The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 778

Chapter 778

Nicole didn’t intend to accept Arthur as her father, but she couldn’t deny that without the storage space, she might have died years ago.

it was bound to her now. She couldn’t give it back even if she wanted to.

Arthur knew nothing about the pendant’s secret, but that didn’t change how much his gift helped her.

She looked at him and cleared her throat.

“You don’t always have to put everyone else first. You matter, too. It’s okay to think about what you need once in a while. You can’t take care of everyone else if you don’t take care of yourself first.”

Her concern warmed him more than he expected. “Alright.”

Nicole took a deep breath, then turned to leave.

On the drive back, she stared out the window, lost in thought.

Back at the house in Zone B, she sat on the balcony, sipping homemade fruit wine. “The pendant was a Hunt family heirloom. Arthur had no idea what was inside it.”

Zeph looked at her. “What’s on your mind?”

Nicole couldn’t exactly detach the storage space and hand it back to Arthur. “It just doesn’t feel right. I feel like I owe him.”

After so many years together, Zeph knew her well.

She might refuse to call Arthur her father, but part of her already thought of him that way.

Surviving the disasters taught her to be cold and ruthless when necessary, but that didn’t mean she could shut off her feelings.

She still wanted a family.

Life let her down, and Irene only cared about herself.

Arthur was different. Until Nicole came along, he didn’t even know his daughter was alive.

With another disaster always on the horizon, he had to put the base first, leaving little time for family. Even so, he quietly did what he could for her.

He wouldn’t have gone to the trouble if she meant nothing to him.

But Zeph understood Nicole’s decision, too. Accepting Arthur as her father wouldn’t necessarily change anything.

He couldn’t simply walk away from his duties, put his family above everything else, and spend the rest of his life making up for the years he missed.

Arthur couldn’t do that, and Nicole would never expect him to.

Now that they talked things through, they could both let go of the guilt and expectations. Each could make

1/3

+15 Bonus

their own decisions and do what they could.

Life went on. They kept all their essential supplies in the storage space.

The furniture out in the yard was old and beat-up. If the tectonic plates collided and they had to leave everything behind, there was nothing there they would miss.

The disaster everyone feared still hadn’t struck.

One day, a woman Nicole didn’t recognize appeared at their house.

She looked to be in her late thirties, with neatly cropped hair, a plain, loose-fitting shirt, and olive-green pants. She seemed composed and self-assured, though there was something nervous about her manner.

For a long time, she stood at the gate, hesitating. Then she finally knocked.

Nicole watched from upstairs, with no intention of going down to answer.

But the woman didn’t leave. She stayed by the gate and waited.

Zeph studied her. “The way she carries herself, I’d guess she works for the military. Probably a civilian employee.”

Not everyone who worked for the military was a service member. The base also employed weapons factory workers, hospital staff, and entertainers who performed for the troops.

Whatever brought her here, it mattered enough for her to wait this long.

Nicole went downstairs and opened the gate. “Can I help you?”

The woman looked up and was briefly taken aback when she saw Nicole’s face clearly. She quickly collected

herself.

“Are you Nicole?”

Nicole didn’t answer.

The woman shifted awkwardly. “Hi, I’m Sophia Greene. I’m the head nurse on the inpatient ward at the base hospital.”

“What can I help you with?” Nicole asked again.

“Your fath…Commander Hunt is in the hospital. He’s ill. Did anyone tell you?” a

Sophia caught herself, but Nicole didn’t miss the slip.

Her expression hardened. “Who exactly are you?”

BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you

Comments

Support

Share

get it