Chapter 2

Leon and I had been giving each other the cold shoulder for three days.

During those three days, he didn't ask me for anything. He was out early and back late every day, using his power to "help" more people.

Whenever he came back, he'd always be carrying some so-called "offerings" from others.

Sometimes it was half a moldy piece of bread, a bottle of cloudy water, or even some ragged clothes.

He treated these things like treasures, convinced they were the rewards for his kindness.

What he didn't realize was that those people were making fun of him behind his back, thinking he was an idiot.

They managed to get real food and medicine from us in exchange for worthless junk.

That night, Leon came back really late, and he wasn't alone.

He brought a woman with him.

She looked really young, probably just over twenty, with an innocent face and big, bright eyes. She looked like a frightened deer caught in headlights.

Her name was Edith.

"Fiona, this is Edith. She got separated from her family and was chased by a few zombies. I rescued her," Leon said, his voice firm and not open to discussion. "She sprained her ankle, so she'll be crashing with us tonight."

I glanced at Edith's so-called "sprained" ankle. There wasn't even a scratch on it.

Then I checked out her windbreaker, dusty but obviously expensive, and her flawless, well-cared-for face.

Did she really look like someone who'd been separated from her family and fighting to survive alone in the apocalypse I thought to myself.

I didn't say anything. I just grabbed a blanket from my storage space and tossed it onto the living room couch.

I said, "The couch is yours for tonight."

Edith glanced timidly at Leon, and then gave me a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Fiona," she said.

Her voice was so soft and tender that it could make anyone go weak in the knees.

Leon looked pretty satisfied with me playing nice, and his expression relaxed a lot.

He helped Edith settle onto the couch and talked to her softly, asking if she was hungry or thirsty.

Then he walked over to me.

"Fiona, bring out some food and water, and get some antibiotics and bandages. Edith's ankle needs some treatment," he said.

He was back to that commanding tone of his again.

I looked at him and almost burst out laughing.

"Leon, my supplies are for me only," I said flatly.

"What do you mean?" Leon's face went cold in an instant. "She's just a pitiful soul with nowhere to go!"

"Pitiful soul?" I glanced at the so-called 'pitiful soul' who was obviously listening in. "Why don't you ask her how she's managed to make it out there all this time?"

Edith's face turned pale. She lowered her head, her shoulders shaking as if she was holding back tears.

Leon immediately felt sorry for her.

"Fiona, that's enough! Stop judging people with your dark theories. Edith is different!" he snapped.

"Oh? And how is she any different?" I shot back.

"She..." Leon was at a loss for words for a second, and then got angry. "She's kind and innocent, unlike you! Now all you ever think about is scheming and being selfish!"

"Kind, huh?" I laughed out loud. "Leon, did you forget about the neighbors in our apartment building? Or how they nearly beat me to death?"

That whole thing was a sore spot for Leon.

Back then, he shouted, "Don't you dare hurt my wife!" And then a blinding light of purification burst out from him. He thought he was the hero of the hour.

But he conveniently forgot that if he hadn't given away our food, those people wouldn't have targeted us at all.

"That was an accident!" Leon snapped, clearly pissed off. "And I protected you! Fiona, we can't just turn our backs on everyone because of one bad thing. The world needs love, and it needs us to step up and save it!"

His voice kept rising, like he was on stage giving a speech.

Edith started crying right on cue.

"Leon, please don't fight with Fiona. It's all my fault... Maybe I should just leave. I don't want to be a burden to you," she said.

She tried to stand up, but then she let out a soft cry and collapsed back onto the couch, her tears falling like beads.

What a fragile and pretentious girl.

Leon took the bait, just as expected. He dashed over, fussing nervously as he helped steady her.

"Edith, don't move. Your ankle's still hurting. Don't worry, as long as I'm here, no one's going to make you leave," he said.

He held Edith close, looking at me with cold, bitter disappointment.

"Fiona, I'm so disappointed in you," he said.

With that, he didn't spare me another glance, carefully tending to Edith's ankle as if she were a rare gem.

I stood there, unmoving, just watching them.

Leon's eyes were blazing with righteous zeal, while Edith's gaze hid layers of calculation.

They really were birds of a feather.

Suddenly, everything I'd fought for these past three months felt like a total joke.