The apocalypse was coming. The ground temperature was 158 °F, and the first batch of human beings started moving to the base at the North Pole.

As a scientist, my husband was allowed to bring family members with the first batch.

Everyone thought that he would take me along without hesitation.

But in the end, the name he wrote in the application form was one of his master’s students.

“I trained her myself, and she does not have parents. I can’t bear to leave her alone in such a hot place.”

He casually submitted the application form, and his words just chilled me to the core.

“Rose, you’re different. You’ve been through tough situations. I believe you can make it until the second batch moves.”

I forced a resigned smile and said nothing.

That night, as the temperature climbed, I made a calm call.

“You promised to grant me one wish, no questions asked. Does that still count?”

The other person did not hesitate at all. “Of course.”

I cautiously asked, “Can you please prepare two tickets for Noah’s Ark? I want to be among the first to leave with my mother.”

Even getting a ticket was nearly impossible.

The person could not promise me anything. He just said, “I’ll try my best.”

After I hung up, Sebastian Jenkins pushed the door open, stepping in just as he caught sight of my phone screen.

“Who were you talking to?”

I could not be bothered to lie. I said in an exhausted tone, “I was looking for someone to get a ticket for me.”

Sebastian did not even look at me as he casually said, “There are only a few hundred tickets to the base. You won’t get one, or I would have already found a way.”

I gripped my phone tighter.

He knew it was nearly impossible, but he still gave up on me without hesitation to take his master’s student along.

Only when he noticed my silence did he raise his head.

“Rose, don’t be upset. I’ve applied for a place in the second batch for you. You won’t die.”

I listened to the radio report of the rising temperature and sneered secretly.

Everyone knew that in this extreme heat, the later someone left, the slimmer their chances of survival.

The apocalypse was closing in. Desperation made me ask one last favor, “Sebastian, can you at least take my mother along, seeing how she has supported you financially for six years?

“She’s old and unwell. She can’t stand the heat any longer.”

A heavy silence filled the room.

The light was not on in the room, so I could not see Sebastian’s expression clearly.

We had been married for seven years but had known each other for much longer.

We had grown up in the same neighborhood. We were childhood sweethearts and had never stayed apart.

However, during the summer break, when we were about to enroll in middle school, Sebastian’s parents died in a car accident.

My mother worried that he had no one to rely on, so she took him in. At that time, when resources were scarce, she managed to put two children through college.

In the summer after we finished our SATs, he promised me that nothing would tear us apart, not even the apocalypse.

That summer was not as hot as today, but his warm hand had melted my heart.

I blinked and forced the memory away.

Sebastian was quiet for a long time.

It was only after a long while that he said, “Rose, Vivien is my reliable assistant. I have to take her along. There’s no room for discussion.

“Also, it was just a joke when we were kids. Don’t take it too seriously.”

I chuckled in resignation, and I nearly staggered.

We faced extreme heat conditions, but his words sent a chill down my spine.

Soon, the clouds parted, and moonlight fell upon his distant, aloof eyes.

Sebastian tapped a folder against my arm. “Take this first.”

I opened it.

It was a divorce agreement.

I looked at him in surprise.

Sebastian calmly sipped his tea.

He said, “I need proof to take my family on the first batch. Vivien and I are just teacher and student. She can’t be included yet.”

I took the divorce agreement with trembling hands. I gritted my teeth and asked, “So?”

He adjusted his glasses with a flicker of guilt, but his voice remained rational and detached as usual.

“So, you need to divorce me first. Only after you give up the status of Mrs. Jenkins to her can she board Noah’s Ark.

“Rose, our divorce will only be a formality. My marriage to her will also be a fake one.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a title. You’re the only one in my heart.”

I looked down and chuckled in resignation.

Somewhere along the way, the talk between us had gone from scientific debates to trivial daily chatter.

Perhaps it had started the day we married, or maybe the day Vivien became his master student. I could not remember.

It was close to a miracle that he was talking to me so much today.

But it was only to divorce me.

Feeling conflicted, I sniffled and signed my name without hesitation.

Sebastian frowned slightly at my resolve.

His voice was filled with a little sorrow when he said, “Rose, after the apocalypse, we’ll get married again.”

I looked away and waved him away in a casual fashion.

“You said it yourself. It’s the apocalypse. This certificate doesn’t matter.

“Whether we survive next month is uncertain. Why don’t you focus on saving the world, Mr. Scientist Jenkins?”

His voice deepened. “I didn’t mean it that way. Don’t be angry over a little girl.”

I ignored him. I went back to the bed, lay down, and covered my head with my blanket.

Luckily, the night was dark, so he could not see my tears.

Soon, Sebastian lay down next to me, with his back turned away.

He was distant and cold as usual. We were clearly the closest physically, but our minds could not be any further apart.

I discreetly wiped my tears away.

Air conditioning in most places had failed. Who could guarantee ours would not be next?

The thought of dying in the heat kept me awake until midnight.

Then, the phone rang.

It was Sebastian’s phone, and he had purposely set a special ringtone for Vivien.

There was a brief flurry of fumbling before the line went dead.

He was clearly worried about waking me. Through the blanket, I felt the nervous weight of his gaze.

Sebastian tiptoed into the living room and opened the door.

His voice lowered. “Vivien? It’s late. Why are you here?”

Vivien stammered between sobs, “Mr. Jenkins, my air conditioner broke. The heat is unbearable. I had nowhere else to go, so I… I just…”

She pulled her luggage and looked pitiful. “Can you let me stay here for a few days?”

I gripped the corner of the blanket tightly.

Vivien and I were both waiting for Sebastian’s answer.

But like the ticket, I lost again.

The door was opened more with a screech.

Sebastian said, “Come in. Don’t wake Rose up. She’s a light sleeper.”

Vivien broke into a teary smile. “Mr. Jenkins, you’re the best!”

She hesitated to step inside.

“Won’t Rose mind it if you let me stay here?”

Sebastian paused, as if displaying the highest integrity. “Don’t bother with her. You’re my student. It’s fine for you to stay a few days.”

It was just one door away, and my heart chilled to the core.

After Vivien settled down, Sebastian was about to head back to his room.

Vivien suddenly held his hand and said, “Mr. Jenkins… about the family ticket. Does Rose agree?”

I had never heard such gentleness in Sebastian’s voice as he said, “Vivien, you’re my proudest student. I need you for my experiments. Rose will understand. It’s for humanity.”

I sneered.

He elevated his selfish motives to a level where I could not even argue.

He always acted as though he was wise and objective.

Countless times before, he silently faced my anger and questions, as if my hysterics were nothing but a joke in front of his composure.

My pillow was drenched in tears.

At the same time, my phone screen brightened.

It was a text message like a whisper in the night.

[Rose, I got the tickets. A specialized vehicle will come to pick you and your mother up in three days.]

A huge weight had finally been lifted off my heart.

But the bedroom door did not open again.

Sebastian stayed in the living room. He had a long discussion with Vivien about the problems of the apocalypse.

I could already imagine the excuses he would give if I stepped out.

It would be either a scientific discussion or teacher-student communication.

I had heard it too many times. It was the same old stuff.

I did not even have the strength to open the door.

I decided to let it go. It was the apocalypse. In this heat, every surge of anger felt like heartburn.

I needed to conserve my strength to get my mother out alive.

When life and death were at stake, love did not seem so important anymore.

Eventually, I fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Vivien was still there.

She was sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast off my plate.

When she saw me, she stood up stiffly and bowed politely.

“Good morning, Rose. My… my air conditioner broke. I came over only this morning. If I disturbed you, I’m sorry.”

I forced a thin smile. Her blanket on the sofa was not even folded yet.

They had not bothered to explain. Or perhaps they simply did not think I deserved an explanation.

“Rose, let’s have breakfast.”

It was rare for Sebastian to cook. Today, he played the role of the considerate husband in front of Vivien.

Vivien picked up her cutlery again. My gaze fell on the plate in her hands.

Sebastian and I handcrafted that plate on Valentine’s Day five years ago.

He had even carved his vow to be with me forever at the bottom of the plate. This plate was like our token of love.

But it was now being used by another woman.

When Sebastian noticed my gaze, he casually said, “Oh, she likes it, so I let her use it.”

I was furious. I grabbed the car keys and headed outside to pick up my mother.

Sebastian grabbed me. He coldly asked, “Where are you going? It’s 158 °F outside. Even if you’re angry at me, don’t risk your life.”

Vivien chimed in softly with her eyes red, “Yes, Rose. The asphalt is melting. It’s dangerous even to drive.”

I let out a breath. “I’m going to pick up my mother. Let go of me!”

In the struggle, the plate slipped from Vivien’s hands.

It shattered on the floor. The vow carved into its base broke into unrecognizable fragments.

Sebastian froze, as if something had struck his chest.

I pushed past him and stepped into the heat.

In the apocalypse, even the stray cats and dogs on the street had disappeared, leaving only dead, oppressive silence.

I picked up my mother as quickly as I could. Her air conditioner could fail at any moment.

When we returned home, I felt Sebastian’s judgmental gaze on me.

He hid his emotions very quickly before he took over my mother’s suitcase and said respectfully, “Madam Ziegler.”

My mother flashed him a motherly smile.

After settling her in, Sebastian pulled me aside.

He looked at me with a dark face. “Rose, I must remind you of something. This is an apocalypse, and we lack resources. The remaining food in our house is not sufficient.

“Four people might be a bit too many.”

I stared at him. I could not process what I had just heard.

He actually thought my mother was the burden.

I stared at him in disbelief. I felt so disappointed that my heart broke in that instant.

“Sebastian Jenkins, she’s my mother! Must I remind you that she supported you for six years?!

“How could you say something like that?”

Sebastian pushed his glasses up and said indifferently, “Rose, I meticulously calculated every ration. I’m just stating the facts.”

There it was again, that rational, detached expression. It was as if my anger were merely emotional noise.

But I could not put up with him anymore.

“Sebastian, then you should make Vivian leave. How dare you treat my mother as unimportant and disposable? Have you completely lost your conscience?”

When I mentioned Vivien, he immediately raised his voice.

“That’s why I’m discussing it with you!”

Sebastian threw a plan at me.

“Smaller portions, more frequent meals. It will last until Vivien and I leave in three days. After that, you’re on your own.”

I tore the paper into pieces without looking at it.

Outside the room, my mother was studying Vivien in confusion.

She asked me anxiously, “Rose, this is…”

For once, Sebastian looked nervous.

He instinctively moved closer to Vivien as if shielding her.

I watched him in disappointment.

For me, Sebastian was as distant and detached as a faraway star.

It seemed at present that the star would never shed its light on me.

I did not want to make my mother worry, so I forced out a smile.

“Mom, this is Sebastian’s student.”

My mother sighed in relief and smiled.

“She looks smart.

“Are we all leaving together in three days?”

My mother was sensible. She looked at Sebastian for an answer.

When he heard her, he froze.

I answered on his behalf, “Mom, go and pack your suitcase. Don’t pack too many things. Each person is allowed only 22 pounds.”

My mother grinned, and she patted the back of my hand.

“You pack too. It’s best if we leave together.”

I nodded and headed for the bedroom. Sebastian followed.

The door shut heavily behind us.

Sebastian ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“Did you tell her we’re leaving together? How am I supposed to fix this? Where do you expect me to get two more tickets?

“Rose, you’re lying to her.”

I smiled. I had not lied to my mother.

We were leaving.

And once we did, we would have nothing to do with him ever again.