"I'm sorry, but this is all I have left!"
Vivian Sinclair pulled a loaf of bread from the fridge and handed it to Yasin. "If you're thirsty, you can get water from the sink over there. This place has an independent water system with filtration. I've been drinking from it for over half a month, and it's safe—no infection."
Yasin was taken aback. He had just realized he was in a kitchen, and more than that, this house had its own power and water supply.
The proof was right in front of him—the refrigerator was still running. When Vivian opened the door, the interior light flickered on.
"Oh, you noticed." Vivian smiled faintly. "The electricity here is independent. There's a backup generator on the first floor, probably diesel-powered. But once the fuel runs out, the power will go with it. It's been running for over two weeks now, so I don't think it'll last much longer. And when the power goes, so will the water."
Yasin glanced at her with newfound respect.
Vivian Sinclair wasn't just some random woman. By this time, in this world, she was already a rising star in the modeling world, even gracing the cover of top magazines. It was obvious she wasn't some housekeeper who just happened to be here.
She must have hidden in the kitchen when the chaos erupted, using her quick thinking to survive.
And her analysis just now? Spot on.
She had a sharp mind, able to read the situation with precision. She wasn't just intelligent—she was observant. Just from his reaction to the fridge light, she had already deduced what he was thinking and explained the situation before he even asked.
This was not some naive damsel in distress.
"How much food do you have left?" Yasin asked, glancing at the nearly empty fridge.
"Just this loaf of bread and a few packets of oatmeal. I've been rationing—only eating two slices a day. Once this is gone, that's it… I'm sorry." Vivian looked down, almost guilty.
"Why are you apologizing?" Yasin frowned.
Vivian had no reason to feel guilty. She had taken him in, shared what little she had, and yet, she still seemed to feel like she owed him something.
It was strange.
From the moment they met, there was an odd familiarity between them. It was like they had known each other for years, like they were… family?
Yasin shook off the thought.
He had memories of three different lives. He recognized Vivian Sinclair immediately—because, in another world, she had been his mother.
But she shouldn't feel the same way. She wasn't connected to those memories. So why did she seem to feel an instinctive closeness toward him?
Something deeper was at play.
But now wasn't the time to figure it out.
Instead, he turned his attention back to their surroundings. The kitchen was well-equipped—high-end appliances, an oven, a microwave, even a UV sterilizer.
As a survival shelter, it was nearly perfect.
The only thing missing was a bathroom and a bed.
Still, it was better than where he had been before.
"Here, take these." Yasin reached behind him and, as if by magic, produced a few packs of compressed biscuits.
Vivian's eyes widened in surprise.
"Thank you…" She hesitated for a moment, then smiled. "Then… I'll hold onto them for you. If you're hungry, just take whatever you need."
She paused, biting her lip nervously before gathering the courage to ask, "Listen… I know we just met, but this place is safe. It has water, electricity—for now, at least. If you don't mind… could you stay here? With me?"
She hesitated before quickly adding, "You don't have to worry about the food. Once we run out, I'll help you search for more. I've been watching the zombies outside. When the sun rises, they retreat. By noon, they're at their weakest. When the time comes, we can sneak out through the back door."
Her voice was steady, but Yasin could hear the loneliness underneath it.
She had been here alone for weeks. Afraid. Isolated.
She wasn't just asking him to stay for safety—she needed someone, anyone, to be with her.
Vivian Sinclair's invitation was exactly what Yasin had been hoping for.
With running water and electricity, this was an ideal temporary refuge.
"Alright! If you don't mind, I'll be staying here for now. As for food, leave that to me!"
Yasin smiled and nodded. He felt an undeniable connection with Vivian, as if they had known each other forever. Their synergy was effortless, their interactions instinctive.
"But before that, I need to step out. There's something I must take care of."
A cold glint flashed in Yasin's eyes. "You mentioned a back door—can you show me where it is?"
"Of course! Follow me!" Vivian eagerly took his hand, leading him toward the kitchen's back exit.
Their hands clasped naturally, effortlessly—just like in another world, when she had held her son, Andy Brant's, hand with the same warmth and familiarity.
The kitchen was on the second floor, about thirty square meters in size, with both a front and back entrance.
The back door led directly to the backyard.
The villa's backyard was large, enclosed by towering walls. There were fruit trees and vegetable patches, and three zombies—two in gardener uniforms and one in a suit—were aimlessly wandering among the trees.
"The front and back yards are separated. When the outbreak happened, there weren't many people in the backyard. From what I've observed, there are only six zombies here. Since the gate was closed at the time, no other zombies managed to get in."
Vivian pointed to a vegetable patch and several fruit trees.
"There are five apple trees and three pear trees. The fruit is almost ripe! Once we run out of food, we can pick them. The vegetable patch has cabbage, lettuce, potatoes, and carrots—plenty to eat! These supplies should last us more than two weeks!"
This discovery thrilled Yasin.
If they could eliminate the six zombies, the backyard would be their private safe zone. They'd have fresh fruit and vegetables, and they could even cultivate more crops.
Water, electricity, and now a garden? This was a paradise in the apocalypse.
Yasin grew more satisfied with both Vivian and this newfound sanctuary.
"Still, we need to take care of those zombies."
Vivian picked up a kitchen knife, determination in her eyes.
"Before, I was alone, and I didn't dare go out. But now that there are two of us, I think we can handle it! To be safe, though, we should wait until tomorrow at noon when the zombies are at their weakest—"
Before she could finish, Yasin unsheathed his sword, turned to the door, and said calmly, "Don't worry. I'll handle the zombies in the backyard. From now on, leave the killing and scavenging to me."
He stepped outside, closing the door behind him.
Vivian watched through the window, her hands clenched in nervous anticipation as Yasin strode toward the trees, his sword gleaming.
In a world like this, every woman longed for a strong man to protect her.
And this man—this man she felt so inexplicably drawn to—gave her an overwhelming sense of security.
The thought of living here, just the two of them, sent warmth through her chest. Her cheeks flushed with a soft, rosy hue.
Vivian had been right—there were six zombies.
Beyond the three Yasin had seen through the glass, another three lurked inside the damp shadows of a rock garden cave.
But they were slow, mindless creatures. And Yasin's sword was razor-sharp.
It only took moments. Six swift strikes. Six lifeless corpses.
Yasin glanced back at the window where Vivian stood, then up at the sky.
It was past 3 PM. The sun was lowering. Soon, it would set.
When night fell, the zombies in town would grow more active.
Time was running out. He had to reach his own villa before dark.
Without hesitation, Yasin climbed an apple tree near the wall, used it as leverage to vault onto the top, and disappeared into the distance.
"Will he come back?"
Vivian bit her lip, shifting restlessly.
For two weeks, she had been trapped here, surrounded by the undead. She had food, water, and shelter—but the crushing solitude was unbearable.
The endless days of isolation, the hopelessness… they had almost driven her to give up.
More than hunger or even death, she feared loneliness.
More than once, she had considered ending it all.
But then Yasin had appeared.
He reignited her will to survive.
"As long as he comes back… as long as he stays with me… I'll do anything."
She knelt on the floor, clasped her hands, and closed her eyes in a silent, desperate prayer.
"Please, merciful God… keep him safe and bring him back to me."