The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 491

Chapter 491

Still, the other men were jealous of Weasel. If they had a wife that gorgeous, they wouldn’t mind being wrapped around her finger. They would gladly wait on her hand and foot.

They all knew one another, so after exchanging greetings, Nicole handed Sven a housewarming gift. She brought premium liquor and expensive cigarettes, leaving him speechless.

Luxuries like these were growing harder to find by the day, especially after the massive earthquake, Even with all his connections, he could barely get his hands on them anymore.

Nicole and Zeph clearly had access to things most people didn’t.

Sven rarely treated himself to cigarettes this expensive, and the moment he caught the scent, he immediately wanted one.

He tore open the pack, passed cigarettes around to the others, and offered one to Zeph.

Zeph politely declined. “Thanks, but I don’t smoke.”

The others had no such restraint. They took deep drags, looking as content as cats with catnip.

The housewarming spread was impressive. There was smoked chicken, roast duck, assorted dried seafood, soda, and whiskey.

Four tables had been set up. The women and children occupied two, the men took another, and Sven, Brandon, Nicole’s group, Bob, and several others sat at the last one.

Weasel willingly gave up his seat with the other men to sit beside Stella.

Stella might have had a temper, but she was also thoughtful. Whenever no one was watching, she quietly slipped extra pieces of meat onto Weasel’s plate.

After everyone offered their congratulations, they took their seats and started eating.

Nicole noticed that although Sven was smiling, he wasn’t nearly as cheerful as he had been over the past two days. His eyes kept drifting toward the door, and she caught a hint of disappointment on his face.

Judging by the seating arrangement, there were still a few empty spots even without counting the children.

The people he had most wanted to invite hadn’t shown up.

In the middle of a natural disaster, no one knew whether they would live to see tomorrow. Good food, however, shouldn’t go to waste.

Nicole pushed the thought aside and focused on her meal.

Several people had probably helped with the cooking. Some of the dishes were nearly inedible, but others were surprisingly good.

Poppy couldn’t reach most of the food and was too shy to ask, so whenever Nicole found something tasty, she put some on Poppy’s plate.

It had been a long time since they had been around this many people. The men drank, the women chatted, and the children stuffed their faces, occasionally breaking into noisy arguments.

The commotion made Nicole’s ears ring.

1/3

+15 Benus

The resellers were the worst. They weren’t just good at selling things. They could talk themselves up for hours without stopping to take a breath.

Beneath the constant roar of conversation, the smell of food filled the room.

Sven and the others were relentless when it came to pressing drinks on people. Even Zeph, who rarely touched alcohol, ended up having several glasses. Nicole didn’t get away without drinking, either.

As soon as they were full, they made a quick exit. Otherwise, the group could have kept talking for three days straight.

Cola was in a terrible mood after spending the entire meal under the hungry stares of so many children. Convinced that every last one of them was plotting against him, he refused to touch a single bite.

“Whine…”

Poppy pulled out a strip of jerky and held it out to him. “Don’t be scared, Cola.”

Scared? Please. He was just worried Nicole might object if he sampled one of those juicy little legs.

They had all eaten too much, so the four of them took a walk around the villa district to help settle their stomachs.

Beautiful modern homes lined the streets, each surrounded by white wooden fences and decorated with gardens, fountains, swimming pools, patio umbrellas, and lounge chairs. Every family seemed determined to outdo the next, making the neighborhood look like an upscale resort town.

Except for two villas that completely ruined the view.

Most of the villas were already occupied. Nearly every household had either solar panels or a generator. Groups of wealthy women gathered for afternoon tea, dressed in elegant clothes with flawless makeup.

Nicole had never been the jealous type, but she didn’t mind appreciating the scenery.

That was one advantage of living in a luxury villa district. No matter how flashy people got, no one had to worry about standing out. There were plenty of residents eager to show off.

After walking through most of the neighborhood, they discovered that the central villa hadn’t simply been renovated. An entirely new building had been constructed beside it, turning the property into a breathtaking estate that looked like something out of a fairy tale.

Along the main road, wealthy wives stood in custom designer dresses, the men wore tailored suits, and the younger women showed off their shoulders and backs in elegant evening gowns.

They were all wealthy residents of the villa district. Now they stood on both sides of the main road, murmuring among themselves. Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought they were waiting to welcome a foreign dignitary.

Nicole glanced toward the central villa. “Looks like the Robinsons are here.”

Even after living in Westbridge for more than ten years, Zeph still wasn’t familiar with the city’s upper class. “The Robinsons?”

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