The Winter That Wasn't Chapter 1

One week into the "extreme freeze," my husband and son—both obsessed with apocalyptic web novels—were convinced the end of the world had arrived.

My husband, Aaron, stopped pretending to be the good guy.

Not only did he encourage our son to loot jewelry stores and supermarkets, but he also moved his childhood sweetheart—who was three months pregnant—into the mansion I bought.

"The world is ending, Clara. Lily is carrying my child. Can't you be a little more generous?"

"In the apocalypse, this isn't looting, it's survival! Mom, your old-fashioned mindset isn't even worth a strand of Aunt Lily's hair."

As our supplies dwindled and the temperature outside plummeted to -100°F (or so they thought), Lily, the "sweetheart," kicked me out of my own house.

I turned around, climbed into the heavily insulated RV I had prepared in advance, and dialed a number.

"Professor Chen? Is the extreme weather emergency drill almost over?"

On the surveillance screen, the father and son duo were tearing the house apart looking for me. They were losing their minds.

* * *

I set the RV's thermostat to a comfortable 75°F and switched on the electric fireplace I’d installed.

The biting cold vanished instantly, replaced by a cozy warmth.

"Clara, come to the lab. It's not safe for you alone in the RV."

The man on the other end of the line sounded panicked when he heard Aaron's mistress, Lily, had thrown me out.

"It's almost time to reel in the net. Is there anything more satisfying than watching prey struggle in a trap?"

I hung up and looked at the monitor.

Aaron's veins were bulging on his forehead. He was gripping Lily's shoulders, shaking her.

"You dared to kick Clara out without telling me? Lily, do you want to die?"

Lily, shocked, puffed out her pregnant belly defensively.

"Aaron! You said you were sick of Clara! You said you could only be yourself with me!"

"Isn't this better? Without that eyesore Clara, we're finally a happy family!"

My son, Noah, slumped to the floor, his eyes red.

"Dad, what do we do? Mom hates the cold..."

They all knew that being kicked out in this "weather" meant certain death.

Aaron leaned against the doorframe, his face as pale as a sheet. Suddenly, he let out a guttural roar, filled with helplessness and despair.

Watching this, I let out a cold laugh.

Half a month ago.

"Dad, look! The frozen apocalypse is real!"

Early in the morning, father and son stood by the window, eyes gleaming with excitement.

It should have been a scorching August, but the temperature had dropped by sixty degrees overnight.

The city was frozen solid.

"Son, can you believe it? Our time has come," Aaron murmured.

I stood on the second floor landing, arms crossed, coldly watching this pair of apocalypse-fantasy addicts excitedly list the supplies they needed to hoard.

"Lily, don't cry. Don't be scared, I'm coming to get you right now."

"...Afraid of her? Baby, you have to understand, in the apocalypse, the strong rule! The weak—women, children, the elderly—step aside. It's a man's world now!"

Aaron was on the phone with Lily, his voice booming.

He was openly admitting his affair.