendant had genuinely believed she was just inherently unlikable, sinking deep into self-doubt. Because of that misplaced guilt, she had catered to Chloe's every whim from childhood onward, feeding her the best food and handing over whatever she wanted.

The thought alone made Willow's stomach churn with fury.

She always repaid kindness with kindness and vengeance with absolute vengeance. How had her descendant been stupid enough to tolerate this parasite? It was infuriating!

Panic flickered across Chloe's face. "Willow, what's got into you? Did someone fill your head with lies? Don't you trust me? I've stayed by your side all these years…are you really going to push me away over some petty gossip?"

Chloe pitched her voice to sound deeply aggrieved, but Willow wasn't her naive descendant, and she wasn't buying a single second of the performance.

"I'm breaking the lease on this apartment. If you want to stay here, figure out how to pay the full rent yourself."

Willow had zero interest in arguing over past utility bills or back rent. Chloe was a black hole of entitlement; with only three months left before global civilization collapsed, wasting another breath on her was a complete waste of time.

Once the apocalypse arrived, karma would handle people like Chloe just fine.

"Willow, you can't be serious!"

Chloe panicked for real now. Where on earth was she going to get the money for rent? She had just blown her entire allowance on a luxury handbag and was completely broke, entirely dependent on bleeding Willow dry.

Ignoring Chloe's tearful, dramatic gasps, Willow walked straight down the hall, shut her bedroom door, and clicked the deadbolt.

She planned to move everything out first thing tomorrow and camp out near her secure storage unit.

Outside the door, Chloe started aggressively hammering on the wood, but Willow completely tuned her out.

Realizing the game was up, Chloe collapsed onto the living room couch, completely losing her composure.

It was over, her free ride was vanishing. Desperate, she whipped out her phone and dialed a pinned contact at the top of her screen.

"Babe, are you missing me?" a smooth, arrogant male voice answered.

"Waaah, Tyler..."

The second the call connected, Chloe burst into loud, exaggerated tears, sobbing as if her heart were breaking.

On the other end, Tyler Brooks panicked instantly, scrambling to soothe her. "Baby, what's wrong? Who upset you? Tell me right now."

"Waaah, Tyler... it's... it's Willow... she's kicking me out, but honestly, it's my fault, I'm just so sorry..." Chloe whimpered.

Hearing that name, Tyler’s instant sympathy morphed into white-hot anger. "Chloe, are you crying over that toxic psycho again? I told you from day one that Willow was just using you. She's a manipulative bitch!"

"You're too kind-hearted, baby. She isn't worth a single tear. Stop crying, okay?"

"No, Tyler, it's not her fault..." Chloe sniffled, playing the ultimate martyr. "I just needed someone to talk to. I'm fine now."

Tyler scoffed on the other end. How could he possibly let Willow get away with making his girlfriend cry like this?

Maybe it was time to teach that arrogant freeloader a lesson.

Stirred up by her performance, Tyler's protective instincts flared. "Alright, stop crying, it kills me to see you like this. Didn't you want that designer pastry box from downtown? Let me send you some cash to cheer you up."

Right on cue, his phone buzzed with a digital wire transfer notification.

Chloe hesitated for a split second before eagerly accepting the $10,000 transfer, instantly drying her tears with a satisfied smirk.

She cast a venomous, cold glare toward Willow's locked bedroom door, let out a sharp scoff, and retreated to her own room to start online shopping.