Teaming Up with My Enemy to Rule the Apocalypse

With several people cooking together, things went quite quickly.

Once all the dishes were cooked and placed on the table, a hesitant look suddenly appeared on Nathan Thorne’s face.

"Should we call Mr. Crawford over?"

The words were barely out of his mouth, and before Sierra Sullivan or Jayce could reply, his own expression had already turned complicated.

While they hadn’t exactly parted on bad terms last time, it hadn’t been much better.

After that last incident, they all understood that a great distance had grown between them.

Arguments between people aren’t something to be afraid of.

Sometimes, even after a vicious fight, people can make up quickly afterward.

The bond might even be stronger than before.

What’s truly frightening is the quiet, courteous drifting apart.

And that was exactly the situation between them and Dominic Crawford now.

Seeing that Sierra Sullivan and Jayce remained silent, Nathan Thorne whispered, "Are you guys really planning to ignore Mr. Crawford from now on?"

Sierra Sullivan finally laughed. "Why are you acting like a child?"

’Isn’t that the kind of thing only a kid would say?’

Jayce smiled too. "All right, let’s go. We’ll go ask Mr. Crawford together and see if he wants to come over."

Nathan Thorne’s face lit up instantly. "Great! Let’s go right now!"

Sierra Sullivan didn’t go with the two men, merely watching them head out the door.

Candice Tate also stared expectantly toward the door.

Candice wasn’t waiting for anything else—she just wanted to start eating sooner.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long.

Jayce and Nathan Thorne returned quickly.

But it was just the two of them.

Dominic Crawford hadn’t come with them.

Sierra Sullivan raised an eyebrow. "Was he not home?"

Nathan Thorne looked completely dejected. "He’s home. But when I asked him over, he said he’d already eaten and wouldn’t be joining us. He told us to enjoy the meal and that we’d get together when there’s another chance."

This was clearly just the kind of polite excuse adults use to brush someone off.

"When there’s another chance" basically meant "never."

Though she hadn’t seen Dominic Crawford herself, his choice alone was enough for Sierra Sullivan to understand his intentions.

Jayce, on the other hand, didn’t seem to react much. He had already sat down. "Well, if he’s already eaten, we shouldn’t force the issue. Let’s just sit down and eat!"

No matter how conflicted Nathan Thorne felt, he still had to eat.

In the apocalypse, nothing was more important than eating.

Especially since these were dishes he had helped prepare with his own hands—that made them taste all the more special.

Candice Tate had been waiting impatiently. The moment she heard it was time to eat, she quickly grabbed her chopsticks.

While their group ate with lively chatter, the atmosphere next door was rather oppressive.

After Dominic Crawford refused Jayce and Nathan Thorne’s invitation, he closed the door and turned around, only to see Joy Warren standing there with a stony expression.

"Joy?" Dominic Crawford looked at her, confused. "What’s wrong?"

’Why does she look so upset?’

Joy Warren sneered. "What’s wrong with me? You have the nerve to ask what’s wrong with me? You tell me what’s wrong! What did I just say to you? Did you not take my words to heart at all? They came all the way to your door to invite you. What are you acting so high and mighty for? Why didn’t you go?"

Just minutes before, Joy Warren had been pleasant and smiling, the very picture of gentleness.

But in the blink of an eye, she had changed so drastically.

The change was so jarring it left Dominic Crawford completely bewildered.

"Joy, you—"

’He wanted to ask why Joy was speaking to him like that, why she had changed so suddenly.’

But before he could ask, Dominic Crawford suddenly realized something.

’Joy’s personality had always been like this.’

’It was the gentle, tender version of Joy from a moment ago that was new, the version that had felt unfamiliar.’

’He had simply been so lost in that moment of tenderness that he had forgotten.’

Now that he realized it, Dominic Crawford’s feelings grew complicated as well.

Joy Warren didn’t care what Dominic Crawford was thinking. She just stared at him coldly. "I don’t care what you’re thinking, but I need to make one thing clear. If you want me to be with you, you have to at least provide me with the same kind of life Sierra Sullivan has. If not, then forget it."

With that, not waiting for Dominic Crawford to respond, Joy Warren turned and went back to her room.

Perhaps out of anger, or maybe to make her point crystal clear to Dominic Crawford, she slammed the door with all her might, the sound echoing like thunder.

Dominic Crawford stared at the closed door, silent for a long time.

Meanwhile, Susan Warren, who had been standing to the side, looked panicked and rather embarrassed.

"Dominic," she began, "please don’t take what Joy just said to heart! That child... I spoiled her since she was little, and her temper isn’t the best. Please don’t hold it against her. I’ll have a good talk with her in a little while."

Hearing this, Dominic Crawford quickly shook his head and waved his hands. "Auntie, you don’t have to! Joy isn’t wrong, it’s my fault. It’s my failure. I’m not capable enough to give Joy the life she wants. But I’ll work hard!"

Susan Warren sighed. "You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ll go cook you a bowl of noodles."

"No, no, really," Dominic Crawford quickly refused. "It’s late, Auntie. You should get some rest. I can take care of it myself."

"What are you talking about? You’ve been busy all day. I’ve just been sitting around the house with nothing to do. You just wait here. It’ll be ready in a jiffy."

The kitchen had noodles, vegetables, and even some canned meat.

With all the ingredients on hand, making a bowl of noodles was no trouble at all.

About ten minutes later, Susan Warren emerged with a large, steaming bowl of noodles and placed it in front of Dominic Crawford. "Go on, eat up while it’s hot!"

"Thank you! Thank you, Auntie!"

Staring at the steaming bowl of noodles, Dominic Crawford felt his own eyes begin to sting.

"Eat up! I’m going to go check on Joy. Don’t worry, I’ll have a word with her."

Susan Warren quickly went back to her room, leaving Dominic Crawford alone in the living room.

Dominic Crawford glanced toward Joy Warren’s room one more time before sitting down, picking up his chopsticks, and starting on the noodles.

But his movements were stiff, his eyes lost in thought.

A few moments later, Dominic Crawford came to a decision.

Susan Warren returned to the room to find Joy Warren lying face down on the bed. She walked over and patted her on the back.

"What has gotten into you, young lady?" she asked. "If Dominic hadn’t taken us in, who knows where we’d be suffering right now. Even if he didn’t do things exactly as you wanted, you shouldn’t lash out at him like that!"

Joy Warren was already feeling a bit of regret, and her mother’s words made her even more frantic. "Mom, what should I do? Should I go apologize to him right now?"