The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 165

Chapter 165

That was Nicole’s safe zone.

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Not just physically, but mentally, too. She needed somewhere she could finally let her guard down.

So, Nicole looked genuinely confused. “Don’t you think you’re reading too much into this?”

Yes, she had storage space, but she didn’t have some miracle cheat. She didn’t even know how long she would survive.

In the apocalypse, the scariest thing wasn’t the disasters. It was people.

Wasn’t Edward’s lesson enough? How could she still believe in love after that?

Seeing she wasn’t pretending, Hughie was completely thrown. “It’s that obvious, and you really didn’t

notice?”

“Notice what?”

Hughie let out a helpless sigh. “If he didn’t care about you, why would he help train your dog?”

“I taught Poppy how to read.”

“Out of all of us, why is he only teaching you hand-to-hand combat?”

Nicole looked at him, then at Jeremy. “Do either of you have the talent for it?”

Hughie and Jeremy fell silent. They really didn’t.

“When you slipped on the rooftop, he shoved past me to help you.”

Nicole paused.

“That night during the freeze, he almost kicked your door in just to bring you that fur coat and the charcoal heater. We’re all in the same group, and we got nothing!”

“When

you went out to gather firewood, he took a hit for you. And then you patched him up and made him breakfast.”

Nicole was at a loss.

The questions came too directly, leaving her no room to dodge.

“Have you ever seen him treat anyone else like that? If there’s nothing going on between you two, I don’t buy it!”

Hughie, speaking from experience, pulled Beatrice into his arms like he was showing her off. “Babe, the moment I saw you, that was it. No one else even mattered.”

Jeremy, taking hit after hit, felt like hanging himself.

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In short, whether they had relationship experience or not, the three of them were convinced Nicole and Zeph had something going on.

They could read each other with just a look. What was that if not love?

Nicole thought it over for a long moment before finally saying, “I don’t know if he feels that way, but I definitely don’t.”

She admitted it; before the apocalypse, a guy like Zeph, good-looking and capable, would’ve been exactly her type. She might’ve even pursued him.

But now, all she wanted was to survive.

Hughie considered that. “Is it because of Edward? You don’t trust men anymore? Look, you still need someone. Take me, for example. If I hadn’t met Beatrice, my whole life would’ve meant nothing.”

Nicole wasn’t about to entertain that. “That’s you, not me. Don’t lump us together.”

People were different. Hughie was just wired that way. Even if he hadn’t met Beatrice, there would’ve been someone else.

Either way, things were clear now. One side cared, the other didn’t.

“You really won’t think about it?” Hughie pressed, speaking honestly as a friend who grew up with her.” Yeah, he’s a little cold, but he’s capable and responsible. Plenty of women would jump at the chance.”

Truth was, even without love, people could team up and make it work. The two of them together would be the perfect match, increasing their chances of surviving this disaster.

Still, Hughie knew Nicole well enough not to say that part out loud.

Nicole was certain. She didn’t feel that way about Zeph.

Even if she did, she wouldn’t be with him. The risk of her secret getting exposed was something she

couldn’t afford.

Who knew if this apocalypse would ever end? Plenty of strong-willed people had been worn down, their hearts changed after wave after wave of disaster.

Until the very end, who could guarantee they would never change?

Nicole couldn’t even make that promise to herself.

So how could she ever make it about someone else?

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