Apocalypse Queen: My Space, My Rules Chapter 218: Come Back Early

Mariella didn't know what to say.

She really had picked a man who knew how to manage resources.

Chandler helped fix their clothes. With the last bit of strength she had, Mariella took him out of the storage space.

They returned to Chandler's room.

He carried her to the bed, slipped a diamond ring onto her finger, turned off the lights, and held her as they fell asleep.

...

The next morning, Mariella opened her sleepy eyes and didn't immediately recognize where she was.

She moved slightly, and soreness spread through her whole body.

She pressed her forehead and noticed the diamond ring on her finger shining in her vision.

Memories from the night before rushed back. Only then did she realize she was in Chandler's room.

Enduring the soreness, Mariella got dressed and was about to return to her own room to wash up when she noticed a note on the table.

"Call me when you wake up—Chandler."

Her eyes shifted slightly. She didn't call him right away, but she also didn't leave.

Instead, she used his bathroom to wash up before calling him.

"Morning. Come downstairs and eat." Chandler's deep, pleasant voice came through the phone.

So he was just worried about getting her to breakfast.

Mariella was about to smile, but his next sentence ruined the mood. "After eating, there's still a lot of work. I took leave last night, so I'm behind. I need to catch up today."

She froze and rolled her eyes. Was he allergic to romance?

She originally planned to stay in the room a bit longer, but soon after she hung up, Chandler came upstairs.

Seeing she was already ready, he picked her up and carried her back to her room to change clothes.

"Try to hurry. The team cut a lot of firewood. They need the wooden boat to move it," he reminded her while standing with his back turned.

That was when Mariella remembered the task and slapped her forehead. "I totally forgot about that last night."

"It's not too late," Chandler said. "You can eat on the way."

Seeing how properly he stood facing away from her, she suddenly thought about how wild he had been last night and almost laughed.

"Why are you suddenly acting shy?" she teased while changing.

Unexpectedly, he turned back and answered, "I was afraid you'd feel uncomfortable and kick me out like a pervert."

Then he walked over and hugged her while she was changing.

Mariella paused and complained, "Move aside. You're in the way."

He didn't move. He just stared at her with wounded eyes, as if he'd been hurt.

She sighed, leaned forward, and kissed his handsome cheek, softening her tone. "Be good. Don't make trouble. We have work to do."

He finally let go, but he didn't turn away again.

Even though they had already been intimate, Mariella still wasn't used to exposing her body in front of him.

She quickly changed, put on her shoes, and was about to leave when Chandler suddenly scooped her up.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked softly near her ear, his tone completely different from last night's intensity.

Mariella was a little annoyed with him and wrinkled her nose. "So you do know it hurts!"

"I asked Dr. Lester. He said it's normal, but we should be gentler next time... I had him prescribe some medicine. I'll apply it tonight," he said, kissing her gently as he spoke.

Mariella flushed. "You told Matthew about this again and even got medicine?! I can't believe it!"

...

Matthew handed Mariella a packed breakfast and reminded her, "Eat as soon as you get on the boat. Don't let it get cold."

She took it awkwardly and quickly left.

"Mariella," Matthew suddenly called. She stopped, and he added gently, "Come back early after delivering the boat. Get some rest these few days."

Mariella nodded and smiled. "Got it."

He felt like an older brother to her, always looking out for her, which warmed her heart.

...

Mariella and Chandler rode an electric scooter to a quiet water area.

After checking that no one was around, she stored the scooter and took out a wooden boat from the storage space.

It was one of the items taken from Black Bear, and now it finally had a use.

Inflatable boats and speedboats were convenient, but they couldn't carry heavy loads. For transport, wooden boats worked best.

They boarded the boat. Chandler steered it toward the nearby Hillcrest Range while Mariella opened the breakfast Matthew had prepared and happily began eating.

There were her favorite lamb dumplings, two home-style stir-fried dishes, and a bowl of steamed egg custard.

She was starving and ate with great satisfaction.

By the time they arrived, she had finished eating and slowly drank soup from a thermos, feeling warm and comfortable.