CHAPTER 2

Evelyn sat at her desk and opened her banking app.

Her hands were steady, but her heart raced. She had been dead once. She remembered the cold, the hunger, and the sound of Chloe crying as Adrian pulled her away. She remembered calling their names until her voice failed.

This time, she would not wait for anyone to save her.

The balance on her screen made her frown.

She had more money than she remembered having at this point in her first life. Her salary from the hospital had arrived two days earlier, and she had not yet paid her rent for the month. There was also money in her savings account.

She checked both accounts twice.

It wasn’t enough to buy everything she might need for the next few months, but it was a start. If she spent carefully, she could prepare food, water, medicine, and other basic supplies before the world fell apart.

Forty-five days.

That was all the time she had.

Evelyn opened a new page in her notebook and wrote three headings.

Money I Have. Money I Need. Things I Must Do.

She listed her savings under the first heading. Under the second, she wrote food, water containers, first aid supplies, medicine, warm clothes, batteries, tools, and a safe place to stay.

The third heading took longer.

She needed to check the condition of her car. She needed to find a better place to live. She needed to buy supplies without raising suspicion. She needed to decide what to do about Adrian and Chloe.

Then there was Lucian Vale.

She stopped writing.

In her first life, Lucian had offered to help her several times. He had never asked her to be his girlfriend. He had never demanded anything from her. He had simply asked if she was safe, whether she needed anything, and if she would let him help.

She had treated every offer like a trap.

Adrian had always found a reason to dislike him. He said Lucian was too rich to care about ordinary people. He said men like Lucian gave gifts because they expected something in return.

Evelyn had believed him.

She had been wrong.

That didn’t mean she should trust Lucian without thinking. She had learned what happened when she let someone else make her choices.

This time, she would judge him by his actions.

A phone notification appeared at the top of her screen.

It was from Adrian.

Adrian: Babe, are you there?

She stared at the message.

In her first life, she would have answered right away. If she didn’t reply quickly, Adrian would ask why she was ignoring him. Sometimes he would say he had been worried. Other times, he would act as if she had done something wrong.

She had spent years trying to keep him happy.

Now, she could see how much time she had wasted.

Another message came in.

Adrian: I need that money today. Please don't forget.

Evelyn looked at the screen for several seconds before locking her phone.

She would not send him money.

She would not explain why she had changed.

And she would not tell him what she knew about the coming disaster.

The last thing she needed was Adrian asking questions about every purchase she made. If he knew she had money, he would find a reason to ask for some. If he knew she was buying supplies, he would want to know what she planned to do with them.

He might even tell Chloe.

Her younger sister had always been good at getting what she wanted from Evelyn. A sad face, a few tears, or a reminder of their childhood could make Evelyn give in.

She loved Chloe. That had never been the problem.

The problem was that Chloe had learned to use that love whenever she needed something.

Evelyn rubbed her forehead.

She could not spend the next forty-five days arguing with them. She needed a clear plan, and she needed to follow it.

She returned to her notebook.

First, she would protect her money. She would move part of her savings into a separate account and keep enough cash for daily needs. She would not tell anyone how much she had.

Second, she would check her home. Her current flat was comfortable, but it was not suitable for long periods without power, running water, or regular deliveries. The building had large windows and only one main entrance. The area was busy, and many people lived close together.

It might work for a short time, but she needed another option.

Third, she would buy supplies in small amounts from different shops. She would avoid emptying shelves or buying the same product in large quantities at one place. People would notice that.

She wrote down the shops she knew and the things each one sold.

Then she remembered the small warehouse store near the edge of town. It sold bulk food, water containers, camping equipment, and basic tools. In her first life, she had never visited it. She had thought buying supplies in bulk was a waste of money.

Now, she wished she had gone there sooner.

She checked the time. It was still early enough to leave the house.

Evelyn stood, changed into jeans and a plain shirt, and tied her hair back. She took her handbag, notebook, bank card, and car keys.

Before leaving, she looked around her room.

Everything was normal. Her bed was made. Her clothes were in the wardrobe. A half-empty bottle of water sat on the bedside table.

She walked over and picked it up.

In her first life, water had become one of the things she thought about every hour. She had gone days with almost nothing to drink. Her mouth had become so dry that speaking hurt.

She finished the water and placed the bottle in her bag.

Then she left.

The drive took twenty minutes. Traffic was light, and the roads looked almost peaceful. People crossed the street with shopping bags. A man argued with a bus driver. Two children ran after a football near a row of shops.

Evelyn watched them through the windscreen.

They had no idea what was coming.

She parked outside the warehouse store and went in. The air smelled of cardboard and soap. Shelves stood in long rows, filled with food, cleaning products, tools, and camping gear.

She picked up a trolley and began with the basics.

Rice. Beans. Pasta. Oats. Canned fish. Canned vegetables. Cooking oil. Salt. Sugar. Powdered milk. She checked the dates on each item and chose products that would last. She added soap, toothpaste, sanitary pads, rubbish bags, and washing powder.

Then she found the water containers.

She bought four large ones and two smaller bottles she could carry. She also chose a torch, spare batteries, a basic first aid kit, and a small tool set. She wanted more, but she made herself stop and check the cost.

The total was higher than she expected.

She removed two items she could buy later and paid. The cashier barely looked at her.

That was good.

Evelyn loaded the bags into her car and returned to the store for a second look. She bought gloves, strong tape, rope, and a small camping stove. She would need fuel for it, but she would research safe storage before buying any.

When she finally left, her car was packed with bags. She drove home carefully and parked in the space behind her building. She carried the lighter bags upstairs first, then returned for the rest.

By the time everything was inside, her arms hurt.

She set the supplies in a corner and took out her notebook. Beside each item, she wrote the amount she had bought and what she still needed.

It was a small start, but it made the danger feel real in a way her memories had not.

Her phone rang.

Chloe's name appeared on the screen.

Evelyn let it ring twice before answering.

“Hello?”

“Evie!” Chloe sounded cheerful. “What are you doing? I called you earlier.”

“I was busy.”

“You sound strange. Are you sick?”

“No. I'm fine.”

There was a pause. “Okay. I wanted to ask if you could send me some money. I have a few things to sort out.”

Evelyn looked at the bags stacked beside her.

In her first life, she would have asked how much Chloe needed and sent it before the call ended.

“I'm not sending money today,” she said.

Chloe went quiet.

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because I have things I need to pay for.”

“You never used to talk like this.”

“I know,” Evelyn said. “Things are changing.”

She picked up her notebook again.

Forty-four days remained.

This was only the first day of her new life, and already she had made one choice she had never been brave enough to make before.

She would keep making them.