Chapter 4

Sasha stood inside an empty industrial building on the edge of Chicago.

The walls were thick, and most of the structure had been built above ground level. There was enough space for medical equipment, food storage, water tanks, and backup generators.

It was not yet a fortress, but it would become one by the time she was done.

She turned to the contractor. “How soon can the reinforcement work be completed?” she queried.

The contractor looked through the plans. “With enough workers, perhaps five weeks.”

Sasha shook her head. “I will pay an additional fifty percent if it is completed in four.” She bargained.

The contractor’s eyes widened. “We can do it.” He agreed immediately as he passed the contract to her.

Sasha signed the contract.

She had already divided her inheritance into several accounts. One part would be used for the building. The rest would be used for food, medicine, fuel, water equipment, and security.

{Shelter acquisition completed.}

{Construction mission activated.}

{Six weeks and four days until pathogen outbreak.}

Sasha left the building and drove to the hospital. She could not stop working yet.

Her knowledge as a trauma nurse would be important once the outbreak began. The hospital also gave her access to information about unusual patients and medical supplies.

When she entered the emergency department, Becca hurried toward her.

“We had three strange cases this morning,” she disclosed looking a bit confused.

“What kind of cases?” 

“High fever, itching, severe headache. Their scans were normal, but they became aggressive after a few hours.”

Sasha’s expression changed. The first symptoms were already appearing.

In her previous life, everyone had dismissed them as heat-related illness.

“Keep copies of their results and isolate their blood samples.” Sasha instructed.

Becca frowned. “Why?”

“Just do it. Please.” She requested; explaining would just complicate things.

Becca studied her face before nodding. “Alright.” She didn’t ask any other thing. She believed Sasha would have a reasonable explanation later on.

Sasha changed into her scrubs and started her shift. Her phone continued to vibrate inside her pocket.

Joseph had called her eleven times, but she ignored him.

At noon, a nurse approached her.

She smiled, “Sasha, your husband is waiting outside.”

Sasha continued writing her patient report. “I’m busy.”

“He brought flowers.” She cooed.

“That does not change anything.” Sasha’s eyes didn’t break away from her report still.

The nurse looked uncomfortable. “He said he won’t leave until you speak to him.”

Sasha sighed out heavily and finally walked into the hallway.

Joseph stood there holding a large bouquet.

Several nurses were looking at him. He had always known how to appear like a good husband in public.

“I sent Cassie away,” he informed.

Sasha glanced briefly at the flowers. She felt nothing. “What do you want?”

“I already told my mother not to speak to you that way again. Cassie has returned to her apartment. You can come home.”

“You think that is why I left?”

“You were angry because she moved in.”

“I was angry because your entire family treats me like a servant.”

Joseph lowered his voice. “They will treat you better.”

“For how long?” she questioned blankly.

He did not answer.

Sasha noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes. It meant that the company crisis had not ended.

“The board needs your complete plan,” he finally disclosed. “Once the funding arrives, we can recover.”

Sasha almost smiled. “You sent Cassie away because you wanted my money.”

“That is not true.” He lied quickly.

“Then why did you mention the company before asking whether I was all right?”

Joseph’s expression hardened. “I came here to fix our marriage. Stop trying to turn everything into a fight.”

“There is nothing to fix.”

She turned to leave.

Joseph caught her wrist. “Sasha, don’t embarrass me in front of everyone.”

Her body stiffened.

In her previous life, that sentence would have made her stop.

This time, she removed his hand. “You should get used to being embarrassed.”

She returned to the emergency department.

Joseph stood in the hallway with the flowers still in his hand. He watched her leave with a dark expression.

He still did not believe she would divorce him.

Sasha was angry. That was all.

Once she saw everything he had done for her, she would come back.

***

At the end of her shift, Becca entered the staff room with a sealed folder.

“The first results are ready.” She informed. 

Sasha immediately stood up.

Becca closed the door behind her. “Your reproductive system is healthy.” She reported.

Sasha said nothing.

“There is no scar or damage that should prevent you from becoming pregnant,” Becca continued. “But your hormone levels are abnormal. It looks like you have been taking a strong fertility suppressant for years.”

She placed another report on the table. “We also tested the medicine you gave me. It contains the same substance.”

As Sasha stared at the papers, the words blurred for a moment. She had spent six years believing she was broken.

Every insult from Hera, every time Joseph had looked disappointed and every time she had cried alone because she could not give him a child.

None of it had been true.

Becca placed a hand on her shoulder in concern. “Sasha, who gave you that medicine?”

Sasha slowly closed the folder.

“My family.”