“Why are you running? Where’s my husband?”

The moment they saw the three-liter bottle in my hands, the Lane family lit up with excitement. They snatched it away and started drinking without hesitation.

“I knew it. Our son was right. This woman’s been hiding water!”

Francie grabbed me by the collar.

“I’m asking you. Where’s my husband? You lured him out for hours. What filthy things did you do, huh?”

I watched as they drained the bottle, a faint, unreadable smile curling on my lips.

Francie slapped me hard, her teeth clenched.

“I said stop smiling. Answer me!”

I couldn’t dodge in time and took the blow head-on, my expression darkening.

From behind, someone kicked the back of my knees. I dropped to the ground with a thud.

Hands seized me, wrenching my arms behind my back.

“Talk! Where did you take my son? He left with you!”

When I stayed silent, Jane’s face turned grim as she kicked me again.

“Not talking? Fine. You two. Get over here. Beat it out of her!”

“Wait, I’ll talk!”

Just as I spoke, Brian’s father, David Lane, suddenly leaned forward, sniffing the air.

His expression changed.

“There’s blood in the air.”

The others froze, then swept their flashlights around. When the beam hit the grate, their legs went weak.

“Is… Is that blood?”

“Did she push my son down there?”

Panic spread through the Lane family as they rushed toward the opening, ready to climb down.

Thinking of that severed hand, a chill ran down my spine.

If they found it, I would be finished.

Francie stared at me, her eyes narrowing. She yanked me up and slapped me again.

“You bitch. What are you hiding? What did you do to my husband?”

My heart pounded like it was about to burst out of my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm, spitting out a mouthful of blood as I snapped.

“With a body like mine, what do you think I could possibly do to Brian? You idiots! Can’t you see the blood’s already dried and crusted? How could it be his? Instead of wasting your energy climbing down there, go check the city park!”

Jane slapped her thigh.

“That’s right!”

“Brian just awakened that. What was it? His ability is called Lighting Strike. One hit would’ve killed her!”

“You two, get up here. Let’s head to the city park!”

I let out a quiet breath and edged backward, holding it in.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

The low voice brushed against my ears, and my heart lurched.

David signaled to his nephews, and they quickly tied up my hands and feet.

“She tricked Brian into going to the city park, then came here herself. She’s too scheming. Take her back. We’ll make her talk.”

“You think you can just grab me?”

I struggled violently, shouting in fury, “If Mr. Kane comes tomorrow and can’t find me, he’ll skin every one of you alive!”

“Mr. Kane?”

The Lane family frowned.

“That’s right. He’s the one who left me the water last time he came. He’s a powerful ability user—he can manipulate metal. He runs the next city over. Anyone who crosses him ends up dead.”

I lifted my chin, arrogant and unyielding.

“Don’t believe me? Fine, go ask around. Victor Kane. He’s got a buzz cut and a scar through his brow. See if that sounds familiar.”

The ropes binding me loosened slightly.

“What’s your relationship with him? Why didn’t we know he came here?”

David frowned, suspicion in his eyes.

“Of course I’m his girlfriend.”

I let out a cold, contemptuous snort.

“Does Mr. Kane really need to report his every move to nobodies like you? Now untie me.”

The nephews hesitated, their hands starting to loosen the ropes.

“Wait.”

My heart skipped.

Francie stepped in, stopping them.

“Apple, if you really belong to Mr. Kane, why didn’t you say so earlier? Why were you flirting with my husband? You think he’d allow his woman to cheat on him?”

She stared straight at me.

“You’re lying.”

My mind raced as I lifted my chin and shot back, “Because you’re not good enough for Brian. The lot of you, what makes you so sure I was the one seducing him?

“Maybe you’re just too dull to keep a man, and instead you blame someone younger and prettier. What kind of logic is that?”

“You bitch!”

Francie’s anger flared.

She raised her hand to strike me, then lowered it, her expression turning to mocking contempt.

“I get it now. Mr. Kane’s wife couldn’t tolerate you, could she? That’s why you were so eager to find your next man.

“A cheap slut pretending to be above it all. Who do you think you’re kidding?”

My face flushed red as I snapped back defiantly, “Fine. Then go ahead and take me. When Mr. Kane shows up tomorrow, we’ll see whether he deals with me first, or slices all of you into pieces.”

The Lane family exchanged uneasy glances, each seeing the same grim expression on the others’ faces.

In the end, David spoke.

“Untie her.”

I flexed my numb wrists, trying to bring the feeling back into them.

“Hmph. At least you know what’s good for you. For Brian’s sake, I won’t hold this against you.”

Putting on a fierce front, I threatened Francie, “You’d better watch your mouth in front of Mr. Kane. Otherwise, I’ll have him kill you first and Brian will be mine.”

“You—!”

Francie trembled with rage.

“Just you wait. The day you get dumped, I’ll skin you alive! By then, Brian won’t want you either, you ugly hag!”

“Ma’am, Sir, that bottle of water is yours but don’t let Francie have a drop!”

I tossed out the words, then turned and walked off with my head held high.

Behind me, Francie shouted in fury, but my face instantly tightened with anxiety.

My fighting ability was almost nonexistent.

I had planned to rely on my memories from my past life, stock up on supplies, then head somewhere remote, into the wastelands or the desert, and take my time getting revenge.

But things had already gone off course.

I had to escape overnight.

By tomorrow, when the Lane family couldn’t find Brian and Victor still hadn’t shown up, they would realize something was wrong.

In my past life, Victor only came to this city half a year later, after learning that Brian had a “living water source.”

Thinking of him, I shivered despite the forty-five-degree heat.

More than hatred, what I felt was fear.

Even before the apocalypse, Victor had been a seasoned operator with ties on both sides of the law—cunning and ruthless, a complete monster.

In my past life, after Brian had tricked him, he only managed to get what was left of me. Furious, he vented it all on my body.

Relying on my abnormal regenerative ability, he cut me, burned me with cigarettes, and set me on fire.

He tried every kind of torture on me.

In the end, he went too far and threw me into an incinerator, burning me alive.

I slapped my cheeks, forcing myself to focus as I gathered gasoline.

At the same time, the Lane family, having returned empty-handed from the city park, made their way back to the wastewater plant.

Francie swept her flashlight over the piles of trash, already losing patience.

Then something caught the light and flashed into her eyes.

Her whole body trembled.

Darkness flickered across her vision before she screamed and lunged forward.

“A ring… Dad, Mom, this is Brian’s hand!”

Jane fainted on the spot. David shook with rage and roared,

“She must be trying to run. Hurry, one of you go find Mr. Kane. The rest of you, come with me. We’ll cut her off at the road!”

A sudden unease gripped me for no reason at all.

After finding only a few bars of chocolate, I took a side path and ran.

Hours later, the blazing sun rose from the cracked horizon and climbed overhead, the air warping in the heat.

I checked the rearview mirror. There was no one behind me.

Only then did I finally relax.

I pulled out a piece of chocolate and brought it to my mouth, just about to take a bit when three cars suddenly appeared ahead, speeding straight toward me.

The window of the car on the left rolled down.

Jane, consumed by grief and fury, screamed at me, “Apple, you murderer! Get down here and pay with your life! I’ll make sure you die with your eyes open!”

I saw the severed hand in her arms.

They had found it that quickly.

Seeing I was about to be surrounded, I gritted my teeth, grabbed the gasoline can from the back seat, lit the lighter, and hurled it out.

“Boom!”

Caught off guard, Jane let out a sharp scream as her car burst into flames.

“Mom!”

Francie slammed on the brakes and jumped out to put out the fire. I floored the accelerator and drove straight at her.

“Help me!”

The second nephew swerved his car to block me, but I wrenched the wheel hard, the car swinging wide as I shot onto a side road.

Then I hurled out another can of gasoline.

Flames roared skyward.

The Lane family’s cars stalled, vanishing from my rearview mirror.

“Hah… I’m finally free!”

Adrenaline surged as I shouted, the relief of survival flooding through me.

But the next second, the seat twisted and constricted, pinning me in the driver’s seat in an instant.

The car lurched wildly before slamming into the guardrail.

A tremendous force yanked me out and threw me to the ground.

The joy vanished, swallowed by despair. I trembled uncontrollably.

It was over. Everything was over.

Sure enough, a cold, sinister laugh cut through the air.

“Using my name to bluff people… you’ve got a death wish.”