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?

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

hesitation. "But he didn't

fix. I'll have Claire set up another meeting, just the two of

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

her daughter was catching on, Lillian smiled contentedly. "Yes, be smart about it, and I'll be

when she 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 and turning in her bed, unable

She hated her!

and stripping away her dignity. And now she

the status of Daniel's daughter, Julia had no chance of

she denied everything, Stella was a ticking time bomb,

to go. She had to die. There was no

her face twisted in malice. "Stella, I swear

of Julia's venomous thoughts as she sat down for dinner, only

muttered, "Someone must be talking behind my

spent enough time around her, Jasper cracked a half-joke, "Must

that

wasn't concerned; within the safety of the base, even the scavengers didn't dare to cross lines, let

thing, but Stella had endured worse over the years. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder how Julia seemed to be

of a powerful backer. The shopping center was under military jurisdiction, and military families were given job preference-no doubt Julia

about his past romantic escapades-from celebrities to models, he spared no details. The women from the villa who

me. That one with the alpacas, always coming on to me, so annoying. You have no idea, man.