Not knowing was one thing, but once the idea was in her head, Nadia couldn't just pretend to be oblivious. Still, she found herself doubting what the others had said. It wasn't that she was dense. It was just… How should she put it? Harrison seemed like he might have feelings for her, but then again, he also didn't. So, what was she supposed to do now? He hadn't confessed or said anything outright, so it wasn't like she could reject him preemptively. What if she misunderstood? They lived next door to each other, saw each other constantly, and would still need to work together in the future. That kind of awkwardness could make her want to bury herself away. Her hesitation made even the trio realize the situation wasn't so simple. Levi, ever the romantic, declared, "When you love someone, it's impossible to hide it. Why don't we help you test the waters?"Nadia felt irritated. "No need. I can figure it out myself." Back home, she flopped onto her bed, frustrated. She ran her hand over her face. Sure, she was pretty—no denying that—but she wasn't some drop-dead knockout. Could Harrison really be into her? If the apocalypse hadn't happened, she figured she and Harrison would've been living in two completely separate worlds. Before she could make sense of it, her walkie-talkie crackled to life. "Nadia, you up for some sparring today?" She thought for a moment. "Yeah." If nothing else, she could use this as an opportunity to figure out what he was really thinking. Changing into workout gear, she headed to Unit 1801. During their sparring session, Nadia tried to observe him subtly. At one point, she even deliberately stumbled. Harrison reacted instantly, catching her by the waist and steadying her. "Something on your mind?" "No." "You seem distracted. Focus. Let's go again." Nadia swore, he was the picture of professionalism, full of calm and upright seriousness. Even when he had his arm around her waist, there wasn't the slightest hint of impropriety—no lingering touches, no fleeting glances, nothing remotely suggestive. Feeling a little deflated, she found an excuse to stay longer, helping Lily with cooking. Several times, she turned around suddenly to try and catch Harrison looking at her. Each time, she only saw him in the living room, training Colby with complete focus. Levi's theory is garbage. "When you love someone, you can't hide it"? Nonsense. Clearly, the three of them had jumped to the wrong conclusion. After the whole misunderstanding, Nadia finally felt a sense of relief and let out a long breath. Turning off the gas, she plated the food. Just as she turned around, she found Harrison watching her. Startled, she nearly dropped the plate in her hands. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Realizing she might've been too harsh, she immediately felt a wave of awkwardness so strong she wanted to sink into the floor. Harrison simply pointed out the kitchen window. "The snow seems to be picking up." Nadia turned to look. Sure enough, it was. What kind of eyesight does this guy have to notice that from so far away? Politely declining Lily's dinner invitation, Nadia headed home with her dog. Even so, she couldn't shake the feeling that Harrison had ulterior motives. Later that night, as she lay in her warm bed, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. When she finally did drift off, she dreamed of Harrison confessing his feelings in a way that left her no room to refuse. Then, in her dream, her domain was discovered…She woke up with her heart pounding. For three days straight, Nadia observed Harrison during sparring sessions and even while he trained Colby. Yet, her scrutiny yielded nothing. If she had to say no, her gut told her there was something there. But it was vague and unclear, leaving her restless and sleepless for days. Indecisiveness wasn't her style. After locking the dog in her apartment, she took a deep breath, walked up to Harrison, and asked outright, "Do you like me?" Harrison didn't rush to answer. Instead, he looked at her for a long moment before saying, "A little." Nadia's heart skipped a beat, pounding twice against her chest. "I'm not really the type to get married. Never thought about settling down with someone. I've always been fine on my own." He hesitated before continuing. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Since you don't feel the same, I won't push it. I just hope this doesn't bother you."His straightforwardness caught her off guard and made her breathe a sigh of relief. "You're a great guy, Harrison. You'll find the right one eventually.' "And you will too," he replied. "Then… we're still teaming up, right?" "Of course, if you're okay with it." "Why wouldn't I be? You're the best partner on the 18th floor." Having cleared the air, Nadia felt much lighter. Yet, at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. If the apocalypse hadn't happened, she definitely wouldn't have let him slip away. As he watched her return to her apartment, Harrison turned back to his place, closing the door behind him. His palms were sweaty. The endless disasters had made him cautious—he'd never intended to confess to Nadia, especially since he had his younger sister to think about. The future was far too uncertain. Yet, unexpectedly, she had brought it up first. For the first time in his life, he'd felt something for a woman, only to have it extinguished just like that. Inside, Lily bounded over. "Harry!" Harrison looked down at her, his deep eyes soft with warmth. He ruffled her hair gently. "Have you done your self-study today?" "I did, but there are some words I don't understand. Can I ask miss?" "Show me which ones. I'll help you." … After clearing the air, life felt infinitely lighter. Nadia slept in for the first time in days, making up for all the sleep she'd lost. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she stepped out of her domain only to hear faint wailing from downstairs. The moment she opened her door, she saw Harrison stepping out of his place at the same time.Their eyes met. He looked as composed as ever while she greeted him with a smile. "Morning." Inside, though, she felt awkward. At the stairwell, they both paused to listen. The sound was unmistakable—someone had come to demand protection supplies again. This time, however, it wasn't about food. It was blatant revenge. Nadia heard the sound of a survivor's door being kicked in with brute force. Harrison's expression turned grim. "They mean trouble." Nadia had been expecting this day. She turned back to her apartment to grab her weapons. Of course, they picked the perfect time. Jasmine and the guys had gone to Firridge early in the morning to gather firewood, and the Hadid father and son had left two days ago to report to their new assignments. Scientists had to race against time. They were eating, sleeping, and working on-site, only coming home once every two weeks. Marilyn had also joined relief efforts, tasked with clearing corpses. Just the day before, over a dozen people had arrived to transport bodies piled on the ice and inside buildings, burning them at a centralized location to prevent disease outbreaks. Clearly, the government was working hard on disaster management. But now, the 18th floor was down to just two capable fighters—Nadia and Harrison—and one combat-ready dog. Nadia's gut told her something was off. These people were prepared. She put on her bulletproof vest and locked the dog in her room. Woof! Woof! Colby barked, scratching desperately at the door. Let me out, Human! Human! Let me out, or I'll break this door down! When Nadia stepped out, Harrison was locking his door as well, keeping Lily inside. "Stay here and watch over Lily," Harrison said, loading his gun.Nadia pulled out her weapon. "What's coming is inevitable. You can't protect everyone." Harrison hesitated for a second before nodding. "Alright." The two headed downstairs, where the intruders were already breaking into the stairwell door on the 16th floor. On the 17th floor, Elizabeth was anxiously peeking out, accompanied by a man holding a wooden club—Noah Corbin, the owner of Unit 1703. "Nadia," Elizabeth called out nervously. "They're here. What should we do?" These people had excellent intel. The Hadid father and son had left quietly, and apart from the 18th floor, no one knew they weren't home. Of all days, Jasmine and her group weren't around either. That left just Nadia and Harrison against a group of more than ten intruders. Nadia glanced at Noah but didn't say anything. Noah, sensing the awkwardness, explained, "Last time, my family went out to search for supplies."