The Apocalypse Is My Second Home

3

Even his aunt, the woman who had raised him, offered him no comfort. When he discovered Emmanuella's affair and turned to her for advice, hoping for some consolation, she scolded him instead.

She insisted that he do everything possible to preserve his marriage, regardless of how badly his wife treated him.

After all, his marriage had enabled her to send her children to university. They were now living comfortable lives, and the connections Emmanuella's family had provided had helped her business flourish.

To her, Jason's marriage was far too valuable to jeopardize over something as trivial as his wife's infidelity.

His feelings didn't matter. Neither did his dignity or mental well-being.

With his wife mistreating him, his in-laws looking down on him, and his own aunt treating him as little more than a source of financial support, Jason's life gradually became a nightmare.

The constant emotional abuse wore him down. The once-loving young man grew increasingly withdrawn until he became almost robotic, following orders without question.

He stopped standing up for himself and expecting kindness from others. Somewhere along the way, he lost the will to fight for his own happiness.

Then came the anniversary of his daughter's death.

Something inside him finally snapped.

Emmanuella had promised to accompany him, but after waiting for hours without seeing her, Jason went alone to mourn his daughter.

Overwhelmed by frustration and hurt afterward, he called his friend, who worked at a five-star hotel, and poured out his grievances.

During their conversation, his friend mentioned seeing Emmanuella at the hotel with another man.

Jason immediately knew who it was.

Brian.

On the very day they were supposed to mourn their daughter, Emmanuella had chosen to spend time with her lover instead.

Their daughter hadn't belonged to Jason alone. Emmanuella had lost her too, yet she couldn't even spare the day to remember her.

For the first time in their marriage, Jason refused to overlook his wife's betrayal.

He went straight to the hotel to confront them.

By the time he arrived, Emmanuella and Brian had finished what they were doing and were preparing to leave. Jason confronted Brian and, in the heat of the moment, slapped him across the face.

Brian flew into a rage.

He immediately ordered his men to drag Jason away and teach him a lesson.

The hotel's security personnel turned a blind eye as Brian's men hauled Jason to a secluded area and beat him mercilessly.

The assault was so severe that Jason fell into a coma.

That was how he had ended up in the hospital, unconscious for an entire week. The beating had probably killed him, leaving his body vacant for Noah to occupy.

After going through Jason's memories, Noah couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

Without knowing the full story, he might have dismissed Jason as a spineless man who allowed his wife and in-laws to walk all over him. But Jason wasn't simply a coward. He was an orphan who had grown up without the love and support every child deserved.

His aunt had raised him, but she had also worn him down emotionally, treating him like a nobody. Even after he married into a wealthy family, she continued to see him as little more than a source of money, showing him a semblance of respect only because his social standing had improved.

Everyone he had trusted had taken advantage of him.

His wife had betrayed him, his in-laws had looked down on him, and even the woman who raised him valued the benefits of his marriage more than his happiness.

He had endured one injustice after another, only to lose his life the moment he finally stood up for himself.

After a miserable childhood, he had suffered through an equally miserable adulthood.

What a tragic life.

As Noah contemplated Jason's fate, he suddenly felt something wet trickle down his face.

He raised a hand and touched his cheek. When he brought his fingers before his eyes, he stared at the moisture in disbelief.

He was crying.

He, Noah, the Western Storm, was actually crying.

What the hell is wrong with this body? Why is it so emotional?

He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.

There was no point in fighting fate. He had been reincarnated, and he wanted to see where this new life would lead.

But one thing was certain.

He would never spend his life as a live-in son-in-law whose only purpose was to please his wife, in-laws, and everyone else around him.

That life was over.

*********

When Noah woke up again, he reached for the phone beside him to check the time. The moment he saw the date, his eyes widened.

He had been asleep for three days!

The last time he had checked his phone was Tuesday, yet it was already Friday.

He instinctively tried to sit up and, this time, succeeded.

Although some pain remained, it had subsided considerably, allowing him to move with little difficulty.

As he settled against the pillows, he noticed someone sitting beside his bed, his head resting on the mattress.

It was Frank, Jason's best friend from university.

From Jason's memories, Noah knew that Frank and another friend named Jacob were the only people who had treated him like a human being over the past few years.

Noah reached out and tapped Frank on the shoulder.

Frank immediately lifted his head. The moment he saw Jason sitting up, relief washed over his face.

"Jason! Thank God you're awake! You gave me such a scare, man. What were you thinking, standing in the middle of the road like that? Do you really want to end your life this way? I've told you countless times to leave this marriage. If you keep living like this, you'll die young!"

His outburst made it clear that he believed depression had driven Jason to stand in the road and let a car hit him.

Noah smiled faintly.

Frank had always been like this. For the past two years, ever since Jason and Emmanuella's relationship had deteriorated, he had repeatedly urged Jason to leave the marriage.

He had even advised Jason against rushing into marriage when he first learned about Emmanuella's pregnancy. Jason should have finished university and found a job before taking on the responsibility of supporting a wife and child, Frank had argued. That way, he would have been in a better position to provide for his family.

Jason had ignored his advice and married Emmanuella anyway.

Love had clouded his judgment, blinding him to the consequences of his decision. He had been so determined to marry the woman he loved that he hadn't stopped to consider what lay ahead.

It had been the last time he listened to Frank.

"You're right, Frank," Noah said. "I can't put up with this rubbish anymore."

Frank stared at him as though he suspected he was hallucinating. After a moment, he shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm sure that car hit you so hard that you knocked your head against the ground and damaged something up there."

Noah frowned, unsure what he meant.

"What are you trying to say? I don't understand."

"Of course you don't! Don't you find it ridiculous yourself?" Frank shot back. "You, of all people, are saying you've had enough? I'm sure you'd gladly die for your wife if she asked you to. Isn't that right? Look me in the face and tell me you wouldn't do it if she requested it."

Frank stared at him defiantly, clearly unconvinced by his sudden change in attitude.

Noah let out a small laugh.

Now he understood.

He turned to face Frank directly.

"Let me tell you something, Frank. I'm no longer the Jason you used to know."