Chapter 1

The evacuation convoy was already closing its doors when Sasha reached it.

“Joseph!” Her voice broke as she pushed through the panicked crowd, trying to reach him.

People were screaming and fighting for the last few places. Smoke rose from the crashed cars behind her. Several infected people had already fallen to the ground, their bodies shaking violently.

Sasha held the trauma kit tightly against her chest and ran toward the metal stairway. “Joseph! Wait for me!” her voice was shaky after running for so long.

Her husband, Joseph was sitting inside the evacuation convoy. Beside him were his mother, Hera, his ex-wife Cassie, and the two step-children Sasha had raised for six years.

They were all there, but how come there was no seat waiting for her?

Joseph looked at her in shock. Instead of relief, annoyance crossed his face. “How are you back so early?” he demanded in a cold voice.

Sasha stopped halfway up the stairs. “What?” she was dumbfounded. What did he mean by that?

“You were supposed to be at the hospital taking care of patients. Aren’t you a trauma nurse?” he stated like it sounded reasonable.

A wave of dread washed over Sasha as she stared at Joseph. 

The hospital had already fallen into chaos. As her husband, wasn’t he supposed to ask if she was okay?

She had spent the entire morning treating patients while the strange infection spread through the city. When the infected surrounded the ambulance, she barely escaped through the back door and ran all the way home.

She had thought her family would be waiting for her. Instead, they had prepared to leave without her.

Sasha didn’t think deeply into it. She raised the trauma kit. “I brought medicine and emergency supplies. I’m a trauma nurse. You will need me once we leave the city.” She smiled, feeling rather proud of herself.

Cassie immediately pulled the children closer to herself. “Joseph, don’t tell me you actually want to bring her.” She stated nervously.

“There is no space,” Hera retorted coldly as she glared at Sasha. “The final seat belongs to Cassie.” She announced without any guilt.

Sasha stared at her mother-in-law in disbelief.

Only yesterday, she had finished two shifts at the hospital and rushed home to prepare lobster bisque for Hera’s gathering.

Just when she brought the meal into the venue, Cassie had deliberately tripped her in front of the guests causing the soup to spilled all over the floor and burn her hands. 

Rather than asking if she was okay, Hera had called her useless and barren. Joseph had looked at her dirty dress with disgust and ordered her to clean everything before leaving.

Even then, Sasha had not complained. She had told herself they were her family.

Sasha’s hold on the trauma kit tightened, “Cassie has never done anything for this family,” she stated. “I helped Joseph build the company. I paid the bills. I raised Lily and Ethan. Why does she get my place?”

“Because she is their mother,” Hera replied, feeling no remorse.

“I’m Joseph’s wife!” Sasha declared as her eyes turned glossy.

Cassie’s eyes immediately filled with tears. “If you let her come with us, I will take my children and leave. You can choose her or your real family.” 

“Mom,” Lily whispered, holding Cassie’s arm. “I want to stay with you. Please don’t go.” She tightened her hold like she was scared Cassie would actually leave her behind.

Ethan nodded quickly. “I don’t want her coming with us. She will only slow us down.”

Sasha’s heart twisted as she watched them treat her like a stranger even after she had cared for them. Whenever they were sick, she would stay awake through the night beside their beds. She had used her entire salary to buy them whatever they wanted.

She had loved them as her own children, but now neither of them wanted to look at her.

The crowd behind Sasha pushed harder and the metal stairs shook beneath her feet.

Sasha’s heart pounded against her chest in panic, “Joseph, please.” She reached through the closing gate and grabbed his hand. “I’m scared.” 

Joseph glanced behind him; Cassie was crying and his children were holding her tightly. Hera looked at Sasha as though she was something dirty.

His expression hardened. “There is only one seat left.” He retorted. 

“I can stand.” Sasha pressed on.

He frowned in disapproval, “You can’t.”

Her chest tightened with despair, “I can sit on the floor. I won’t take much space.” She stated as her mind raced for a solution.

Joseph grinded his teeth, “Sasha, stop making this difficult.”

Sasha’s face went pale as her fingers tightened around his hand. “I’m your wife, Joseph. You can’t leave me like this.”

Joseph looked directly into her eyes. “You are not blood.” He uttered heartlessly. 

Sasha froze.

Joseph pulled his hand out of hers and the gate began to close.

Sasha grabbed the metal bars with both hands. “No! Joseph!” she shouted as her raced in despair.

Hera stood up and pushed Sasha’s fingers away. “Stop wasting our time! A barren woman like you should not be fighting children for a chance to survive.” She spat in spite.

Sasha instantly lost her grip and the crowd crashed into her from behind.

She fell from the stairs and hit the ground hard. Pain exploded through her body before dozens of feet came down around her.

Someone stepped on her hand and another foot struck her ribs.

Sasha tried to protect her head, but there was nowhere to move.

Through the space between the panicked people, she saw the convoy begin to move.

Joseph stood behind the glass and for a moment, their eyes met. He did not ask the driver to stop, he simply turned his gaze away from her.

At that moment, something inside Sasha finally broke.

Six years.

She had given six years of her life to that family.

She worked double shifts when Joseph claimed the company was not making enough money, she gave Hera her salary to support her lavish lifestyle, she raised Cassie’s children, and she even endured every insult because she believed that one day they would accept her.

When the world ended, they did not even leave her enough space on the floor.

Blood filled Sasha’s mouth as the trauma kit slipped from her fingers disappearing beneath the crowd.

An infected man fell beside her; dark blood ran from his nose and mouth as his body shook.

Sasha could no longer move; her gaze stuck to the convoy that grew smaller in the distance and tears rolled down the sides of her face.

Why had she worked so hard for people who never considered her family?

Why had she allowed them to take everything from her?

If she had another chance, she would never save them again. She would take back her money, her inheritance, and every single thing she had given them.

Darkness slowly covered her vision.

A robotic voice sounded somewhere far away.

{Priority asset detected.}

{Subject’s vital signs are failing.}

{Emergency system activation.}

{Searching for a suitable recovery point.}

Sasha struggled to keep her eyes open, but her eyelids felt heavier by the second.

Was this how she would die?

Abandoned by the family she had sacrificed everything to protect?

{Recovery point confirmed.}

{Returning priority asset to seven weeks before the pathogen outbreak.}

Sasha breathed in heavily as her eyes snapped open. 

Her eyes scanned the view in front of her; she was standing beside the dining table in the Westfield mansion.

An apron was tied around her waist with Hera’s untouched coffee was in her hand, and Cassie was walking into the room with Lily and Ethan beside her.