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.

her patrols. The three from Stella's household

began to follow suit. Any kid that dared to object got a slap or

of kinship. The once polite and refined, now in slippers and wielding brooms, chased their errant offspring, who ran ahead with their hair a mess. Stella just

remembered No. 25 had a little poodle. The whole family was wiped out by the security team

station but found nothing. So they asked Monkey,

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

got six empty villas in

for you? You want a different one every day?"

suggested, "They're empty anyway. Why not rent them

She had some

revert to the state by law. But with everything so chaotic, who had the time to bother

already overcrowded, no one in their right mind would report an empty house. First come, first served was the

was cramped. They couldn't even take out their meat to eat. Considering they had given 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

losses. She was usually so terse with him, and now she wouldn't shut up. Was the sun rising from the west, or was she getting

into my place. You should know who

dropped the act. "Those four

patrolling, and one's an ex-champion

well with him. He'd laid everything on the line for Stella, and she

be lucky if they didn't drag us down. The never-ending night was taking its toll on everyone. It

not setting me

eyes. "Please, you think