The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 242

Chapter 242

Only after winning the fight could they finally sit down and talk properly.

Zeph patiently reasoned with Cola.

“You don’t have to reject me this fast, and you definitely don’t need to question your place in Nicole’s heart. You matter to her. Me being with her won’t change that one bit.

“Besides, Nicole and I already made an agreement. If I ever treat you badly, she’ll leave me in a heartbeat.

“And honestly, if you can’t even beat me, how are you supposed to protect her for the rest of her life? Why not give me a chance so we can protect her together instead?

“I promise I’ll treat you the same way I treat Poppy. You don’t need to worry that Nicole will abandon you just because she has a man now. That’s never going to happen.”

Cola sat there silently.

“Still don’t believe me? Fine. Let’s pinky swear.”

Zeph picked up one of the dog’s paws and hooked it with his finger, completing the solemn agreement.

The forcibly sworn-in dog looked emotionally dead inside.

“Now be good, eat properly, and keep training.” Zeph rubbed Cola’s head. “If you starve yourself to death, then I’ll end up taking care of Nicole alone. At that point, you really won’t have any chance left.”

Cola’s pupils shook violently.

He stumbled backward three full steps in horror.

After that, Zeph quietly left, giving the dog space to think things through alone.

When he stepped back into the hallway, Nicole immediately looked over.

“Cola’s smart,” Zeph said calmly. “He’s just jealous and deeply insecure because of what happened

before. Give him time. He’ll work through it.”

“And what if he doesn’t?”

Zeph didn’t want to pressure her. “We’ll figure something out.”

After waiting outside for over ten minutes, Nicole finally opened the door and went back in.

Cola immediately walked over to her, eyes full of lingering sorrow.

“Oh, come on.” Nicole laughed helplessly. “The slaughterhouse already shut down ages ago. Besides, do

I seriously look like the kind of person who’d sell you off?”

She poured him dog food and even added a chicken drumstick.

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Cola immediately buried his face in the bowl and started eating, but every few bites, he would glance back up at her nervously, as if afraid she might disappear the second he looked away.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Nicole reassured him. “Wherever I go, you’re coming with me.”

That evening, the walkie-talkie crackled again. “Nicole, bring Cola over for dinner.”

Nicole covered the speaker and looked down at the dog. “There’s food next door. You wanna go?”

Cola hesitated, visibly conflicted for several long seconds before finally picking up his food bowl in

defeat.

Nicole laughed. “We’ll be right there.”

Dinner included smoked duck. Zeph personally placed one duck leg into Poppy’s bowl and the other into

Cola’s.

As they ate and chatted casually, Zeph suddenly brought something up.

“The neighborhood committee is distributing cold-resistant potatoes tomorrow. Supplies are limited, so people have to draw lots. Are we going?”

“Nope.”

Nicole had terrible luck. She had bought lottery tickets consistently for ten years without winning a

single prize.

Besides, their second batch of potatoes would be ready soon enough, and they still had enough antifreeze solution left for another planting cycle.

By the time the next harvest came around, the deep freeze would probably be nearing its end anyway.

After dinner, everyone settled onto the couch to watch shows on the tablet.

Cola stubbornly squeezed himself directly between Nicole and Zeph like a furry wall. The moment Zeph so much as brushed against Nicole, a paw immediately stretched over in warning.

Nicole nearly laughed herself to death while cuddling the jealous dog through the entire show.

Eventually, just as she was about to head home, Zeph stopped her.

He pushed open the master bedroom door and said, “You can store these.”

Nicole blinked in surprise.

“I want you to feel secure,” he said seriously.

She stared at him, stunned for several seconds before finally answering, “I can’t take your supplies.”

“I know, but I want you to feel safe.”

Nicole kept rejecting. “These are things you risked your life gathering. I can’t accept them.”

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