Chapter 1

In a world where people killed each other over half a can of food, I had four dads who spoiled me like a princess.

After Mom died, her four closest comrades found me still alive inside her womb.

So I ended up with four dads.

First Dad, Ethan, was the Commander of Fortress Eden.

Second Dad, Nathan, was the Warden — the most vicious criminals turned obedient in front of him.

Third Dad, Callum, was a brilliant scientist, leading the hunt for a vaccine.

Fourth Dad, Xander, was the strongest fighter the base had ever seen.

I grew up wrapped in their love.

Every woman in the safe zone envied me.

Until the year I turned sixteen, when they found Jade, the daughter of the woman they had all once loved.

From that day on, my four dads became strangers.

Jade said I insulted her.

Ethan Dad had my mouth wired shut and starved me for three days and nights.

She said I poisoned her.

Callum Dad strapped me down and injected me with a vaccine still in testing.

The serum ravaged me from the inside out, destroying one of my eyes.

When Jade claimed I'd hired men to assault her, Xander Dad grabbed me by the collar and threw me into the refugee slum outside the inner walls.

Three years passed. I went from fury to submission.

Until tonight, my tent flap opened again, I began undressing out of habit.

Then I heard a voice say, "Lily, do you want to come back to your mother?"

I snapped my head up.

But the room was empty.

At the same moment, a voice echoed through my mind.

It said it was a faint trace of my mother's consciousness.

My mother was from future.

After completing her mission, she'd left in a hurry, never expecting that she would have a daughter.

Now she knew. She wanted to take me home.

All I had to do was let this body die.

It spoke again. "Lily, your mother has been desperate since she found out about you. Will you—"

It hadn't even finished when I was already on my feet. Without hesitation, I grabbed a blade and pressed it against my throat.

This was wonderful.

Mom was alive.

And I was about to see her.

A joy so massive it drowned out every fear of death.

But just as I pressed the blade harder, a tremendous force struck my hand.

Pain shot through my fingers. I let go.

The blade hit the floor. A boot came down on top of it.

"Lily. You want to die?"

I knew that voice. My head lifted on instinct.

When I saw who it was, I called out without thinking.

"Xander Dad."

The moment it left my mouth, I already regretted it.

Sure enough, the man's brow furrowed.

"Don't call me that. I cut ties with you a long time ago."