18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 384

By the end of the day, Julia still couldn't shake the feeling that Daniel resented her mother for remarrying and raising her with another man. It left a bad taste in her mouth.

She doubted he genuinely accepted her and her mother. With his high-ranking position, he didn't need their company. Bringing them in was probably just his way of settling an old score, payback for being abandoned.

As a prominent official, Daniel had no shortage of women. With a mere flick of his finger, a line of young, beautiful ladies would be at his beck and call. Her mother wasn't exactly a spring chicken, just a widow who sought him out after her husband's death. If she were Daniel, she'd be disgusted too.

What really got under Julia's skin was that ever since they joined the Kindle Society, her mother had been completely wrapped up in Daniel, not giving a second thought to her daughter's future.

Daniel wanted her to enlist, and despite knowing Julia couldn't handle the rigor, her mother still took his side.

Julia asked for a cushy job, but Daniel wouldn't pull any strings, and her mother defended him, saying a man of his stature had to lead by example.

In the end, it seemed a daughter could never compete with a man.

The irony was, her mother was still hopelessly in love, while Daniel couldn't care less.

Unaware of her daughter's thoughts, Lillian massaged her temples in frustration. "Stella again, causing endless trouble?"

Stella had always been her bane. If Lillian had known it would come to this, she would have risked an abortion rather than giving birth to this contrarian curse.

Julia wanted to grab hold of her chances, but her would-be suitor had walked away mid-conversation. Was she supposed to cling to him like some desperate siren?

and brainwashed into thinking they must sacrifice themselves for their country, but what's wrong with being a little forward in love?" Lillian advised, speaking from experience. "It's just a thin veil between a woman chasing a man. If he agreed to the match, he's either interested in you or in leveraging your connection to the old man. You need to

feigned hesitation. "But he didn't

up another meeting, just the

take charge. Soldiers may be a bit dense, but they're reliable. If he dares to shirk responsibility, the base will have your back. What's there to fear? He won't have a choice but to marry you." Julia understood her mother's insinuations and plotted accordingly. "Maybe we should arrange it at Claire's place? That way, we have

catching on, Lillian smiled contentedly. "Yes, be smart about it, and

first fell for Daniel, a time of innocence and bliss long gone-now just a memory, marred by the catastrophic times that had disfigured them both, leaving only their scarred shells. Julia retreated to her room, tossing

She hated her!

upscale neighborhood, forcing her to eat filth and stripping away her dignity. And now she had the nerve to show

Daniel's daughter, Julia had no chance of survival, let alone securing a prosperous marriage for

everything, Stella was a ticking time

had to die. There

her face twisted in malice. "Stella, I swear I'll

thoughts as she sat down for dinner,

her nose, she muttered, "Someone must

enough time around her, Jasper cracked a half-joke,

agreed, sure that Julia

even the scavengers didn't dare

couldn't help but wonder how Julia seemed to be living so comfortably after all this

given job preference-no doubt Julia had used her connections to land a job many would envy. Stella chuckled at the thought of Julia throwing herself at the young, handsome officer, unable to contain her

Austin, boasting about his past romantic escapades-from celebrities to models,

wouldn't believe the number of women who throw themselves at me. That one with the alpacas, always coming on to me, so annoying. You have no idea, man. She tried so hard to hook me that her whole family