Apocalypse Queen: My Space, My Rules Chapter 53: Trial by Fire

"Damn it, I used salt instead of sugar," Number Three said bitterly, downing a full glass of water.

A whole plate of honey-glazed ribs went to waste just like that.

It tasted more like cured ribs now.

Someone else had swapped in balsamic vinegar for the sauce, and the result tasted so weird it was completely inedible. Some had added too much salt, making it so salty it burned your throat. Others had barely added any, leaving the food bland and tasteless. Some dishes weren't even cooked through, half raw and impossible to eat. Others were overcooked, mushy, and falling apart, hard to swallow.

Mariella tasted everything one by one, giving positive marks to the breakfasts made by Matthew, Chandler, Number One, and Number Five. The rest were rated poor or downright awful.

Everyone stood there holding their plates, looking pitiful as they asked tentatively, "Can we make it again?"

"You can," Mariella said. Before they could smile, she added, "But you'll have to pay for the ingredients yourselves."

She'd had them withdraw cash yesterday. Now it was finally useful.

The storm and typhoon had only just begun. Food would only become more scarce and valuable in the days ahead.

There was no way Mariella was going to let her team develop the habit of wasting food.

If they messed up a dish, they'd have to pay out of their own pockets to replace the ingredients.

Only when it hurt would they remember the lesson.

Some of the bodyguards pulled out cash, others asked to transfer money, lining up to buy fresh ingredients from Matthew.

Mariella smiled faintly and turned to Matthew. "Cash only."

The bodyguards fell silent.

"I remember there are a few ATMs in Celestine Ridge. Cross-bank withdrawals just cost a small fee," Mariella added, nudging them along. "If you've still got money in your accounts, withdraw it as cash. I only take cash here."

The bodyguards nodded, half understanding.

After a chaotic breakfast, the wind still howled outside, and rain poured down in sheets.

On the massive wall-mounted TV, disaster response experts were teaching residents how to survive the floods, urging everyone to help each other get through the crisis.

Watching the surging floodwaters, the shattered ruins, and the desperate victims waving for help on the screen, the bodyguards stood there in a daze, feeling like they were in a completely different world.

Inside this solid, secure fortress, they couldn't feel the fury of the flood or the despair of the disaster at all.

The only inconvenience was that no food delivery trucks could get in anymore, so they had to cook for themselves.

The one who had given them this shelter was their boss, Mariella.

They looked at her with respect, even a hint of reverence, and fell completely silent, waiting for her next command.

Mariella turned and swept her gaze across them, then said to Chandler, "This storm isn't stopping anytime soon. No one's going out today. We train here in the villa."

Chandler immediately led ten bodyguards out of the first-floor dining room and into the spacious courtyard to form up and begin drills.

The courtyard was created by knocking down the wall between two townhouses, covering about 6,000 square feet. After accounting for the storage area, well, and parking spaces, there was still more than enough open ground to train a team of over a dozen people.

Matthew and Serena followed out as well, watching with clear interest.

Mariella took the opportunity to persuade them. "Why don't you learn a few self-defense moves too?"

Survival in a post-disaster world was brutal. No one could protect anyone forever. Being strong yourself was the only reliable option.

Matthew looked a little embarrassed. "They're all trained professionals. I've never learned any of this. Wouldn't I just slow them down?"

"I'll have Chandler teach you personally. Serena can learn too," Mariella said with a smile, then turned to Serena. "You brave enough to learn how to fight?"

To her surprise, Serena pulled a small scalpel from her waist, flashing a row of white teeth like a fierce little kitten. "I can fight. I can use a knife too!"

Matthew gave an awkward smile and explained, "Yesterday, I had her guard Storage Room No. 3 while everyone else was away, so I gave her a small scalpel for protection."

He hadn't taken it back and had let his daughter keep it on her the whole time, clearly still on guard.

With so many grown men living in the villa, he couldn't afford to be careless. Better safe than sorry.

Mariella reached out and ruffled Serena's hair. "That's my girl. I'll have Captain Zimmer teach you a few knife techniques. Pay attention and learn properly."

"Okay!" Serena cracked her knuckles, clearly excited.

Mariella called Chandler over and said, "Can you give Dr. Lester and Serena some one-on-one training? Serena wants to learn knife work."

Chandler glanced at Matthew and Serena, then nodded. "Sure."

...

After arranging the training, Mariella returned to her bedroom on the second floor of the villa.

She wasn't slacking off. She had something more important to deal with.

Mariella picked up her phone and opened the Graham Group company chat.