Chapter 1

To support my wife, Natalie Strickland, in her work, I stayed behind in our first-floor apartment during the hurricane, caring for our son, Tyler, as he burned with a high fever.

But as the director of the neighborhood committee, Natalie gave our family's last remaining life buoy to her childhood friend, Hayden Walker, on the tenth floor.

When I confronted her about how unfair it was, she snapped at me over the phone.

"Emerson, you're my husband. You should put the bigger picture first. Our family has to set an example.

"Hayden's situation is different. He's raising his daughter alone, and she has asthma. Both professionally and personally, they have to be our priority."

Once again, I let her convince me with her talk about the greater good.

Then the floodwaters swallowed the first floor.

Holding my barely breathing son in my arms, I frantically called the emergency command center.

The dispatcher apologized before delivering the news, "Sir, Director Strickland listed Mr. Hayden Walker and his daughter in the first evacuation group. You and your son were assigned to the final group."

I looked down at my son as the last traces of breath faded from his tiny body. My heart filled with despair.

"System, I accept your offer to leave this world with my son."

'Natalie, Tyler and I will never need you to save us again.'

Chapter 1

"Don't send a rescue boat to the first floor of Building Three. Concentrate all available resources on Building Five."

Natalie's calm voice came through the rescue team's radio.

Holding Tyler's hand, I drifted above the floodwaters and listened in silence.

"But Director Strickland, Emerson called earlier. He said the water was already up to his neck." The young rescue worker, Daniel Foster, sounded anxious.

"Daniel, you're new here, so you don't know Emerson very well. He has a habit of exaggerating." Natalie let out a weary sigh.

"He knows I'm out in the field, so he's making it sound worse than it is because he wants me to make an exception and rescue him first. He's a grown man. Can't he take care of himself for once?

"I'm the director of the neighborhood committee. If I give my own family special treatment, how am I supposed to expect anyone else to trust me?"

Daniel hesitated. "But Emerson said Tyler has a high fever..."

"I know Tyler's health better than anyone. He's a tough little boy. Give him some fever medicine, let him sleep, and he'll be fine." Natalie cut him off.

"Hayden Walker in Building Five is raising his daughter, Aviana, by himself. She has asthma and can't handle this kind of stress. Turn the rescue boat around and head to Building Five immediately. That's an order."

The radio went dead.

Daniel sighed, then reluctantly steered the rescue boat toward Building Five.

The propeller churned up the floodwater as the boat passed directly over my son's body and mine. Our bodies were wedged between the living room couch and the ceiling.

Floating on the water was Tyler's favorite Transformer, along with the half-finished cup of instant mac and cheese I'd never gotten the chance to eat.

"Daddy, why won't Mommy let the police come save us?" Tyler looked up at me, his translucent little face full of confusion.

I crouched down and gently stroked his intangible hair. "Because Mommy has someone else she thinks is more important."

"But I'm so cold, Daddy. It's so dark in the water." His lips trembled into a tiny pout.

I couldn't bear to see him like that.

"System, open the transmigration portal."

The System's mechanical voice responded.

[Host, the transmigration portal is ready. You may depart at any time.]

But Tyler suddenly tugged on my sleeve. "Daddy, I want to see Mommy one more time. I want to ask her myself if I wasn't a good boy. Is that why she didn't want me anymore?"

The faint hope in his eyes pierced straight through my heart. Even in death, he still longed for the mother who never stopped talking about the greater good.

"System, postpone our departure for two days."

[Request approved. Temporary stay authorized. Countdown: forty-eight hours.]

Holding Tyler's hand, I drifted with the current toward the emergency shelter. The district gymnasium had been converted into a temporary evacuation center, brightly lit despite the storm.

Natalie, who was still wearing her rain gear, stood at the command table reviewing evacuation lists. Hayden sat beside her, his daughter wrapped in a blanket as he held her close.

"Natalie, did I cause you trouble? If you hadn't come to rescue us, you'd probably be with Emerson right now. Is he going to be angry with me?"

Natalie set down her pen and turned to him, her expression softening. "Don't overthink it. You're a priority assistance case. Rescuing you was protocol.

"Emerson is a grown man, and Tyler is already six. Even on the first floor, they could've climbed onto a cabinet and waited it out. If he can't even handle something that basic, then I seriously misjudged him."

She picked up a cup of hot water from the table and handed it to Hayden. "Drink something hot. Don't catch a chill."

I silently watched the scene unfold.

That blanket… I'd washed it just two days ago and put it away in the closet. Before Natalie left, I'd packed it into a waterproof bag myself because I was worried she'd get cold while working through the night.

Now it was wrapped around another man's daughter.

"But wasn't Tyler running a fever?" Hayden accepted the cup with both hands and asked cautiously.

"It's just a fever. He won't die from it." Natalie's voice was flat. "Emerson is way too sensitive. He always acts like the whole world should revolve around him. When the floodwaters recede, I'll deal with him."

Tyler's tiny hand suddenly tightened around mine. "Daddy, does Mommy not love me? Is that why she didn't care whether I lived or died?"

Chapter 2

I pulled Tyler into my arms, unsure how to comfort him.

Natalie reached into her pocket and took out a box of medicine. It was Tyler's backup fever medication.

"Hayden, keep this with you, just in case." She pressed the medicine into Hayden's hands.

I'd begged Natalie to bring that medicine home. Not only had she never come back, but she'd given our son's life-saving medication to someone else.

But it didn't matter anymore. Tyler was already beyond saving.

"Director Strickland, the water level around Building Three has risen again." One of the logistics coordinators, Megan Carter, hurried over, looking flustered. "The first floor is completely underwater now. Should we send another team to check on them?"

Natalie's brow furrowed, a trace of irritation flashing across her face. "I already said Building Three isn't our priority. Emerson knew the water would rise. He's perfectly capable of getting Tyler up to the second-floor landing."

Megan hesitated. "But I just tried calling Emerson. His phone's unreachable."

"He turned it off on purpose because he's mad at me." Natalie let out a cold laugh. "He pulls this stunt every time work keeps me busy. He's a grown man, but he's more petty than anyone I've ever met.

"Just ignore him. The more attention you give him, the worse he gets."

Then she turned toward Hayden, her voice instantly softening. "Hayden, are you hungry? I'll have someone bring us a couple of meal boxes."

Hayden shook his head, looking as considerate as ever. "I'm fine. Supplies are limited. Save them for the people who need them more. You're the one coordinating the rescue. You should eat."

Approval flickered across Natalie's face. "See? If Emerson were even half as thoughtful as you. All he ever cares about is his own little world. He never thinks about the bigger picture."

Megan frowned. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she swallowed the words.

Tyler and I stood right in front of them. He reached out his tiny hand, trying to touch Natalie's face.

"Mommy, Daddy wasn't mad. His phone fell into the water."

His hand passed straight through her body, touching nothing.

Tyler froze. He stared at his own translucent hand as tears rolled silently down his cheeks. "Daddy, Mommy can't hear me."

I gently pulled him back and wrapped an arm around him. "It's okay. We don't need her anymore. I will take you away."

Just then, the phone on the command desk rang.

"Director Strickland, one of our patrol teams found a cell phone near Building Three. There's a family photo of you and your husband on it. We think it belongs to Emerson."

Natalie's expression darkened. "Where did you find it?"

"Outside the first floor of Building Three. It was caught on the security bars in a tree branch."

Natalie was silent for two seconds before letting out a dismissive scoff. "So he's really committed to the act. He even threw out his phone just to lure me back? Forget about him. He's probably watching you from the second floor.

"Send the patrol boat to Building Eight instead. There are still several elderly residents waiting to be evacuated."

She hung up.

Rubbing her temples, Natalie looked exhausted.

Hayden walked behind her and gently began massaging her shoulders. "You're worn out, Natalie. Why don't you take a break?"

"I'm fine." She patted the back of his hand. "As long as you and Aviana are safe, a little hard work is nothing."

Watching the effortless intimacy between them, I felt... nothing.

There was a time when scenes like this would've started another fight between us. She always accused me of being unreasonable. She'd remind me that Hayden was a struggling single father and tell me to be more understanding.

Now, I never had to waste another ounce of myself on any of it again.

"System, how much time do we have left?"

[Forty-six hours remain.]

I nodded and took Tyler's hand before leading him to a quiet corner to sit down.

Chapter 3

Morning gradually broke, and at last, the rain began to ease. The floodwaters slowly started to recede.

More and more evacuees arrived at the shelter, and everywhere, the sounds of survivors weeping after narrowly escaping death filled the air.

Natalie hadn't slept all night. Her face looked pale as she organized the day's rescue operations.

"Today's priorities are pumping out floodwater and clearing debris." She pointed to several locations on the map. "Move both high-capacity pumps to Building Five first."

Daniel frowned. "Director Strickland, Building Five sits on higher ground. The flooding there isn't that bad.

"Building Three is the lowest point in the neighborhood. The first floor is still underwater. We should pump that area out first."

Without even looking up, Natalie replied, "Building Five may be on higher ground, but the basement stores the community's important records.

"And Hayden's apartment still contains many of his late wife's belongings. If those are destroyed, it'll be a devastating emotional blow.

"As for Building Three, it's just old furniture. If it's ruined, we'll help residents apply for compensation later."

Daniel stared at her in disbelief. "But Emerson and Tyler are still in Building Three! What if they never made it to the second floor? What if they're trapped downstairs?"

Natalie's expression turned completely icy. "Daniel, are you questioning my judgment? I already told you Emerson isn't stupid. He knows how to protect himself. Sending people to Building Three now would be a waste of public resources.

"I'm the incident commander. If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility. Carry out my orders."

Daniel clenched his jaw before reluctantly turning to make the arrangements.

Watching Natalie's self-righteous expression, I almost laughed.

She'd always been like this. She could dress up the most biased decisions in the noblest excuses.

Community records?

Keepsakes?

In Natalie's eyes, even one photo album left behind by Hayden's late wife was worth more than the lives of Tyler and me.

Tyler leaned quietly against my leg. He wasn't crying anymore. He simply stared at Natalie as the love he'd once had for his mother slowly faded from his eyes.

"Daddy, Mommy said we're a waste of resources." His voice was barely above a whisper. "Does that mean... I'm garbage?"

My chest tightened so painfully I could barely breathe. I knelt and wrapped him tightly in my arms.

"No. You're Daddy's precious little boy. You're the most precious little man in the whole world. Your mommy is blind. We don't need her anymore."

Tyler nodded obediently. "Okay. I only need Daddy."

By noon, most of the floodwater had already been pumped out of Building Five.

Hayden returned to the basement with Natalie. Aviana was by his side. Digging through a cardboard box, he pulled out a photo album.

"Thank goodness. The pictures are all okay." Overcome with relief, he hugged the album tightly as tears filled his eyes.

Standing beside him, Natalie finally let out a long sigh. "I knew pumping this building first was the right decision."

She took out her phone and glanced at the screen. There were still no missed calls from me. With a cold snort, she slipped the phone back into her pocket.

"Emerson has really gone too far this time. He hasn't even bothered to let me know he's safe. Once things settle down, I'm making him write me a self-reflection."

Hayden wiped away his tears and spoke gently, "Don't be angry with Emerson. Maybe he's just upset with you. When you get home, talk it out with him."

"Talk it out?" Natalie frowned. "I've spoiled him too much already.

"The moment something doesn't go his way, he throws a tantrum. He doesn't act like much of a man. This time I'm not backing down first. He needs to realize he was wrong."

Standing behind them, I watched the confidence on Natalie's face. She was certain I was still huddled on the second-floor landing, holding Tyler and waiting for rescue.

She was certain that all it would take was one gesture from her, and I'd obediently go home.

Too bad she didn't know the truth.

She had locked the security door to our apartment from the outside herself. She'd insisted that with a hurricane approaching, we needed to be extra careful about break-ins.

When the floodwaters surged into the apartment, the pressure against the door was overwhelming.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't force it open.

Chapter 4

By three o'clock that afternoon, crews finally began pumping the water out of Building Three. Only a few low-capacity pumps remained, so the water drained painfully slowly.

After eating a boxed lunch at the evacuation center and changing into a fresh pair of rain boots, Natalie finally decided to return.

"I'm going to see if Emerson's done throwing his little tantrum," she commented to a colleague in an easy, almost amused tone.

Tyler and I drifted silently after her.

The floodwater inside Building Three had receded to about knee level. Mud and debris covered everything, and the air reeked of stagnant floodwater.

Natalie stopped in front of our apartment's security door, her brow knitting together.

The lock was caked with mud. She grimaced as she jabbed at it with her key for what felt like forever before it finally clicked open.

"Emerson, enough hiding. Come out." She pushed the door open, impatience lacing her voice. "The water's gone down. How long are you planning to stay upstairs?"

Silence.

The only sound was the steady drip of water falling from the ceiling.

Natalie waded into the apartment.

The living room was in ruins. The couch had been overturned by the flood, and the television lay smashed on the floor.

She glanced toward the staircase leading to the second floor.

It was empty. There was no sign of us.

"So you've really got some nerve now, don't you?" Her voice rose, anger creeping into it. "Where did you take Tyler? Did you run off to your parents' house?

"I'm telling you right now—if you walk out today, don't ever come back!"

Still shouting, she marched toward the bedroom where the door stood half-open. She kicked it wide.

"Get out here!"

But the moment she saw what was inside, her voice died in her throat.

The bedroom window had been shattered. I'd smashed it with every ounce of strength I had left after the floodwater rose over my head, hoping someone—anyone—would hear us calling for help.

And beneath the broken window, floating together in the corner, were two bodies, tangled tightly in each other's arms.