Chapter 2
The next morning, I was still buried in blankets when movement flashed across the security monitor downstairs.
Ethan was the one who saw it first.
He frowned at the screen.
“Three people,” he said.
I sat up and looked.
Two men and one woman.
The woman had a high ponytail, dirt on her face, and the kind of beauty that was hard to hide even under exhaustion. The two men flanked her protectively, scanning the yard with guns drawn.
The comments exploded the second I saw her.
She’s here! The female lead is here!
That’s the male lead’s white moonlight.
His one true love.
They only broke up because of a misunderstanding.
He still hates her, but you know what they say—there’s no hate without love.
My heart dropped.
The girl looked up toward the camera and called out, “Hello? We don’t mean any harm. We were just passing through and hoped we might shelter here for a little while.”
One of the men beside her muttered, “Maya, why aren’t there any zombies around here at all? Does this place have some kind of advanced defense system?”
Ethan’s face went cold in a way I had almost never seen.
“We’re not letting you in,” he said into the intercom.
The woman—Maya—hesitated, then asked carefully, “How many people are inside?”
She was quiet for a beat before trying again.
“If letting us in isn’t possible, could we at least stay in the yard until the zombies outside move on? We’ll leave after that.”
Then she closed her eyes.
Ethan suddenly grabbed his head.
His body swayed.
My pulse jumped.
Outside, Maya went pale too and had to brace one hand on the wall.
A moment later, she lowered her voice and said to the two men beside her, “There’s a zombie inside.”
She clearly didn’t know there were three cameras in the yard.
Every word came through the speakers.
Ethan turned toward me at once, almost instinctively.
I pretended I hadn’t heard anything.
The comments, naturally, had no such restraint.
Why won’t he open the door? He obviously still loves the female lead.
Back then, he almost died because of her. The scars on his wrist are still there.
He’s clenching his fists. He’s definitely holding himself back.
Tonight is going to be their big emotional reunion scene.
I looked down.
Ethan’s hands really had curled into fists at his sides.
The conversation outside continued.
“One of us could sneak in after dark,” one of the men said.
I saw the guns on their backs and felt a thread of fear pull tight inside me.
If they really wanted in, could we stop them?
Could Ethan?
I didn’t actually know how strong a Zombie King was.
Or whether Zombie Kings could stop bullets.
That night, Ethan and I sat downstairs eating noodles while the smell filled the whole house.
A knock came at the door.
Maya’s voice drifted through the wood.
“Could you spare some food? We lost our supplies.”
Ethan calmly put another piece of sausage in my bowl without even looking up.
“No.”
The comments nearly burst into flames.
The male lead is holding a grudge. Wow.
He’d rather feed the side character than give food to the female lead.
For the record, the female lead only accepted the breakup money because her mother was sick.
He’s acting tough now, but later he’ll be crawling back to win her over.
Outside, one of the men laughed.
“Petty much?”
Another said, “Who cares? There’s a zombie in there anyway. Once they need us, they’ll be begging.”
Then Maya spoke again.
“There’s a zombie in your house. I can help you deal with it.”
“No need,” Ethan and I said at the exact same time.
He turned colder.
“There are no zombies in here.”
“Fine,” Maya said after a pause.
Silence again.
I must have started drifting off, because I had leaned against Ethan’s shoulder with my eyes half-closed when he suddenly straightened.
“There’s movement.”
The lock clicked.
Someone had picked it.
The door swung open.
Maya and the two men stood there in the entryway.
The second she saw Ethan, all the color drained from her face.
Then she froze.
“Ethan?” she whispered. “How is it you? I thought…”
One of the men blurted, “There are only two people here. Where’s the zombie? Maya, did you sense wrong?”
The comments shrieked.
The male lead is so cruel.
Do you know how cold it gets at night in the apocalypse? Is he going to let the female lead freeze to death?
Maya almost cried when she saw him.
She stepped forward, eyes bright with shock.
“It’s been a long time,” she said. “Are you okay?”
Ethan pulled me slightly behind him.
“Whether I’m okay or not has nothing to do with you.”
Maya flinched.
Then her eyes moved past him and landed on me.
The expression that crossed her face was strange.
Surprised.
Then faintly bitter.
“This is…” She looked at Ethan again. “One of your friends told me you were keeping a cat. Is this the cat?”
A hot, ugly feeling rose in my chest.
Cat?
Pet?
I didn’t say anything.
One of the men beside her laughed outright.
“Maya, is this the rich ex-boyfriend who dumped you? He looks like he’d snap in half in a real fight.”
The other smirked. “Bet he survived this long by hiding behind stored supplies.”
Ethan’s voice turned flat.
“You’re not welcome here. Leave.”
His arm tightened around my shoulder.
“And Sienna is my girlfriend. Not a pet.”
Maya raised an eyebrow, then looked at me with a polite smile that somehow made me feel even worse.
“Hi. I’m Ethan’s ex. Maya Collins.”
I opened my mouth.
Ethan cut in before I could say anything.
“Sienna, go upstairs. I’ll deal with them.”
The smile faded from Maya’s face.
“Ethan,” she said softly, “even if you hate me, can you at least let us stay one night? The temperature’s dropping.”
The comments rushed in again.
It’s okay. The female lead will explain the misunderstanding.
Once she tames the male lead, I can’t wait to watch the side character kneel and bark.
But after Maya’s mother died, she never came back to find him, did she?
She seemed to be doing just fine.
I lowered my eyes and lightly tugged at Ethan’s sleeve.
“Maybe… let them stay the night.”
He looked at me, hesitating.
But I had seen where those men kept their hands.
Right above their holsters.
If we refused, I was scared they’d force their way in.
And whatever Ethan was, I still didn’t want him hurt.
“Fine,” he said at last. “One night. Stay in the living room. Don’t go upstairs.”
Maya nodded.
“I’m starving, Ethan. Could we have some food?”
I answered for him.
“The kitchen has instant noodles. Help yourselves.”
Her gaze rested on my face for one brief moment.
Then she smiled.
“Thank you.”
She introduced the two men as Ryan and Carter.
Ethan put his arm around me and steered me toward the stairs.
“We’re going up.”
At the turn in the staircase, I glanced back.
Maya stood exactly where we had left her, looking up at us.
There was something in her eyes that made my chest tighten.
Not anger.
Not exactly.
Something sadder.
Something unfinished.
In the bedroom, Ethan moved to sit beside me on the bed.
I shifted away.
He stared.
Then he scooted closer.
I shifted again.
He reached out quickly and caught me before I slid right off the mattress, then pulled me into his lap with a quiet laugh that warmed my skin against my will.
“Sienna,” he said in a low, coaxing voice, “are you jealous?”
“No.”
The comments scoffed.
What right does the side character have to be jealous?
The female lead and male lead were together since high school.
They only broke up after college.
How does a few months compare to years like that?
My chest hurt worse.
Ethan rested his chin on my shoulder and spoke softly against my neck.
“I can explain. She really is my ex, but that’s all she is now.”
I covered his mouth with my hand.
“I believe you.”
He kissed my palm.
My ears went hot instantly, and I tried to pull away.
He caught my wrist and wouldn’t let go.
The room changed all at once.
The air grew sticky.
Warm.
Dangerous.
His forehead touched mine.
His breath mixed with mine.
And then—
A knock came at the door.
“Ethan?” Maya’s voice sounded small this time. “I burned my hand with hot water. Do you have any medicine?”
He frowned. “No.”
Silence.
Then, even quieter: “It really hurts.”
Her footsteps faded.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
Ten minutes later, she knocked again.
“Ethan,” she said through the door, “I need to talk to you. Just five minutes.”
Ethan’s arms tightened around me.
I felt the hesitation in the way he held me.
So I patted his hand and forced myself to say, “Maybe you should go. Just give her medicine if she needs it.”
He looked down at me strangely, then touched my hair.
“I’ll make it clear,” he said. “Wait for me.”
I nodded.
The door closed.
The second it did, I pulled the blanket over my head and started crying.
Tears soaked into the sheet.
The comments started screaming.
The female lead threw herself into the male lead’s arms!
They finally talked it out!
So sweet!
He should forgive her now, right?
I yanked the blanket tighter.
Then the comments abruptly changed.
Wait. What’s going on?
Why did the male lead push the female lead away?
That was supposed to be the reunion scene.
He said it’s all in the past and told her to keep her distance so his girlfriend won’t misunderstand.
Must be because the side character seduced him.
Whatever. Tomorrow the female lead gets hurt, and the male lead will reveal his true identity to save her.
The bedroom door opened.
Strong hands pulled the blanket down.
Ethan looked at my swollen, tear-red eyes and panicked instantly.
“Sienna? Why are you crying?”
I sniffed and said nothing.
He gathered me into his arms so fast I nearly bounced.
“I told her everything,” he said desperately. “If you still don’t like her, I’ll kick them all out right now.”
I grabbed his wrist.
“They have guns.”
A flicker of contempt crossed his eyes.
“I’m not scared of—”
I looked up at him.
He coughed, suddenly avoiding my gaze.
“I mean… I’m joking.”
I almost laughed in spite of myself.
The next morning, they were still there.
Ethan went downstairs, saw them sitting in the living room, and his face darkened at once.
“Why aren’t you gone yet?”
Maya stood up slowly.
“We got separated from the main survivor group. Could you shelter us a little longer? Once we find them again, we’ll leave.”
When he didn’t respond, she added quietly, “My mother was good to you once.”
The comments jumped all over that too.
The male lead always had an older brother, so he was ignored growing up.
It was the female lead’s mother who remembered his birthdays and knit him a scarf.
Yeah, and he gave them money.
A scarf doesn’t compare to two million dollars.
It’s the thought that counts.
What scarf costs two million?
Ethan’s impatience sharpened.
“Maya, I don’t owe you anything.”
Her face went white.
One of the men—Carter—shot to his feet.
“The hell do you mean by that?”
Ryan stood too, voice edged with threat.
“Maya still cares about you. We’ve been protecting her out there. With us, you might actually live long enough to see the main group. Otherwise…” His gaze flicked toward me with open mockery. “How long do you think your little pet cat is going to survive?”
Something savage flashed through Ethan’s eyes.
“Sienna is not a pet.”
The way he said it made everyone fall silent for one beat.
Then Maya narrowed her eyes and stared at him carefully.
Like she was testing something.
Like she was no longer sure what he was.
We turned to go upstairs.
We had only made it to the first step when Ethan’s hand clamped painfully around mine.
His back went rigid.
Maya was using her psychic ability on him again.
“Ethan?” she called. “What just happened?”
I stepped in front of him and smiled without smiling.
“What do you think happened? We got a little tired last night. Want details?”
Her face changed instantly.
The comments exploded.
Shut up, side character!
Actually… she’s not wrong.
They are boyfriend and girlfriend.
Why does the female lead look betrayed?
Did Maya test him with her ability? Does she suspect he’s a zombie?
Carter muttered a curse.
Ryan pulled Maya’s arm.
“Maya, let’s go. Screw this place.”
She didn’t move.
She looked only at Ethan, eyes glassy with tears.
“You said you’d wait for me,” she whispered. “You texted me. I came back and explained everything. So why…”
Ethan was silent for a long moment.
Then he said, very quietly, “Maya, nobody lives in the past forever.”
He paused.
“And you were doing just fine abroad, weren’t you?”
His eyes didn’t leave hers.
“I went looking for you. And you told someone you didn’t know any idiot named Ethan Cole.”
The comments stuttered.
The female lead said what?
That has to be a misunderstanding.
Explain it!
But Maya only stood there with tears running down her face.
“What do you think I am?” she asked.
I didn’t answer.
I just helped Ethan upstairs.
His hand was shaking.
The second we were back in the bedroom, he dragged me into his arms and held me so tight I could barely breathe.
“Let’s leave tonight,” he said.
I looked up. “Why?”
He lowered his head to meet my eyes.
“She has psychic powers,” he said quietly. “I’m scared she might control me and make me hurt you. And those two men have weapons. If anything happens to you…”
So that was it.
He hadn’t agreed to let them stay because he still cared about Maya.
He had done it because he was afraid I might get hurt.
I cupped his face and kissed him hard on the mouth.
“Then we’ll leave after dark.”
His eyes lit up.
“Can I get one more kiss?”
I leaned in.
And then everything went black.