Betrayed And Reborn With A System Before The Apocalypse

EVELYN'S POV

“Water…” I whispered, my throat painfully dry.

I tried to lift my hand, but my body felt too heavy to move. Every breath sent a sharp pain through my chest, and the effort of speaking left me exhausted.

“Please… someone…”

My voice barely carried beyond the hospital bed.

The machines beside me continued their steady beeping, their screens displaying numbers I no longer had the strength to interpret. I had been lying in this room for days, growing weaker with each passing hour, yet no one seemed concerned enough to stay with me.

My husband hadn't visited in three days. My best friend, Vanessa, had stopped answering my calls.

I had tried to convince myself they were busy. With the mysterious virus spreading across the country, everyone was struggling to keep up. Hospitals were overwhelmed, and doctors were working around the clock to save infected patients.

But something told me their absence had nothing to do with the outbreak.

I turned toward the television mounted on the wall. The volume was low, but the news reporter's voice was clear enough to catch my attention.

“—in a groundbreaking development, Dr. Vanessa Cole and her research team have successfully developed a revolutionary antiviral drug known as Virexon. The treatment has shown remarkable results in early trials, offering hope to millions as the deadly outbreak continues to spread.”

My eyes widened.

Virexon? No. That couldn't be right.

The screen changed, revealing Vanessa standing before a crowd of reporters. She wore a white lab coat, her hair perfectly styled, and a confident smile graced her face.

“The development of Virexon has been challenging, but my team and I are proud of what we've accomplished,” she said. “We believe this treatment will save countless lives.”

I stared at her in disbelief.

That formula was mine.

Three months ago, when reports of an unusual viral infection first emerged, I had warned my colleagues that it could become a global catastrophe. The infection spread rapidly, its symptoms were unpredictable, and existing antiviral medications proved ineffective.

I had spent countless nights studying the virus, searching for a weakness that could be exploited to develop a treatment.

Virexon had been the result of that work.

I had shared my preliminary findings with Daniel, my husband, and Vanessa, my best friend, believing they would help me develop the formula faster. Daniel was a pharmaceutical researcher, while Vanessa had access to a well-funded laboratory.

I had trusted them with my life's work.

And they had stolen it.

My fingers curled weakly around the bedsheet.

“How could you?” I whispered.

The reporter continued praising Vanessa, calling her one of the brightest medical minds of her generation. Every word felt like another knife twisting inside me.

I wanted to expose her. I wanted to tell the world what she had done.

But I could barely move.

With trembling fingers, I reached for my phone. It took several attempts before I managed to drag it closer.

I called Vanessa first.

No answer. Then I called Daniel.

The call rang until it disconnected.

I stared at their names, struggling to understand how the two people closest to me could abandon me when I needed them most.

Just as I was about to try again, a message appeared from an unknown number.

It contained a photograph.

For a moment, I couldn't make sense of what I was seeing. Then my eyes settled on the familiar faces.

Daniel was kissing Vanessa, his hand resting possessively on her waist while she wrapped her arms around his neck.

My phone slipped from my fingers.

For almost two years, I had been living with a man who was secretly sleeping with my best friend.

I had been so foolish.

The hospital room door opened.

Daniel walked in, followed by Vanessa, who was still wearing the white coat from her television appearance.

They were laughing about something until their eyes landed on me. Neither looked surprised.

Vanessa glanced at the television before turning to me with a faint smile.

“So, you saw the news.”

“You stole my formula,” I rasped.

She tilted her head. “Did I?”

“Don't lie to me!” My attempt to raise my voice triggered a sharp pain in my chest. I winced, struggling to catch my breath. “I trusted you. I shared my research because I thought you wanted to help save lives.”

“And I did help save lives,” she replied coolly. “You should be thanking me.”

I stared at her, stunned by her audacity.

“That was my work!”

“And yet, my name is the one everyone knows.”

She stepped closer to my bed, her expression hardening.

“Do you know how exhausting it was being your best friend, Evelyn? Everything always had to revolve around you. You were the brilliant doctor. You were the one everyone admired. Even when I worked twice as hard, people still compared me to you.”

Her lips curled into a bitter smile.

“I was tired of standing in your shadow.”

“You could have worked with me,” I whispered. “We could have developed it together. I would have shared the recognition.”

“Spare me.” She laughed without humor. “You expect me to believe that?”

Daniel finally spoke.

“Enough, Evelyn. There's no point making a scene.”

I turned toward him, my heart sinking.

“You knew?”

He slipped his hands into his pockets.

“Of course I knew.”

My lips parted, but no words came out immediately. “You helped her steal from me?”

“Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be. The drug works. People are going to benefit from it.”

“Then tell them the truth!”

“And destroy everything we've worked for?” Vanessa snapped. “You really are unbelievable.”

I tried to push myself upright, but my arms trembled beneath my weight. Before I could manage it, I collapsed against the pillows, gasping.

Daniel looked at me impatiently.

“Look at yourself, Evelyn. You can barely sit up. Who do you think will believe you?”

“I'll expose you,” I whispered. “Both of you.”

Vanessa glanced at Daniel before wrapping her arms around his neck.

Then she kissed him. I watched them, my chest tightening with a pain that had nothing to do with the virus.

When they finally separated, Vanessa looked at me with a triumphant smile.

“You should have paid more attention to your husband instead of spending every waking hour in a laboratory.”

Something inside me snapped.

I reached for her, desperate to wipe that smug expression from her face, but my hand barely made it halfway.

Daniel caught my wrist and shoved me back against the bed.

“Stop it!”

A violent cough tore through my chest. When I looked down, I saw blood staining my hospital gown.

For the first time, Daniel looked startled.

My breathing grew shallow. The monitor beside me began beeping rapidly, and panic seized me as I struggled to draw air into my lungs.

“Daniel…”

He looked toward the door.

Vanessa grabbed his arm. “We should leave.”

I stared at them in disbelief.

“You can't… leave me…”

Daniel hesitated for barely a second before following her.

“You'll be fine,” he muttered.

Then they walked out, leaving me alone.

I lay there, fighting for every breath, while the faces of the two people I had loved most haunted my mind.

They had stolen my research, destroyed my marriage, and abandoned me when I was dying.

Yet, amid all the bitterness, one person came to mind.

Dr. Adrian Hayes.

He had helped me refine the early stages of the Virexon formula. Unlike Daniel and Vanessa, he had never tried to take credit for my work. When I became infected, Adrian had continued caring for me despite knowing the risks.

He had been healthy when he entered my hospital room.

He had died trying to save me.

I had never even gotten the chance to tell him how grateful I was.

A tear slipped down my cheek.

“I'm sorry, Adrian…”

My vision blurred as the monitor's frantic beeping grew distant. I could feel myself slipping away, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

If I had another chance, I would protect my research. I would expose Daniel and Vanessa before they could ruin my life.

I would save Adrain no matter what it took.

~~~~~~~

A loud alarm jolted me upright.

I gasped, clutching my chest as I struggled to catch my breath. My heart pounded violently while I stared around.

I was in my bedroom.

I scrambled off the bed and looked around. The familiar curtains, dressing table, and medical journals scattered across my desk greeted me.

What was happening? I grabbed my phone with trembling fingers.

The date on the screen made my blood run cold. Two months before the outbreak.

I stared at it, reading the date repeatedly, waiting for the numbers to change. They didn't.

A disbelieving laugh escaped my lips. I pressed my fingers against my face, trying to comprehend the impossible.

Had I been given another chance?

My gaze landed on the research notes scattered across my desk. I hurried over and gathered them, checking the pages one by one.

My preliminary findings were still there, untouched.

This time, I wouldn't share my research carelessly. I would secure the formula, expose the truth about Daniel and Vanessa, and find a way to stop the virus before it spread beyond control.

But first, I needed to find Adrian. Suddenly, a faint blue light scrambled in front of me. I froze.

The light expanded, forming a transparent screen suspended in midair. Strange symbols appeared before resolving into words I could understand.

[Medical System Initializing…]

I took a cautious step backward.

“What the hell?”

More text appeared.

[Host identified: Dr. Evelyn.]

[Timeline Reversal Confirmed.]

My mouth fell open.

The screen skipped again.

[Primary Mission: Prevent the Collapse of Humanity.]

I swallowed hard, my mind racing with questions.

“Who are you? What is this?”

The screen pulsed with blue light.

[Welcome, Host.]

[Your second chance begins now.]