My name is Hazel Falken, and I am the only daughter of the Base Commander during the apocalypse.

Even though it is the apocalypse, I am still spoiled left and right by my family and raised to be their little princess at home.

My dad, Ernest Falken, is worried that I will marry into a family that will mistreat me. So, he decides to choose four husband candidates and bring them up in our own home for me to pick from when I'm older.

In my past life, I chose Curtis Granger, whom I have liked for a long while, when Dad asked me to pick my husband. However, not long after our marriage, Curtis volunteers himself as a guard to be stationed outside the base perimeter.

He never returns home after that, and I am left living as a widow in the safety of the base's inner district.

30 years later, when my hair has turned fully white, I decide that I can't wait for him anymore and go out to find him. I then realize that he has formed another family outside the base without my knowing.

It then dawns on me that Curtis never liked me. He had also only married me because he wanted to repay Dad for bringing him up.

Not long after that, a wave of zombies attacks us. Curtis pushes me down and shields me under his body.

"Hazel, I know that I never should've lied to you. I'll give up my life to repay the kindness that Commander Falken has shown to me.

"But if there is a next life, I hope that you won't pick me again."

When I open my eyes again, I find out that I have travelled back in time to the day when Dad asks me to pick my husband.

"Hazel, these four people are my right-hand men. Whom would you like to pick as your husband?"

Dad suddenly appeared before my eyes. He gave me a great shock because he was supposed to have perished years ago in a zombie attack.

It was only then that it dawned on me—I had gone back in time, for some reason, and today was the day my dad, Ernest Falken, the apocalypse base commander, asked me to pick a future husband for myself.

When Dad saw that I kept glancing toward Curtis Granger, a look of understanding crossed his face.

"Since you've decided on Curtis, I'll get him to come in, then."

"I don't want him."

Dad jumped when I suddenly spoke out loud. "Then who would you like to pick?"

Dad's question stumped me. I thought about the four candidates Dad had handpicked for me in my past life.

There was Curtis, who was cold and aloof; Max Norman, a gifted fortune-teller; Samson York, a fearless soldier; and Archer Langdon, who had always been quiet and gloomy.

I recalled how Archer used to protect me no matter the danger in my past life. So, I made my decision.

"I'll pick Archer Langdon."

"Are you sure about him?"

Dad jumped to his feet in shock when he heard my answer. "Didn't you always dislike him? You said that he was robotic and didn't know how to talk nicely to you. He even made you cry when you were little because he tried stopping you from leaving the base."

I blushed hard when Dad brought up the past.

It had been entirely my fault back then. I had still been a rebellious kid back then, and someone had tried luring me out of the base to try and catch a glimpse of the zombies lurking outside to see what they actually looked like.

Luckily, Archer had stopped me from leaving. Otherwise, I would already have turned into zombie food by now.

I pouted and said softly, "I know now that it was wrong of me to do that. I understand that Archer was just looking out for me. He didn't want me to get myself into danger."

Dad let out a huge sigh when he heard my response.

"I thought that you only chose to marry Archer because you were trying to get on Curtis' nerves. But since you've put it this way, I feel a lot more relieved now. I see that you've finally grown up.

"Since you've already made your choice, we'll settle on Archer Langdon for you. Is that your final decision?"

I could still hear Curtis' last words from my past life echoing in my head. I inhaled deeply and nodded decisively.

"That's my final decision."

Dad smiled when he heard how determined I sounded.

"That's good to hear. I know that Archer isn't exactly the most expressive person, but he's the most trustworthy among the others. I wouldn't have to worry about you if he's the one you chose.

"The zombies haven't been quite active as of late, so I'll get the others to prepare for your wedding as soon as possible."

I nodded and left Dad's office. As soon as the door closed behind me, a group of people immediately rushed up to me.

Samson was the first to ask because he couldn't stand the suspense any longer. "So, Hazel, who did you pick?"

Max grinned and said nonchalantly, "Why are you even bothering to ask her? Of course it has to be Curtis! Even if it's not him, it would have to be you or me. It'd never be Archie."

I couldn't stop myself from looking at Curtis after hearing what Max said.

Curtis wore a cold expression and looked more impatient than ever. A light breeze swept across his messy bangs, revealing his sharp eyes hidden beneath.

When he realized I was looking at him, a flash of hesitation appeared in his eyes.

A split second later, however, he suddenly blocked my path and bowed his head slightly at me.

"Hazel, I'm already in love with someone else. Can you please not pick me?"

I shuddered when I heard him say that. He hadn't said such a thing in my past life. Could it be possible that he had also travelled back in time with me?

Seeing that I wasn't responding to him, Curtis bowed his head even lower.

"I'm willing to repay the kindness that Commander Falken has shown me over the years by volunteering as a guard at the base perimeter instead."

So, Curtis wasn't even going to give me a chance to marry him in this life.

"Are you telling me that you'd rather risk your life at the borders than marry me?"

Curtis didn't answer me, but it was obvious that his silence was a form of agreement to my statement.

All of a sudden, I felt as though my heart was being squeezed out of my chest. I could barely even breathe. At the height of my pain, however, I suddenly broke out in laughter.

Back then, Dad had already informed the four of them when he adopted them that they would be made candidates for my future husband, and they had all agreed to it.

But now, it was obvious that Curtis was trying to humiliate me in public. He wasn't going to uphold his side of the agreement since he had already gotten what he needed from Dad.

It didn't matter whether it was in my past life or in my current life—Curtis was still as selfish as ever.

I chuckled coldly when I thought of that.

"Dad's already making the arrangements for the wedding. I'll be getting married next month. As for the person whom I've chosen as my husband… You'll find out on the day of the wedding."

The more Curtis was eager to get out of the wedding, the more I refused to tell him of my decision.

Even if he wasn't the person I chose in the end, I still wanted him to be on his toes until the very last second.

With that, I turned to leave. Suddenly, a frail figure appeared and fell to her knees before me.

"Ms. Falken, please let me be with Curt."

I hadn't even managed to get a single word out when Curtis hurriedly pulled Brenda Carlton to her feet and into his arms.

"Hazel Falken! Can't you stop being so overbearing and bullying Bree all the time?"

I was so mad that I could barely stand upright.

This was always the case. I wouldn't even have had the time to say or do a thing before Curtis chided me and pinned the blame on me, whatever it was.

Brenda's eyes were full of glee when she saw that she had succeeded in her mission. She tugged on Curtis' arm and said quietly, "Don't get mad at Ms. Falken, Curt. She's just too in love with you."

I didn't know what she was saying to Curtis. However, my attention was immediately drawn to the silver ring she was wearing on her finger.

That ring belonged to me.

I grabbed Brenda's hand at once and asked, "Where did you get this ring from?"

Brenda's eyes narrowed when I interrupted her. She quickly withdrew her hand and hid it behind her back.

Curtis frowned at once.

"Are you done making a fuss, Hazel Falken? Why must you always snatch away things you like that belong to other people?

"Bree has always had that ring since she was young. I'd only managed to find her because of that ring!"

But that ring once belonged to Mom, and she had left it for me. I had even playfully inscribed my initials inside that ring when I was a kid. I just lost the ring after that. So, how did it now belong to Brenda?

Curtis didn't think much about it.

"And let me make this clear. Bree was the one who saved my life in the past, and she had been wearing this ring then. She's my life savior."

Curtis then shot me a disdainful look. "Unlike some people, who only know how to sleep all day at the base and behave like a leech!"

A leech?

Was he calling me a leech?

Coincidentally for him, I was the one wearing that ring when I saved a little boy's life. And I had gravely injured my leg because of him, which made me unable to run fast anymore.

And now, the person whom I had saved was calling me a leech.

I was just about to defend myself when Brenda suddenly tugged on Curtis' sleeve.

"I'm tired, Curt. Let's go," Brenda said.

Naturally, Curtis treated every word Brenda said like it was the law. He immediately picked her up princess-style and left, not caring about the fact that I wasn't done talking to him yet.

Curtis had only just taken a few steps away when I suddenly caught sight of Brenda mouthing the words to me in glee. "He's all mine."

I smiled back at her.

"Really? Let's find out."

…

After that day, I stayed home to prepare for the wedding. However, even though I had no interest in it, I still caught wind of plenty of gossip as it came my way.

"I heard that Hazel Falken made a fuss about only ever marrying Mr. Granger, but he disagreed with her and took off with Brenda."

"Isn't Hazel the commander's daughter? Why is she the one making a fuss about this?"

"Mr. Granger has been childhood friends with Brenda since they were young, but Hazel kept trying to break them apart because she knew she was a bigshot."

When my best friend, Jessie Ryder, told me about the rumors, I got so angry that my eyes turned red.

"If Commander Falken hadn't saved Curtis' life back then and brought him back to the base, Curtis would've been dead a long time ago!

"He was the one who also agreed to be one of your husband candidates in return. But look at all the rumors he's spreading! He's gone overboard!"

I smiled softly. Just as I was about to reply to Jessie, Curtis suddenly barged in.

"Hazel Falken! What have you done to Bree?"

I didn't understand what Curtis was talking about and looked at him with a clueless expression.

However, that only seemed to anger Curtis even further. He roughly grabbed me by the arm and said, "Bree's having a high fever! Don't tell me that you weren't the one who infected her with the zombie virus!"

I froze in shock.

"What zombie virus?"

"You got jealous of her because I liked her and not you, so you infected her with the zombie virus! Let me tell you this, Hazel Falken. Even if Bree turns into a zombie, I'll still marry her, not you!"

I felt my chest squeeze painfully when I heard his words. My eyes turned red, and my voice shook as I tried to explain myself.

"I didn't! And the person I chose isn't—"

However, Curtis wasn't interested in my explanation. Instead, he pulled me to my feet and forcefully dragged me out of my room.

When I entered Brenda's room, I immediately saw that her face was looking a little dark and purplish.

The doctor wouldn't stop shaking his head as he looked at her.

"I'm afraid that Ms. Carlton's been infected by the zombie virus. I don't know where the virus came from, but if she can't get the antidote in time, she'll transform into a zombie by tonight. I hope you'll prepare yourself for that."

Curtis' face turned ashen when he heard what the doctor said.

"But how could that be? Brenda has never left the base before!"

I glanced at Curtis suspiciously when I heard him say that. It was impossible for Brenda to have never left the base before.

The base was a shelter that the remaining people had built together during the zombie apocalypse. And to keep the base sustainable, the commander had laid down a rule that every adult had to go out and forage for food and supplies every week.

Even I hadn't been exempted from that rule before I had gravely injured my leg. So, how could it be that Brenda never left the base before?

Just then, I caught sight of the ring on her finger again. I immediately looked at Curtis as realization dawned on me.

Brenda would never have had to leave the base if someone else had foraged her share in her place.

It just hit me then, like a truck in my face.

That explained why Curtis was always the one putting himself in great danger and leading the way when he went out foraging for food and supplies each time.

The people who went out in the same team as him would always praise Curtis and call him a role model. I had also fallen in love with his bravery and responsibility toward the rest of the people at the base.

But now, I finally realized that he had only done all this for Brenda's sake…

Even though I was the one who had saved his life.

I was beyond shocked. My knees buckled as I staggered out of the room.

Curtis finally took notice of me.

"Hazel Falken. If I remember correctly, you have a dose of antidote with you."

I immediately turned around when I heard him and gave him a disbelieving look.

"My dad exchanged all of his military merits for that antidote so that I could save myself when I needed to," I said. "If I gave it to her now, what should I do if I get bitten by a zombie next time?"