Swallowing his pride and giving the recording to Amelia, Kain couldn’t help threatening her.

"If anyone else hears this, don’t blame me for burying you alive," his tone low and dangerous.

"Don’t threaten me with a good time," she said, blowing him a kiss, then proceeding to look around the room.

He sat on the bed watching her roam around the room. He didn’t push her to tell him. That was the worst thing he could do. She was cataloguing everything about the room so she could do something later.

As for what it was, he had no idea.

The years he spent with her since the collapse, he had learned a lot about her. There are some things he wishes he didn’t know. Knowing them only stroked his ego and turned him into someone he didn’t want to become.

"It’s me."

Her voice pulled him out of his musings. He had been so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t notice she had sat next to him at some point. Another thing he hated about the effect she had on him. He trusted her too much.

"How is it? It’s been a few years. Has the experiment yielded any results?"

Listening to the conversation, he could tell that whatever the people on the other end were telling her was bullshit. It was as if he saw flames flickering in her eyes. The contrast of her green eyes made it appear that a forest was on fire.

Though he wasn’t listening intently, he knew they were telling her that none of the materials she gave made it to term.

But if he believed the Nurturing System, there were children out there.

She hung up and threw the phone on the bed. "Those idiots just told me none of them were viable."

"And you believe it?" he asked.

"Of course I don’t. We’re both in good health. They have state-of-the-art equipment. There is no reason that not even one child was created. They’re lying, and I don’t appreciate people lying to me."

She reached for the phone, about to make a call, when Kain stopped her. He knew who she was about to call. Whether they were pitiful people in the past or they were surrounded by villains, they both had the same kind of fate.

The people they trust the most are the ones who hurt them. And the ones they take for granted are the ones who stick around to the end.

"Don’t call her. It’s best if you put weights around her ankles and throw her in the ocean. At least if she becomes fish food, she’ll be worth something."

"What are you...?"

He put her face in his hands and looked at her seriously. "Don’t trust Bridgette."

Not giving her the chance to refute, he called up the system. "System, are you sure we have kids together?"

[Affirmative. The host currently has three children.]

He turned to Amelia. "It says we have three kids." She opened her mouth to refute. "Between believing that lab or the system, I’m prone to believing the system."

"You don’t even know where this thing came from," she scoffed. "It’s formed a link with you..."

"With both of us."

"...with both of us. And another thing," she folded her arms, "I haven’t agreed to this. Why should it bind me without my consent?"

"You don’t want to be stuck to me like glue? Find, I’ll tell it to unbind you."

"Wait..."

He smirked, enjoying her panicked look. Seeing his smirk, she pouted.

"Alright, don’t act like a baby. I haven’t even agreed to us being together." Without giving her time to protest, he turned and picked up the phone.

The screen lit up. From yesterday to today, it was the first time he really looked at the date. He understood why the system gave him one month to find the kids. Because in the next month, the world would collapse.

"Amy, if for some reason, the world ends in a month. Would you like to stay with me?" Tucking some stray locks behind her ear, his intense gaze lingered on her.

"You don’t need to ask, you know I would."

He hadn’t even noticed he was tense when he asked. His body relaxed, and he made a call. "Jake, is Nicky with you?"

The sounds coming from the other end of the phone told him he had called at an inopportune time. Jake’s shuffling and a small moan came through the speaker.

"Boss," Jake’s hoarse voice sounded. "Who’s Nicky?"

"Veronica. The same Veronica that Amelia Hartwell. Don’t act dumb with me, Jake. Was that her?"

There was a long silence before Jake responded, "Yeah, boss, she’s here."

"Good. You both have some work to do. Amy will send Nicky some information in a bit. You have two weeks to find what we need," and with that, he hung up.

Amelia, beside him, had a smile curving at the corner of her lip. He reyes sparkled as she said, "So, you knew your guys were fraternizing with the enemy?"

"The enemy? When have you ever been the enemy? You’re annoying, but never the enemy."

"You know," her brow furrowed. "You weren’t like this before. I saw you a few days ago. You were still your brooding self, with a face like ice, warding off everyone who tries to get near you. Now you’re..." she searched for the right word, "...playful."

Kain laughed. Playful? Had he become playful now? He didn’t think so. The things he has seen and experienced don’t create a playful person. It creates someone who knows how to laugh in the face of danger.

It creates a person with mental instability. It breeds sin and festers destruction. He isn’t playful. He’s feeling relaxed in front of the only person he can allow himself to be relaxed around.

The one person who would rather kill herself to let him live.

She left comfort to ensure his safety. He calls her crazy, but he doesn’t consider himself much better. He had eaten her flesh and tasted her blood. They had become one in a way that others could never.

And he never wants to experience it again. This time, since he knows what’s coming, he will climb to a height that others cannot reach. He will not allow either himself or her to suffer.