18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 273

A flirtatious voice echoed, followed by a slender figure stepping out, "Mom, who's making a racket outside?"

Dressed in pre-apocalypse luxury couture, Julia looked bright and captivating, like a carefully nurtured flower in a greenhouse.

Stella instantly snapped to attention and pushed Tracy aside. Tracy, in her high heels, nearly toppled over from the shove.

Seeing the battered servant, Julia quickly understood the situation and instinctively backed into the house. But Stella was quicker. She grabbed Julia by the hair and dragged her outside.

Julia let out a piercing shriek, "Let go of me, you lunatic! Help, help!"

Startled, Tracy tried to follow but twisted her ankle.

Stella, ignoring Julia's screams, dragged her all the way back to unit 50. Without a word, she shoved Julia against a door smeared with filth.

Julia, who had grown up pampered and protected, had never encountered such filth. The filth was still wet and it clung to her, her hands, her precious dress, everywhere. The stench was overpowering, causing her to retch.

As she tried to get up, Stella kicked her, pressing a foot onto Julia's face.

Half of Julia's face was pressed against the filthy door, smeared all over. Any struggle made it worse, getting it in her mouth and nose.

"You like throwing filth, do you?" Stella sneered, her foot pressing down on Julia's attractive face, "Since you like it so much, you're not leaving until you've licked this door clean."

Weeping and retching, Julia cursed Stella, "What the hell do you want, you crazy woman?" This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

Jasper didn't forget to bring the perpetrator over. Without him needing to say anything, the scared man confessed, "Miss Julia, it was your jealousy and hatred that made me teach her a lesson. You threatened to fire me. If I lost this job, my family would starve. I had no choice but to agree."

Julia denied it fiercely, "I didn't. I didn't!"

"Besides threatening me, you also promised me 10 pounds of rice and said you would raise my salary."

In his desperation, he began to argue with Julia, "I have no grudge against those people living in Building 50. Why would I provoke her? It's you who hold a grudge against her for hitting you and seducing your beloved Bran."

"Shut up. I didn't..."

Julia's scandal attracted more than half of the neighborhood.

Among them were Julia's close friends. The deeper their friendship used to be, the more disgusted they were now, even showing expressions of schadenfreude.

Julia knew that she was finished. Covered in filth, she would never be able to mingle in this circle again.

She hated Stella so much. Stella had made a fool of her once, and this time was even worse. This vile woman, not only did she look like her, but she also became the talk of the town by bullying her. Using her outrageous actions, she attracted Bran's attention, making him constantly revolve around her. She had liked Bran for so many years, always hoping to marry him when she came of age, but he was always lukewarm towards her. Who would have known that Stella would appear and attract all his attention?

If it had been someone else, perhaps Julia wouldn't be so angry. But Stella's face was so much like hers. Without her youth and beauty, looking as plain as a potato, how could Stella seduce Bran?

And in front of Bran, she had undressed, and he hadn't even glanced at her, but he was so infatuated with Stella.

"Stop!"

Tracy, supported by a servant, rushed out.

Seeing her precious daughter being humiliated and covered in filth, making the Riley family lose dignity in the neighborhood, Tracy raised her hand to slap Stella in a fit of rage.

Stella grabbed her wrist and said coldly, "Tracy, it's a mother's fault when her daughter is not educated. You raised this shameless girl, so what makes you think you can hit me?

“Do you think your age or status gives you the right? It's the end of the world and you're still trying to bully the weak. I can stomach anything, but I won't tolerate being wronged. If you dare to lay a finger on me today, I'll chop off your precious daughter."

Tracy was shaking with rage, "What...what do you want?"

"It's your daughter who wanted something." Stella retorted, "She not only slandered me for seducing Bran, but also had people throw filth at my house. Is this the so-called etiquette of high society? I have a family and a husband. Even if I didn't, what business is it of hers who I associate with? It's not her place to teach me how to live my life."

Tracy denied the allegations, "You're making false accusations."

Stella didn't have the patience to argue with her, "There's plenty of evidence and witnesses. If you want to deny it, you'll have to see if I agree."

Tracy was fully aware of her daughter's character, but this was something she couldn't admit to. While Stella was wrong to hit someone, if they reported it to the police and it was proven, Julia's reputation would be ruined and she would never be able to find a good family to marry into.

The onlookers, they were friends or allies of the Riley family, but not a single one stepped forward to help. They were all afraid of getting involved with Building 50.

Julia was careless. Tracy had repeatedly warned her not to provoke the people living in Building 50, a bunch of reckless people who didn't even care about the Porras family. Even the police were useless against them.

Understanding the pros and cons, Tracy softened her tone, "This is all a misunderstanding. It was the servant acting on his own. I'll have him apologize and clean up this place."

"Are you deaf or just stupid?"

Stella didn't spare her any dignity, "The man is still breathing here, and you want to twist the facts. Do you think I would let you? You know very well whether it was a misunderstanding or not. If you want me to let it slide, you better show me some respect."

Tracy didn't expect her to be so difficult, insisting that Julia apologize in public. How could the Riley family maintain their status in the neighborhood after this?

Tracy's face turned red, "You really want this?"

"Why not?" Stella countered, "Who do you think you are, that I should help you keep your dignity?"

Tracy was so angry that her blood rushed to her head, "I am, I..."

"What's going on?" Bran arrived late with the security patrol, striding with an air of indifference. "What happened?"

There was no need for the involved parties to speak. Those eager to suck up to the Porras family took the opportunity to explain the situation in vivid detail.

Upon seeing Bran, Julia, covered in filth, blushed with a mix of anger, humiliation, and a hint of expectation. "Mr. Bran," she said.