18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 257

Stella and Jasper had already celebrated their housewarming dinner on their own, feasting on delicacies like foie gras, filet mignon wrapped in Iberian ham and caviar, and a bottle of '82 Lafite. Cooper had his share too and licked his plate clean.

When their neighbor Austin invited them over for his housewarming party, Stella couldn't replace a reason to refuse, so she readily agreed, "Sure."

"Just come over, no need to bring anything." Knowing his son liked to play with Rosie, Austin specifically instructed, "Remember to bring Rosie and Cooper." Austin and his son lived in a sprawling villa. Whenever Monkey and others had no business, they would come over, often gathering to eat or play cards together. The days were comfortable, no doubt, but quite boring.

Jasper was mostly silent, only becoming particularly enthusiastic when making love with Stella. The rest of the time, he would work, read, practice, eat and sleep. It was mostly Stella who initiated conversations.

While lying in bed, Stella playfully tickled him, "What should we gift Austin for his housewarming party?"

Jasper, not adept at social etiquette, thought for a moment, "A bottle of wine and a pack of cigarettes?"

Austin lacked nothing, and his housewarming party would be grand. The appetites of the three of them, plus Cooper, were not small, especially the food-loving dog. Stella agreed, "Sounds good."

The next day, early in the morning, the neighborhood began to buzz with activity.

Austin's men brought their families over, the yard filled with laughter and light-hearted teasing among the women while the children played happily.

Stella wasn't fond of social gatherings, especially with unfamiliar people. Thankfully, the windows were soundproof, so she quickly closed them.

Around eleven in the morning, the intercom rang, "Jasper, bring everyone over for lunch."

Soon, Dylan knocked on the door, with several children following behind him, all here to pick up Rosie and Cooper.

Stella, carrying the gift, joined the family heading across the street for lunch. As soon as they stepped out, Dylan greeted them, "Hi, I'm here to play with Rosie."

He even offered Rosie some candy. Rosie didn't accept it, but instinctively looked at her brother.

Jasper gave the command, "Rosie, say thank you."

Rosie thanked Dylan and accepted the candy but didn't eat it. She put it in her pocket.

Dylan pulled Rosie towards his house, "We have a swing at our house. You can sit on it."

Compared to the two of them, the other children looked rather shabby, their clothes and shoes old. They were better off than most children in the slums though. They just seemed out of place in the wealthy neighborhood.

As they entered, they found Monkey in the front yard, his ear being pulled by a tall woman in a red dress, "Did you ignore what I said?"

Monkey was in pain, and all he could do was beg, "Geez, honey, be gentle. Today is the boss' housewarming party. Give me some dignity."

One was thin, short, and unattractive, while the other was glamorous and tall, excessively eye-catching.

Stella finally understood why Monkey was willing to splurge on a house. If she could marry such a beautiful woman, she wouldn't mind being broke either.

Upon seeing the newcomers, the woman hid her punishing hand and Monkey, rubbing his ear, greeted Stella with a smile, "You're here. Let me introduce you, this is my wife, Miranda."

Stella greeted with a smile, "Hello, Miranda."

Just as she had guessed, even in the post-apocalyptic world, Monkey treated his wife like a treasure, letting her hit and scold him without retaliating, holding her in his hand as if she might break, cherishing her as if she might melt in his mouth. Upon seeing Stella, Miranda was surprised, "I met you a few days ago, on the third floor of our building."

So this was the 'Miss' Monkey had talked about. Miranda had imagined an older woman in her thirties or forties, not a young woman in her early twenties.

Young, beautiful, with smooth and rosy skin, and delicate features. In the post-apocalyptic world, she shone brightly, making Miranda, who was always confident, feel inferior.

Stella nodded, "Yeah, what a coincidence."

After exchanging pleasantries, Stella and Jasper entered the living room. It was their first time visiting Austin's house, and they were impressed by the layout and decoration, especially the door installed at the staircase, just like in their own house. Austin's crew was all there. Some were playing cards, some were chatting and eating peanuts, while the women were busy setting the table and cooking.

Unlike Miranda, their status at home was relatively low, as everything was decided by their breadwinning husbands.

However, the men envied Monkey. If they had such a beautiful woman, they would be willing to be her servant, even if it meant being a workhorse.

After exchanging greetings with everyone, Stella handed Austin their gift.

A bottle of posh liquor and a pack of premium cigarettes, rare commodities that even Austin found difficult to source, especially after the major earthquake.

These two were quite resourceful.

Austin didn't usually smoke this kind of premium brands, and the smell was addictive. He immediately opened the pack, shared some with his men, and offered one to Jasper.

Jasper politely declined, "No thanks, I don't smoke."

The others weren't as polite, they inhaled the smoke as if they were cats sniffing catnip, completely entranced.

The housewarming feast was extravagant, with smoked chicken, duck, and pork, pork belly, and a variety of seafood. Drinks and liquor were also served.

There were four tables in total, one for men, one for Austin and his son along with Stella and her family, and two for the women and children.

Monkey voluntarily sat with his wife.

Miranda was fiery and cunning; she secretly added meat to her husband's bowl.

Everyone wished Austin well and took their seats to eat.

Stella noticed that although Austin was all smiles, he seemed less enthusiastic than a few days ago. He occasionally glanced outside, appearing a bit disappointed. From the looks of it, there were empty seats. The guests he had really invited hadn't arrived. In the post-apocalyptic world, where tomorrow was uncertain, the only thing not to be wasted was good food. Stella put her thoughts aside and focused on eating.

Several of the dishes were delicious, while others were a pity. Stella shared the tasty ones with Rosie.

It had been a long time since it was this lively. Four tables filled with people dining together, men drinking beer, women chatting away, children eagerly digging into their plates of food, causing an uproar every now and then.

The noise was so intense that it made Stella's ears ring.

Especially these second-hand dealers, not only were they great at selling stuff, but they sure knew how to boast.

The scent of meat, vegetables, and constant chatter intertwined.

Austin and the others were relentless in encouraging drinks, to the point where even Jasper, who hardly touched alcohol, had a few rounds. Stella also had some.

After filling up on food and drink, it was time to make a quick exit, or else they'd be chatting non-stop for days.

The children surrounded Cooper, and their desire for the meat couldn't be hidden. Cooper's mood was far from pleasant. He constantly felt like there were troublemakers out to get him. In the end, he didn't even touch a single bite of food. "Woof."

Rosie took out a piece of jerky to feed him, "Don't be scared, Cooper."

Scared? He was more concerned about accidentally killing someone and potentially upsetting his owner.

Stuffed to the gills, they took a stroll around the villa district.

Beautiful, stylish houses lined the streets, with white picket fences, gardens, fountains, swimming pools, sun umbrellas, and beach chairs. Each house was a showpiece, decorated artistically, making visitors feel like they'd been transported to a romantic, exotic locale. However, two villas stood out like a sore thumb.

A majority of the villas were occupied, some powered by solar panels, others by generators. Rich ladies gathered in groups for tea parties, their makeup immaculate, their dresses beautiful. Fortunately, Stella wasn't one for envy, but she did enjoy the view. That was the beauty of living in a villa district, you could flaunt your wealth without a worry. Here, showing off was the norm.

After a long walk, they noticed the prime villa had not only been renovated but also extended with a new structure, looking as magnificent as a fairy-tale castle.

On the main road, rich ladies were dressed in designer dress, men in suits and leather shoes, and the young ladies in exquisite dresses revealing their shoulders and backs.

These were the rich of the villa district, now standing on either side of the main road, whispering to each other. To an outsider, it would seem they were awaiting a VIP.

Stella glanced at the prime villa, "I guess the Porras family is dropping by."

"Who are the Porras family?" asked Jasper, who despite living in Griffith for over a decade, was still unfamiliar with the town gossip.

"The wealthiest family in Griffith, they made their fortune in real estate. Just a year before the disaster, they topped the national rich list."

To jog his memory, Stella continued, "Although Griffith isn't large, it boasts of numerous millionaires. The three super SUVS we picked up? They belonged to the Porras family's third son."

As she'd finished speaking, the wealthy residents of the main road started to line up to welcome the newcomers.