18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 634

"Lily, you should congratulate me," Lukas teased, flashing a slick grin despite Angela's displeasure. "Besides loving you, I’ve finally found my own worth."

If only he'd been born a few years earlier, he might have been a legend in the tech world. Flirting openly at their age was something only this couple could pull off.

Dinner ended early, and Stella decided to take a walk around the farm. She stumbled upon some technicians from the fertilizer factory. They brought over a couple of bags of their latest product, eager for the farm to test its effects.

The technicians were self-taught, having learned from manuals and videos that came with the machinery. They were still in the experimental phase, carving out a test plot on the farm, hoping for timely feedback.

Fertilizer was crucial for the crops, and Rosie was on top of it. She monitored daily and was currently in deep conversation with the technicians. Young and stunning, Rosie was like a shining gem, her sweet voice causing the technicians' ears to turn red.

They were improving the fertilizer with each batch and were confident they'd achieve a quality product soon. Stella didn’t intrude and instead climbed to the mountaintop. The mulberry grove was expansive, and the silkworms were thriving. By her next visit, the mulberries would be ripe for picking.

As evening approached, the farm's dogs joyfully raced up the hill, eager for Stella's return. Taking a different route back, Stella noticed the expansion of the breeding grounds, now including a sprawling orchard and chicken coop project.

Poppy was serious about her ambitions. Shy and demure on dates, she was a force of nature at work. She’d expanded the farm manifold in a short time and even secured a deal with a textile mill for a down feather project.

Curious about Poppy's aspirations, Stella asked, "Poppy, what are your plans for the future?"

Refined by experience, Poppy answered with confidence, "Stella, the Six Cities Initiative has begun. They can't sustain themselves and rely on Griffith for supplies, but long-distance transport is a resource drain. Agriculture is the easiest to replicate. Why not expand with them, keeping a tight grip on our agricultural produce?"

Having worked closely with her uncle, Poppy had insights into Stella's business ambitions. Having survived the apocalypse, she knew controlling the food supply meant controlling the right to live.

Stella was impressed with her smarts and ambition. "Do you have the confidence?"

"With your opportunity, Stella, I do."

"Easy to say, hard to do, but you can start planning."

Poppy was thrilled at the trust Stella placed in her, suggesting, "Together with Rosie?"

Stella nodded. "Collaborate and divide the tasks."

Before leaving, Stella offered encouragement, "Work hard; I see great potential and a bright future in you both."

Poppy was energized. Why focus on fish farming when there was a chance to rise to the top? She didn’t want to marry into wealth; she wanted to become wealthy and join the ranks of the elite.

Returning to the farm, Stella found Bran sprawled at the doorstep. "Sis, you don’t love me anymore."

"You wanna get killed?!" Stella panicked, quickly checking her surroundings, worried someone might overhear and misconstrue her relationships.

Bran's complaint deepened. "You’ve been back so long and haven’t missed me."

Stella shuddered at his words and shot him a fierce look. "Speak properly!"

Feeling slighted, Bran thought she favored Monkey unconditionally.

Stella opened the door, with a meaningful tone, "You’re so in love you forget to come for dinner, huh?"

"A secret, you’ll know when the time comes."

Could it be what he's always wanted? If so, this marriage was a must!

"Sis, Reagan’s daughter isn’t easy to win over. You’ll have to help me..."

Stella, feeling like a wool source for Bran’s shearing, "..."

"Sis, don’t be oblivious to my plight. I’m getting on in years with no wife to care for me..."

Right, no wife, but that was because he’d squandered his early life’s blessings before the disaster.

Bran didn’t care, adopting a stance that if she didn’t provide a dowry, he wouldn’t leave. She ought to leave him to his single life!

But Bran was persistent. "Sis, Vera isn’t just anybody. Raised in the military, she’s seen it all. I need to pull out all the stops..."

Stella, being exploited, "..."

"Every single one of them is a handful," Stella thought, exasperated beyond words. It seemed clear that without a little 'shearing,' these stubborn mules wouldn’t budge.

"Just you wait!" she fumed internally, entertaining the thought of really giving them a piece of her mind.