Beyond You, Life Is So Much Better

My name is Hazel Falken, and I am the only daughter of the Base Commander during the apocalypse.

Even though it is the apocalypse, I am still spoiled left and right by my family and raised to be their little princess at home.

My dad, Ernest Falken, is worried that I will marry into a family that will mistreat me. So, he decides to choose four husband candidates and bring them up in our own home for me to pick from when I'm older.

In my past life, I chose Curtis Granger, whom I have liked for a long while, when Dad asked me to pick my husband. However, not long after our marriage, Curtis volunteers himself as a guard to be stationed outside the base perimeter.

He never returns home after that, and I am left living as a widow in the safety of the base's inner district.

30 years later, when my hair has turned fully white, I decide that I can't wait for him anymore and go out to find him. I then realize that he has formed another family outside the base without my knowing.

It then dawns on me that Curtis never liked me. He had also only married me because he wanted to repay Dad for bringing him up.

Not long after that, a wave of zombies attacks us. Curtis pushes me down and shields me under his body.

"Hazel, I know that I never should've lied to you. I'll give up my life to repay the kindness that Commander Falken has shown to me.

"But if there is a next life, I hope that you won't pick me again."

When I open my eyes again, I find out that I have travelled back in time to the day when Dad asks me to pick my husband.

"Hazel, these four people are my right-hand men. Whom would you like to pick as your husband?"

Dad suddenly appeared before my eyes. He gave me a great shock because he was supposed to have perished years ago in a zombie attack.

It was only then that it dawned on me—I had gone back in time, for some reason, and today was the day my dad, Ernest Falken, the apocalypse base commander, asked me to pick a future husband for myself.

When Dad saw that I kept glancing toward Curtis Granger, a look of understanding crossed his face.

"Since you've decided on Curtis, I'll get him to come in, then."

"I don't want him."

Dad jumped when I suddenly spoke out loud. "Then who would you like to pick?"

Dad's question stumped me. I thought about the four candidates Dad had handpicked for me in my past life.

There was Curtis, who was cold and aloof; Max Norman, a gifted fortune-teller; Samson York, a fearless soldier; and Archer Langdon, who had always been quiet and gloomy.

I recalled how Archer used to protect me no matter the danger in my past life. So, I made my decision.