18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 313

What Lindsay? There's not even a scrap left!

If the doctor hadn't diagnosed Bentley with delusional disorder, Bentley's mum would've throttled him with her own hands.

She was a self-made woman, who had come up during the Golden era and was toughened by a world where only the strong survived. She'd been a bit neglectful of family in her early days and focused on her business, but Bentley, with his knack for commerce, made her proud. She retired early, handed the reins of the business to her son, and went globe-trotting.

Bentley was also a chip off the old block, taking the company to new heights. But then, he fell for a woman. The woman had been dead for years, and still, he couldn't shake her off. He was duped by a bodyguard turned bandit, who lured him away using a forged letter. Bran tried to talk sense into him, but no dice. In a panic about his safety, Bran followed him out. Bran thought, with the Porras name holding weight in Griffith and cops patrolling their place, only a nutjob with a death wish would dare cross them. Looking back, Bran wondered where he got the nerve.

Bran was kidnapped in broad daylight, and the whole town knew. When Bentley's mum found out the mess started with Bran's cousin, she was livid. She slapped him silly and locked him up. "Try running again, and I'll break your legs!"

Stella was shocked. Who'd have thought Bentley would ever face such a day, and that it'd be his own mother who'd put him in line!

"He really has delusional disorder?"

"Who knows? Either way, they've got him on meds now."

Stuck with a cousin touched in the head, Bran felt cursed. Thankfully, Bentley's mum took control, promising to compensate Shane with a new helicopter, or Bran would've been brainless by now."

Stella would never give out what she took in. Out of respect, she offered a few comforting words, then had Buddy drag the mummy back home - out of sight, out of mind.

Annoyed as he was, Shane had her limits. He wasn't about to beat his son to death. After a week or so of care, Bran was bouncing around again.

This incident was embarrassing, and Bran was a lot more low-key after that.

The three from Stella's household took turns, each standing guard for

to object got a slap or was told to take a hike out of the

The once polite and refined, now in slippers and wielding brooms, chased their errant offspring, who ran ahead

the silent villas, lost in thought. She remembered No. 25 had a little poodle. The whole family was wiped out by the security team during that eternal night. The house still stood empty. It was

police station but found nothing. So they asked Monkey, who had no leads but

wore the hat of the homeowners' association president and found himself talking to Stella

empty villas in the community. Got any

you scheming now? Isn't one enough for you? You want a different one every day?" Ever since his heart got broken, he'd

anyway. Why not rent them

choked. She had

owners, and if they died without heirs, they'd revert to the state by law. But with everything so chaotic, who had the time to bother

mind would report an empty house. First come, first served was the rule of the

up the helicopter and fuel without harming her and Jasper, Stella was willing to lend a hand. "Don't be so quick to refuse. With security betraying us and bodyguards turning rogue, how many servants and guards have been let go? Once they're all out, who'll be left to defend the neighborhood? It's time we bring in some new blood. If they have a place here, they'll protect it as their

terse with him, and now she wouldn't shut up. Was the sun rising from the west, or was she getting something out of this? "You planning to give these

You should know who I'm finding a house

dropped the act. "Those

got a life-debt with me, years of experience patrolling, and one's an ex-champion fighter. Any of

checked out. But it still didn't sit well with him. He'd

right. Aside from them and the folks at No. 50, the rest were dead weight. If anything happened, they'd be lucky if they didn't drag us down. The never-ending night was taking its toll on everyone. It was time for some fresh blood, but it had to be

me up, are

eyes. "Please, you think I'd invite wolves into