Chapter 2

Sasha stared at Cassie in disbelief; the woman was wearing the same white dress she had worn seven weeks before the outbreak. Lily and Ethan stood beside her with unhappy expressions.

This was the day Cassie returned to the Westfield mansion.

She was reborn.

“Sasha!” Hera snapped. “Why are you standing there like a fool? Bring me my coffee.” She ordered coldly.

Sasha looked down at the cup in her hand; her eyes shimmered in realization. She remembered this morning.

In her previous life, Cassie had accused her of frightening the children with stories from the hospital and Hera had used the accusation to invite Cassie to move into the mansion.

From that day forward, Sasha had become a maid in her own home.

“Sasha, what did you do to my children?” Cassie demanded. “They have been having nightmares since they stayed with you.”

She quickly walked to Hera and with an aggrieved expression. “Mother, Sasha works with injured and mentally unstable patients every day. I’m worried her work is affecting the children.” The rim of her eyes were actually red; anyone who saw her would think she was truly concerned.

Hera glared at Sasha. “You are already jealous because you cannot have children of your own. Is that why you keep trying to make my grandchildren depend on you?”

In her previous life, those words had made Sasha panic. She had explained herself. She had apologized. She had begged Cassie not to misunderstand her.

This time, Sasha calmly placed the coffee on the table. “Since you believe I’m dangerous to the children, I will stop taking care of them.”

The room went silent.

Cassie blinked. “What?” she was dumbfounded; staring at Sasha like she had magically grown a third eye on her face.

“You are their biological mother. You should take care of them yourself.” Sasha stated in a calm voice.

Lily frowned. “But you always take me to school.” She pointed out in confusion.

“Your mother can take you.” Sasha responded without a fuss.

Ethan looked up from his phone. He knotted his brows, “Who will make breakfast?”

She stared at him. “Your mother can do that too.”

Cassie’s face changed. She had returned because she wanted to live comfortably in the mansion, not because she wanted to become responsible for the children.

“Sasha, don’t be childish,” she argued. “I never said you should stop helping them.” Her voice faltered at the end.

Sasha raised a brow. “You said my presence was damaging them. I am agreeing with you. How is that being childish?” She pointed out.

Hera slammed her hand on the table as she glared at Sasha; pointing at her. “What kind of attitude is this? You should be grateful we allowed a barren woman like you to marry into this family.”

Sasha felt a pang of hurt in her chest; the word barren still caused pain.

Six years ago, Sasha had suffered severe abdominal bleeding and undergone an emergency operation at a private hospital chosen by the Westfields.

After the operation, the doctor told her that the damage was serious and she would probably never become pregnant.

Hera had given her medicine every morning since then claiming the medicine would help repair Sasha’s body.

Sasha had drunk it without question.

A blue screen suddenly appeared before her eyes.

{Diagnostic overlay activated.}

{Reproductive organs intact.}

{No permanent infertility detected.}

{Chronic synthetic hormone exposure detected.}

{Natural fertility has been suppressed by long-term medication.}

Sasha’s breathing seized. Her gaze slowly moved toward the small brown bottle beside Hera’s plate.

That was her medicine.

Hera noticed where she was looking and pushed the bottle toward her. “You haven’t taken this today. Drink it before you go to work.” She ordered.

Sasha picked up the bottle; staring at it for a long time as her fingers tightened around it.

She was not barren.

Someone had been giving her medicine that prevented her from becoming pregnant.

For almost six years.

“Sasha?” Cassie called carefully as her eyes moved between the bottle and Sasha.

Sasha slipped the bottle into her pocket. “I’ll take it later.”

Hera became angry. “You will take it now. Do you think I enjoy spending money on medicine for you?” she declared coldly.

“I said I will take it later.” Sasha refused as she untied the apron around her waist and placed it on the table.

Seeing that she was about to leave, Cassie panicked. She stood in her way. “Where are you going? You haven’t prepared breakfast for the children.”

Sasha looked at her coldly. “Feed your own children.” She dropped as she walked past Cassie and headed toward the door.

Hera shouted after her. “If you leave now, don’t expect Joseph to defend you when he comes home!” she threatened.

Sasha paused in her steps.

In her previous life, Joseph’s anger had controlled her. She had been afraid he would become disappointed in her, divorce her and leave her with no family.

Now she knew he had already chosen to leave her to die.

“You don’t need to call him,” Sasha replied. “I will.” She left the mansion; paying no mind to their curses behind her.

She drove directly to the hospital.

Dr. Becca looked surprised when Sasha entered her office without changing into her uniform. “Why are you here so early? You are not scheduled until this afternoon.”

“I need your help.” Sasha mentioned as she took out the brown medicine bottle. “I want this tested. I also need a complete reproductive examination and copies of every medical record from my operation six years ago.”

Becca frowned. “Do you feel pain there? What happened?” her voice was laced with concern.

Sasha let out a breath. “I was told the operation left me infertile.” Her voice broke.

“Yes. You told me about that.” Becca nodded her head in slight confusion as she tried to understand what had changed.

She rubbed her palms together. “I don’t believe it anymore.”

Becca narrowed her eyes on the medicine. “Who gave you this?”

“My mother-in-law.”

Becca’s expression became serious. She did not ask more questions and directly took Sasha for an ultrasound and collected several tubes of blood.

“The basic scans look normal,” Becca said after examining the first results. “I can’t see any evidence that your uterus or ovaries were permanently damaged.”

Sasha closed her eyes as a complicated feeling surged through her.

The system had been right.

“How long will the blood and medicine tests take?”

“Two or three days. I’ll mark them as urgent.” Becca informed as she arranged the things.

Sasha stretched out a light smile. “Thank you.”

Becca hesitated before speaking. “Sasha, if someone has been giving you medication without your knowledge, you should speak to the police.”

“I need proof first.” Sasha placed copies of her scans and the medicine receipt inside her bag.

Just then, her phone rang. She checked the caller and Joseph’s name appeared on the screen, she tapped the answer button.

She had only just answered the call and his angry voice came immediately.

“What did you do this morning? My mother said you insulted Cassie and refused to take care of the children.” His heavy breathing was audible through the phone speaker.

Sasha didn’t twitch at his outburst as she casually replied him. “They are Cassie’s children.”

“She only returned because the children need their biological mother.” He stated; trying to justify their actions.

“Then she should behave like one.”

Joseph became quiet.

Sasha could imagine the displeased expression on his face.

“You’re jealous,” he suddenly said.

Sasha almost laughed. “What?”

“You saw Cassie return and lost your temper. You should have told me instead of attacking my family.” The smugness in his voice was very clear.

She frowned, feeling irritated. “I’m not jealous.”

“I understand why you are upset, but Cassie is only here for the children. You are still my wife.” He tried to coax her.

The scene from the evacuation convoy flashed through her mind and she remembered his fingers pulling away from hers.

Her hands tightened around the phone. “You won’t be able to say that for much longer,” she paused for a brief second. “I want a divorce.” She declared.

Joseph gave a short, disbelieving laugh. “Stop being dramatic. We will discuss this when I return.” He mocked her; placing little to no value on her words.

Without caring for her reply, he ended the call.

Sasha stared at the phone before blocking his number.

A system alert appeared.

{Six weeks and six days until pathogen outbreak.}

{Priority asset’s physical condition is stable.}

{Suggested mission: secure independent funds and shelter.}

Sasha suddenly remembered what would happen in two days.

The Westfield Group would suffer its greatest financial crisis.

In her previous life, Joseph had begged her to use the inheritance left by her parents to save the company and she had given him everything.

The transfer agreement was probably already waiting at her lawyer’s office.

Sasha found her lawyer’s number and made the call.

“Cancel the transfer,” she ordered without blinking. “The Westfield Group will not receive a single dollar from my inheritance.”