Chapter 536: Freedom
Chapter 536 -377: Freedom
The men of the Summers family held no resentment toward Wendy Lowell.
They still remembered the patriarch of the Lowell Family telling them to stay in Kingsgate.
It was simply that they had chosen a different path.
In the end, all one could say was that everyone has their own destiny.
As a woman, Wendy Lowell’s reluctance to leave her family and her home was understandable.
It was just a pity about Dylan Summers…
At this point, all one could do was sigh. What was past was past.
Seeing them like this, Paige Summers could only sigh to herself.
‘If Owen Reid weren’t dead, I probably wouldn’t mind dragging him out and flogging his corpse!’
But as for the truths buried along with his death, Paige Summers thought, ‘They will remain secrets forever!’
‘It would be good if things could just go on like this.’
This pregnancy was very difficult for her.
Not long after returning to the base, she started throwing up nonstop.
Basically, whatever she ate, she threw up.
But she couldn’t afford not to eat, because she was always hungry.
This formed an extremely painful cycle for her.
Her daily routine was a cycle of eating, throwing up, eating again, and throwing up again.
As a direct result, her body felt as weak as jelly, and she could barely get out of bed.
Given the circumstances, Sean Raines suggested she stay on bed rest until she was three months along. By then, her condition would hopefully improve.
This physical condition directly caused Paige Summers’s temper to skyrocket.
And with Marcus Monroe by her side, she felt even more unrestrained.
Her self-control had long since been shattered by the constant vomiting.
Alright, it sounds a little disgusting, but reality is just that cruel.
That evening, Paige Summers lay listlessly in bed, gnawing on Marcus Monroe’s arm while muttering incessantly, “Why, why, oh why is this happening?”
Marcus Monroe, who was increasingly embracing his role as the perfect modern husband, asked good-naturedly, “What’s wrong? Feeling sick again?”
Paige Summers shot him a gloomy look. “I feel like I’m not myself anymore…” ‘It’s like I’ve been possessed by some kind of drama queen!’
‘So it was just self-pity… this old song and dance again,’ Marcus thought. Every time Paige threw a tantrum for no reason, she would beat herself up about it afterward. Understanding this, Marcus gently stroked her hair with his other hand.
He was about to comfort her when she continued, “I’ve been thinking, why am I even having this baby? The only conclusion I can draw is that you were too… enthusiastic. And why were you so enthusiastic? Because it feels good, obviously! So what I’ve realized is, you got all the pleasure, and I’m stuck with all the suffering. It’s so unfair! This is all your fault!”
All of Marcus Monroe’s comforting words got stuck in his throat.
‘So… this time the attack is aimed at me, huh?’
‘Fine.’
“Okay, it’s all my fault. This is the last one. We won’t have any more, okay?”
Paige Summers frowned. “What if it’s a boy?”
“A boy? Well… a boy or a girl, it’s all the same.”
Paige Summers was suddenly furious for no apparent reason.
“Of course it’s not the same! I want a daughter, a well-behaved and sensible daughter just like me!”
Marcus Monroe rubbed his nose.
‘To agree with that would be a complete lie.’
‘While he was undeniably devoted to Paige Summers, calling her ‘well-behaved and sensible’ was a bit… of an exaggeration…’
‘But if he actually said that out loud, he could kiss a good night’s sleep goodbye.’
‘He wasn’t afraid for himself, but he worried she’d feel even sicker tomorrow.’
Marcus Monroe felt like he was already getting a preview of what it’s like to raise a daughter—a spoiled and unreasonable one, at that.
“You want a daughter, so it will definitely be a daughter!” he finally declared with absolute certainty.
Of course, no sane person would believe such a ridiculous thing.
But the Paige Summers of the moment couldn’t be considered sane, so she accepted his declaration without a second thought!
Lights out, time for sleep!
Outside the door, Wendy Lowell, holding a bowl of the plain congee Paige had been managing to keep down lately, quietly left while stifling a laugh.
‘It seems love is all the sustenance she needs.’
‘Looks like my girl won’t be needing a late-night snack tonight!’
While Paige Summers was in utter turmoil over the baby in her belly, progress on the Bloodfall United City was advancing smoothly. For this union of more than a dozen bases, everyone had laid their cards on the table and acted with utmost sincerity.
When people put their hearts into something, as long as it isn’t completely unrealistic, it’s bound to succeed.
And with Bloodfall United City carrying the hopes of tens of thousands, how could it possibly fail?
That’s right, tens of thousands of people.
After Bloodfall Base expanded, it was once again flooded with people seeking refuge.
During Marcus Monroe and Paige Summers’s absence, Claire Chapman and Sean Raines had already filled the outer city to capacity.
They were even preparing to expand again.
While the pace of development seemed rapid on the surface, it was actually the result of a long and steady accumulation of resources and strength.
Previously, Bloodfall had been extremely selective, turning away many who wished to join.
But times had changed.
They were strict back then because the base was not yet stable.
Now, there were no such worries.
As a result, the population was experiencing explosive growth.
Marcus Monroe also agreed.
Thus, with everyone’s approval, Bloodfall Base quickly doubled in size in tandem with the establishment of the Bloodfall United City.
The Bloodfall Base of today, with its towering walls, sprawling grounds, main roads wide enough for several vehicles to drive abreast, a bustling trade district, and throngs of people… from any angle, it was a true capital city in its own right!
「Three months later.」
When Paige Summers finally ended her prison-like confinement and took a car into the base’s outer city, she could only marvel at the sight.
“Everyone’s really been working their butts off!”
“Yeah. Everyone is looking forward to Concordia.”
Marcus Monroe sat beside her, his arm wrapped around her, serving as a human seatbelt.
By now, there was probably no one in the base who didn’t know.
Captain Monroe was the new standard for a good man—completely whipped!
During training, in front of his squad members, he was the fearsome King Yama. But when he was with the Deputy Base Chief, he was no more than a timid underling.
Of course, the people who gossiped about it only dared to do so behind his back, and their tone was thick with envy and jealousy!
There were so few women in the base, and most of them were on the older side. Even if the young guys were willing to be with older women, it was unrealistic to think every man could get a wife!
Those who lacked the skills could only wallow in sorrow and keep company with their own five fingers…
How tragic!
At this point, however, Marcus Monroe was in no mood to concern himself with such matters.
But Paige Summers didn’t know about any of this.
Looking through the car window at the buildings that had shot up from the barren ground, she was still lost in thought.
“People are always so contradictory. When you don’t have a home, you feel adrift and helpless. Once you have a home, you start to yearn for freedom again.”
Marcus Monroe smiled. “That’s just how people are. But I don’t think it’s a contradiction.”
Now in a good mood, Paige Summers turned back to look at him and smiled. “You’re right.”
Marcus Monroe met her gaze and said, “This is just the beginning.” He gently held her head, turning it toward the north of Bloodfall, in the direction of Central City. “Humanity will develop and thrive again, bit by bit. One day, we will return to our old lives, or maybe, something even better!”
“We are not meant to be penned up forever. Whether it’s by Zombies, or Mutant Beasts, or even fate itself—no one gets to do that! We belong only to ourselves!”