로그인“Hello, Chloe,” Hazel said, her voice dripping with false sweetness.Chloe stared at the iced tea rapidly soaking through her T-shirt and jeans, then at the food scattered across the marble floor. There went her lunch.“What the hell is wrong with you, Hazel?” she yelled, ignoring the curious glances directed at them. “Haven't you done enough?”“No, I haven't done nearly enough. Let's just say I enjoy watching you suffer.” Hazel's voice carried no remorse. “You stood there and watched me being chased by a zombie. You could have opened the gates for me, but you chose not to.”“And why would I save someone as despicable as you?” Chloe shot back. “Would you have opened the gates for me if our positions were reversed?”“Well, look at you now,” Hazel sneered. “You've been kicked out of your lover's precious little mansion. I should have suspected you were having an affair, considering how cozy you seemed with him. So, it's Adrian Blackwood, huh?”“Stay the fuck out of my life and my busine
Chloe woke up at the crack of dawn. Ding… Her phone chimed with yet another message from Hazel. Chloe didn't even need to check the screen to know who had sent it. She switched off her phone and began packing all her belongings into the briefcase. Rune's clothes and shoes were already packed. Less than twenty minutes later, she had finished arranging everything as best she could. Panting from exhaustion, she wheeled the boxes out of the shelter, past the mansion, and along the driveway toward her parked vehicle. After three trips, she had managed to move all the boxes to her vehicle. She carefully arranged them in the trunk, squeezing them into the little space left among the other supplies. Beads of sweat gathered around her temples as loose strands of hair fell across her face, tickling her skin. She managed to arrange everything reasonably we
Chloe slept uneasily throughout the night. Frankly, her discomfort had little to do with her altercation with Adrian, although that might have contributed to it. She was counting down the minutes until the lockdown was lifted, mentally preparing herself for what she might find in the outside world. Would the supermarkets still have groceries? Would the market stalls have fruits and other food supplies? And how would she store everything? She still wasn't entirely sure how the storage system worked. She already had raw rice, noodles, and Spam, but did she need to cook the food before storing it in the system? Would the items remain preserved indefinitely without spoiling? If she stored cooked meals, would they remain fresh and warm when she retrieved them during the apocalypse? Her mind was crowded with unanswered questions. Hazel had started using multiple phone numbers to harass and threaten her. Chloe
A firm knock sounded against the steel door, and Chloe went to open it. Adrian stood outside, dressed in a simple shirt and tailored trousers. He smelled of cool mint, aftershave, and something dark and musky. Chloe swallowed nervously as he stepped closer. She hadn't expected anyone, least of all Adrian Blackwood, especially after their earlier altercations. He seemed less intimidating than he had in his Italian suit. He looked almost human now, almost vulnerable. “Sorry to bother you,” he said, looking past Chloe as his eyes settled on the sleeping Rune. “And your daughter.” Chloe was flustered, but she managed to nod. “Do you have a minute?” he asked, his hands tucked into his pockets. “I'd like to have a word with you.” If he wanted to talk without another argument breaking out, Chloe was willing to oblige. “It's about th
Less than two minutes later, the lights came back on. Chloe suspected the shelter had switched to Adrian’s private power supply. When she eventually left Blackwood International, she wondered how she would cope with power shortages during the apocalypse. She would need high-capacity generators capable of supplying electricity for extended periods. She turned on the tap, but no water came out. Sighing, she triggered the storage and retrieved five bottles of purified water. She dished out two plates of steaming noodles, placed a bottle of water beside each, and headed for their bedroom. She had to keep meals light for now; it was best for them both. As she gently tapped Rune awake, she noticed that the child's temperature had risen alarmingly. “Mama?” Rune said raspily as she woke up. “I don't feel so good.” Every alarm in Chloe's head went off. Was it the long journey or the stress of everything that had happened over the past few days? “How do you feel?” She asked her daughter
She stood transfixed by the now-barred security gates, her pulse still racing with anxiety. Chloe could hardly believe that Ethan, her ex-husband, had become a zombie. Dominic, his enabling father, had been his first victim. She shuddered at the thought. Adrian Blackwood looked anything but pleased. His expression told Chloe he was about to lose his temper. “What the hell was that?” Adrian barked. She flinched, clutching her chest, but quickly regained her composure. “That was proof of everything I've been telling you. The apocalypse is coming. You just watched my ex-husband transform into a zombie.” “I'm a very private man, and this”—he gestured vaguely at the gates— “is exactly why I don't allow people into my space.” Chloe could understand his frustration. She had brought chaos to his doorstep, but she had done so to warn him of the danger ahead. It was only a glimpse of the chaos that awaited them. Having lived through the apocalypse, she knew that each day brought countle







