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?

simple 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

hesitation. "But he didn't even leave his contact

have Claire set up

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

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

memory, marred by the catastrophic

She hated her!

away her dignity. And now she had the nerve to show up at the base, shaming her in public and threatening

chance of survival, let alone securing

denied everything, Stella was a ticking time bomb, and Daniel was

had to die. There was no time

the more her face twisted

venomous thoughts as

nose, she muttered, "Someone

enough time around her, Jasper

sure that Julia

of the base, even the scavengers didn't

Yet, she couldn't help but wonder how Julia seemed to be

military jurisdiction, and military families were 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

Bran, during one of his drunken rants to Austin, boasting about his past romantic escapades-from celebrities to models, he spared no details. The women

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 got involved, threw pool parties in the scorching heat, stripping down right in