Chapter 199: A Moment Of Rest
Nat let out a low, dark chuckle from where he stood near the edge of the sofa. "Spite is a remarkably effective motivator. I’ve built an entire empire on it."
"A sentiment I rarely agree with Nat Collins on, yet find mathematically sound in this context," Oliver chimed in from three paces back, his stylus tapping against his tablet. "Spite triggers elevated adrenaline and cortisol spikes, delaying psychological shock. Scientifically speaking, it is optimal for immediate survival."
Alexander rolled his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Can we please not teach her how to be a supervillain on her first day here? She just got here!"
Xavier didn’t join in the banter. He simply stood near the window, his broad, formidable frame blocking out the sunlight as he looked down at April and Emily.
"The Gabriel family will be transferred to the lower compound by evening," Xavier said smoothly, his deep voice instantly commanding the room. "Whenever you are ready to face them, Miss Emily... the floor is yours."
Emily looked at Xavier, then at Nat’s dangerous smirk, and finally back at April’s stoic, unblinking face.
The fear that had paralyzed her for years—the absolute terror of Eleanor, Clara, and Johan—was still there, buried under her skin. But looking at the unyielding, impenetrable wall of authority standing in this living room, Emily felt her grip on the silver spoon tighten.
The dark, burning resolve in her brown eyes flared back to life.
"I’m ready to face them," Emily whispered, her voice solidifying into something cold, steady, and sharp. "I want to look them in the eyes when they realize they lost. As for my will to live... I will give it some more thought. Be it spite, revenge, or just for the sake of having a good meal..." She looked April in the eye. "I will search for one. At the end of the day, please respect my wishes."
A small smile touched the corner of April’s lips.
"All right," April said, her voice smooth and unhurried. "I will respect your wishes."
She took one last bite of her dark chocolate berry cake, setting the small fork down cleanly on the silver plate.
They weren’t going to rush straight off to confront the Gabriel family right now.
Stepping into a dim, stinking interrogation cellar to look at filthy, despicable bastards like Eleanor, Clara, Victor and Johan immediately after enjoying a nice gourmet meal was a guaranteed way to ruin a perfectly good appetite. April had zero intention of letting those miserable people dictate the flow of her afternoon.
"The Gabriel family isn’t going anywhere," April stated flatly, standing up from the leather sofa. "They can wait."
Instead of heading down to the lower compound, April spent the next few hours introducing Emily to the small, quiet pleasures she had discovered since stepping out of her own misery and into the free world.
While April had initially believed she was living purely for survival’s sake, she had gradually come to appreciate the simple, modern comforts of her daily routine.
She took Emily to her room, pulling out her phone to show her the relaxing craft-building games she had come to like and then the block world of Winecraft.
She was so excited on that one, showing her how it worked, making sure she rubbed the excitement off on her twin and Emily quite liked it.
Then came the therapy of the mythical beasts. April knelt on the soft rug, showing Emily how to gently scratch Rufus behind his large ears and hug his thick, grey fur. The massive dog leaned his heavy head into Emily’s lap, letting out a soft, contented sigh that instantly brought a genuine, relaxed smile to Emily’s face.
When Emily tried to reach out to pet Lily, however, the tiny snow-white kitten merely lifted her chin, gave a prideful little meow, and pranced away to perch atop the highest decorative rock near the indoor garden.
"Don’t take it personally," April noted dryly, watching the kitten groom her paw. "She is extremely selective, that one."
Emily laughed it off. "I can see that. She must only like you,"
"Yes, but you can get her attention with this," she brought out the taking chew toy she had gotten at the start of her bond with Lily. She hadn’t really gotten the grasp of it back then since she had bonded with Lily after she ate the biscuit.
Then, she realized that the taming toy was for others who would need to take care of Lily. Lily liked the toy, as if it were a hypnosis.
April brought out the chew toy and handed it to Emily. As soon as the kitten sensed the toy, it pranced down from the decor and came walking to Emily on its own.
Emily laughed. "Is it some sort of magic?" She asked as she picked up the kitten who finally let her stroke her fur.
"Pft, who knows!" April shrugged, though knowing very well that it was all the work of the system.
As the afternoon wore on, the two sisters moved to the private media lounge upstairs. Neither of them had ever really sat down to watch a proper film before—April had been far too busy grinding for resources for the apocalypse or playing games in her free time, and Emily had been too busy trying to not get hit by her family by doing every single thing they asked of her.
They turned on a fantasy action movie, ordered a spread of light afternoon snacks, and sank into the oversized recliners.
Before long, the quiet tension in Emily’s shoulders completely melted away. As the plot unfolded, the two identical sisters found themselves fully invested—laughing out loud, making dry jokes, and mercilessly insulting the terrible decisions of the main characters.
For the first time in twenty-six years, Emily looked like a normal young woman, her eyes bright and alive.
Around late afternoon—4:58—the double doors of the media lounge clicked open.
Nat Collins walked smoothly into the dim room, stepping right past the flickering light of the TV screen. His tall, broad frame exuded an effortless, dangerous grace as he bypassed Emily without a second glance. Even if by chance both sisters were dressed in identical clothes, Nat wouldn’t need to look twice for him to know which one was his sweetheart.
April carried a distinct, cool, and untouchable presence that no one else in the world possessed. It drew him every time he laid his eyes on her.
Nat walked directly behind April, leaning down and wrapping a muscular arm casually over her shoulders.
"Sweetheart," Nat drawled, his deep voice dropping into a low, dangerously seductive murmur right against her ear. "We haven’t had that shooting lesson in a while. I want to see how that sharp aim of yours is holding up."
April didn’t flinch, nor did her gaze leave the TV screen. "Not now, Nat. I’m spending time with Emily."
Nat let out a dark, quiet chuckle, his thumb lightly brushing the fabric of her collar. "Well, it’s time to break it up. The Gabriel family won’t stay locked up forever. You don’t want them dying on you before you get your turn, do you?"
Beside them, Emily froze mid-bite, her brown eyes widening in complete, utter astonishment.
She stared at the way Nat was holding April—intimate, possessive, and blatantly flirting without a care in the world. Emily’s mind instantly spiraled into deep confusion. Wait... are they in a relationship?!
She had spent the entire morning assuming April had a special, unspoken relationship with Xavier Reed, considering they were living together in his private estate and Xavier catered to April’s every whim.
But here was the ruler of the underworld, wrapping his arm around her, calling her ’sweetheart’ with shameless familiarity. What on earth is the dynamic between my sister and these men?
Emily quickly dusted off her trousers, clearing her throat to break her own stunned train of thought. "I... I think we can pick the movie up after we’re done," she said, looking over at April. "I’m ready to see them now."
April turned her head, giving her twin a single, calm nod. "All right."