Upgraded Space Thrive in Apocalypse Reborn (caroline) novel Chapter 104

**TITLE: Doomsday Rebirth 104**
**Chapter 104: The Price of Survival**

“No. Absolutely not!”

Reese’s voice quivered, a mix of disbelief and fear coursing through her veins as Caroline’s chilling words echoed in her mind.

She harbored a secret—one she had never dared to articulate, not even in her most private thoughts.

This whole ordeal had been her idea, a calculated move to lure them to this desolate apartment and test Tyler’s mettle. Patricia was in on it too, her silent partner in this dangerous game.

At that moment, all Reese could focus on was how easily Jonathan fell under her control. The vast fortune of his family was a treasure she refused to let slip into anyone else’s grasp. Yet, she never envisioned that they would find themselves ensnared in this grim reality, besieged by acid rain and the horrors that followed.

Now, the thought of Jonathan dying here sent a chill down her spine. She clenched her fists, the nails digging into her palms, as a wave of anxiety washed over her.

She was acutely aware of Patricia’s ruthless capabilities.

Reese glanced down at the hatchet and the bandages she clutched tightly in her hands, uncertainty gnawing at her resolve.

“What’s that?” John inquired, his gaze fixed on the items with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Reese took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before explaining Caroline’s grim suggestion. John fell silent for a brief moment, contemplating the weight of her words, before he seized the hatchet and strode toward the room with a determined look.

“John, what are you doing?” she called out, her voice laced with apprehension.

He snorted dismissively, a cold edge to his tone. “You said he can’t die, right? Then severing his limbs shouldn’t inflict pain. Look at his arm—it’s already turning black. If we don’t intervene, it’ll rot away. We’re doing him a favor.”

Reese knew he was right, even if the thought made her stomach churn. Gritting her teeth, she stomped her feet in frustration and hurried to the adjoining door, her heart racing.

She tried to convince herself that if Patricia ever questioned her about this later, she could easily deny any involvement.

Soon, the anguished screams of Jonathan pierced the air, reverberating through the hallway like a haunting melody.

Two hours later, John emerged from the room, his hands and the blade slick with crimson stains. “It’s done. I bandaged him up. With those antibiotics, he’ll survive—but his hand and foot are gone. He’s crippled for life.”

Reese froze, her mind racing with conflicting emotions.

When she noticed John’s gaze fixed on her, she quickly lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper. “John, thank you. But you have to promise me—you’ll tell them we did this to save Jonathan, not to harm him. When his family comes looking, you’ll testify for us, right?”

“Of course,” John replied, a grin spreading across his face. “In this godforsaken weather, survival is all that matters. Without us, that pretty boy would’ve met his end.”

Reese nodded vigorously, her mind made up. From this moment forward, she would ensure Jonathan believed she had saved him—cultivating gratitude, loyalty, and a sense of dependence within him.

After all, Jonathan had never been particularly astute.

John leaned closer, his grin widening. “But tell me, sweetheart, what can a delicate girl like you rely on in a world like this? Stick with me, and I’ll keep you safe.”

As expected, a few days later, Jonathan’s remaining hand and foot succumbed to frostbite. He had not received the care he desperately needed.

John, having already performed the gruesome task once, showed no hesitation this time. With swift, precise swings, he severed Jonathan’s remaining hand and foot.

Reese knelt beside Jonathan, tears streaming down her cheeks, a façade of sorrow masking her true feelings. She claimed it had all been Caroline’s idea, insisting they had acted out of necessity.

“I swear I’ll love you no matter what you become,” she promised, her voice trembling with feigned emotion.

Jonathan regarded her with cold, weary eyes, his face drained of color.

Later, while Reese and John were entwined together in the house, Jonathan summoned every ounce of strength he had left to crawl toward the window. With a final burst of determination, he leapt.

When Reese returned, her heart sank as she found the window wide open and Jonathan missing. Her face drained of color, panic gripping her.

Before jumping, Jonathan had sliced open his bandaged wounds and scrawled words on the wall with his own blood: “I won’t forgive you. I’ll haunt you as a spirit! My family won’t let you go!”

What Reese remained oblivious to was that Jonathan’s family was already on their way.

Caroline sat by the window, sipping her warm coffee and watching the flames dance in the stove when she witnessed Jonathan leap from the building, his body crashing onto the frozen street below.

The acid rain had solidified into ice by now. He hit the ground with a sickening thud, his body twisting into a bloody mess.