Chapter 158
Then, a figure appeared in the doorway.
It was a woman in a black raincoat, her soaked hair clinging to her face. She had clearly just come through the acid rain as well, the fabric of her coat marked by patches of corrosion.
She pushed the door open and froze for a moment when she saw people inside.
Then her gaze fell on Suzy.
In that instant, her expression shifted again and again.
"Suzy?!"
Caught off guard by the familiar voice, Suzy’s body stiffened instinctively. When she focused and saw who it was, a chill prickled across her scalp.
Her luck today was truly abysmal.
Running into acid rain on the way back was bad enough. Now she had run into the one person she least wanted to see—Wendy.
She had avoided Wendy for so long, only to fail in the end.
Was this ill fate?
Suzy couldn’t help cursing the heavens under her breath.
"Suzy, is that really you?"
Before Suzy could respond, Wendy had already hurried over, her eyes sweeping up and down as she examined her.
"Long time no see," Suzy said coolly.
"Yes, it has been a long time. I never expected to run into you here." Wendy’s tone carried an undercurrent of meaning.
She didn’t seem bothered by Suzy’s distance. After sizing her up, her gaze shifted to Leonard and Thomas beside her. It lingered for a few seconds, her eyes lighting up noticeably.
"These two... are they your friends?"
Her voice held just the right note of curiosity, but her gaze lingered a fraction longer on Thomas.
She recognized him.
Thomas had a presence that was hard to forget. From the very first glance, he had drawn her in. Back then, however, there had been another woman at his side, and she hadn’t had the chance to approach.
Even after returning home, she had thought about him for a long time. She never expected that after the apocalypse, they would meet again.
But she remembered... hadn’t this man been taken?
The last time she saw him, he had been holding a woman... wait. Could that woman have been Suzy?
A flicker of malice passed through Wendy’s eyes.
It seemed Suzy had been doing quite well in this ruined world.
Two handsome men by her side, one on each arm... a sour bitterness rose in Wendy’s chest.
She couldn’t help glancing at Thomas Kim again.
The man before her was even more striking than she remembered. That cold, steely aura, those steady eyes, and the strength evident in his body were enough to make her pulse quicken.
In a world like this, a man like him was the best kind of security.
Then her gaze shifted to Leonard.
This one was impressive too, completely different in style. Refined and handsome, gentle in demeanor, with a faint sense of familiarity, as though she had seen him somewhere before.
But that gentleness... it was clearly directed only at Suzy.
Just the thought that Suzy had both of these exceptional men at her side made something twist sharply inside Wendy.
She was the heroine. Men like these should belong to her.
What right did a useless girl like Suzy have?
Wendy took a slow breath, suppressing the jealousy burning inside her. A soft, gentle smile returned to her face.
"Suzy, have you been doing well all this time?" she asked, her voice full of concern. "I’ve been worried about you. I’ve been asking around everywhere, trying to find news of you."
Suzy glanced at her and replied flatly, "I’ve been fine."
If not for the acid rain outside, she would have turned and left without hesitation.
She had no desire whatsoever to be involved with Wendy.
Especially not after the way Wendy had looked at Thomas and Leonard just now.
As if they were already hers for the taking.
Wendy didn’t give up. Her gaze shifted to Thomas, her smile softening further.
"Sir, have we met somewhere before? You look so familiar."
Thomas didn’t even lift his eyelids.
Wendy’s smile faltered for a brief second, then quickly smoothed back into place.
She turned to Leonard instead. "You look familiar too... ah, I remember now. You’re Suzy’s uncle, right?"
Looking more closely, she finally pieced it together. There had been fragments in the original host’s memories—Suzy did seem to have an uncle, someone strikingly handsome.
There had been nothing to fault in his appearance, and he had been generous as well. That brief meeting had left a strong impression.
Wendy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and offered Leonard a bright smile. "Hello, Uncle Leonard. I’m Wendy, Suzy’s older sister."
The man gave a polite nod, his tone courteous but distant. "Hello."
Suzy didn’t like Wendy, and that alone was enough for Leonard to form a poor impression of her.
Yet Wendy seemed completely oblivious to the coolness. If anything, her smile grew even warmer.
She pulled a few bottles of mineral water and a pack of biscuits from her backpack and held them out eagerly. "It’s pouring so hard outside—you must be thirsty and hungry. I have some food here. Don’t be shy, it’s all clean."
Leonard waved a hand. "No need. We have our own."
Her hand lingered awkwardly in midair for a few seconds before she withdrew it, still wearing a perfectly composed smile. "Alright then. If you need anything, just let me know. Don’t stand on ceremony with me."
"You’re too kind," Leonard replied.
Thomas shifted slightly closer to Suzy. He took a bottle of water from his pack, twisted the cap open, and handed it to her.
"Drink. You need it."
His voice was gentle—so gentle that even Leonard couldn’t help glancing at him.
Suzy took it, sipped, and smiled at him. "Thank you."
"Suzy, have this. You should get some energy back."
Leonard handed her a small bread roll, already unwrapped, gesturing for her to eat.
"Thanks, Uncle."
Watching this unfold, the bitterness in Wendy’s chest surged uncontrollably.
Thomas opened bottles for Suzy and handed her water. Leonard unwrapped her food.
There were two men attending to her alone, while Suzy simply sat there, calmly accepting it all.
Wendy’s nails dug deep into her palm.
Even she, the heroine, had never been treated like this—while Suzy was nothing more than a disposable side character...
Had the plot gone wrong somewhere?
Wasn’t she supposed to be the universally adored female lead?
Thinking of the rejection she had recently suffered at Thomas’ hands—and comparing it to how Suzy was treated now—Wendy felt so furious she could almost spit blood.
"Suzy, you’re truly fortunate," Wendy said, taking a slow breath. Her tone carried just the right touch of envy. "Everyone takes such good care of you. I’m really happy for you."
She paused, her gaze lingering briefly on Thomas before shifting to Leonard.
"Unlike me... I’ve been all alone since the apocalypse. I don’t even have anyone to talk to most of the time. When I got caught in the acid rain just now, I thought I might die out there."
Her voice softened, tinged with a hint of melancholy and fragility.
"Running into you all is such a relief... Even if Suzy might not want to see me, I still want to stay with her. After all, we’re sisters."
She was clearly trying to win favor.
Suzy took a bite of the bread, chewing slowly, offering no response.
Thomas didn’t even look at Wendy—he barely knew her.
Leonard, being the elder, at least spared her a glance, though his gaze remained distant. "It’s dangerous out there. You should be careful on your own."
That was all.
Wendy waited for more, but nothing came. The corner of her mouth twitched.
What happened to her heroine halo?
Why were these two men so indifferent?
Were they playing hard to get?
Just then, a noise came from the direction Wendy had arrived from.
In an instant, Suzy and the others went on alert. Leonard and Thomas moved in perfect sync, stepping in front of Suzy.
Wendy quickly raised a hand. "Don’t worry—it’s my friend!"