18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 531

Chapter 531

As Stella zoned out, the car had already pulled up in front of a quaint standalone property with a spacious yard, roughly half an acre in size. A two-meter-high stone wall marked the perimeter, and in the center stood a modular home made up of five rooms, all topped with solar panels. This modest abode was the residence of the chief officer of Griffith Base.

Before the catastrophe, it would have been seen as nothing more than a construction site shed, but now it represented the height of luxury. Light spilled from one of the rooms, and upon hearing the noise outside, someone hurried out to greet them.

The figure, with a neat bob haircut, wearing dark trousers and a light-colored short-sleeved shirt, appeared to be in their forties. "Old Gus, did you pick up Stella?" they called out.

Stella blinked in surprise; it was Vanessa. Seeing her dressed so casually, Stella figured she and Daniel must have finally hit it off. Under the cover of night, it was hard to discern Daniel's expression as he simply grunted in affirmation.

Vanessa approached warmly, moving to help with the luggage, but quickly recoiled when something leaped out from the shadows. "Aunt Sue, this is Stella's wolf and dog," Mark explained.

Keeping a wolf and dog in the post-apocalyptic world? Vanessa was taken aback but figured Stella must have been living well. As long as Stella hadn't suffered, Old Gus could rest easy.

Jasper. "You're finally here, Stella," Vanessa said with a smile, stepping forward. "It's all that matters, Old Gus has been so

in." The room wasn't large, just big enough for a metal frame bed a little over a meter wide, dressed with fresh linen, pillows, and

appreciated that she and Daniel could look after each other-a wise choice in these times. Of the five rooms-one a master bedroom, another a kitchen, a study, and

had

attend to their needs, Vanessa offered, "You

stopped

playing stepmom, and she was on edge, worried she wasn't doing enough. Back at the base, Stella had even resisted her own father, let alone an outsider like Vanessa. Standing next to Daniel, Vanessa kept quiet, reading the atmosphere between father and daughter. When Stella remained silent and Daniel at a loss for words,

was considerate, "I'll heat some water for you to wash up and sleep better." Soon enough, she brought over a jug of warm water mixed with a bit of cold.

in dust and sweat from their journey, Stella and Rosie headed to Arcadia for a refreshing bath. Once clean, Rosie

wife; taking care of you is natural," Jasper reassured her, pulling her close. "But he does care, Stella." Stella felt a pang of defiance, "Are you siding with him?" Jasper couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Stella, whether we stay or go, I'll respect your decision. But if you don't mind his care, I hope you can give him a chance. We're emotional beings, even after living twice over. You've got regrets, and I hope your life can be more complete. Like when you gave me a chance, don't rush to reject his care. Having one more person

due to the absence of her parents in her early years. If there was a chance to heal, the rest of her life could be happier. "Of course, if you're really against it, we

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255