Apocalypse Queen: My Space, My Rules Chapter 59: Shifting Loyalties

Mariella blinked. "How many of the locations I asked for did you find?"

Chandler pulled out a hardbound notebook, tore off a page with the recorded coordinates, and handed it to her.

Mariella took it and saw labels for a plastics factory, a logistics hub, a construction company, and more.

The materials in those places were valuable, but bulky. It was almost impossible to salvage by manpower alone.

The bodyguard team only had small inflatable boats. They simply didn't have the capacity to haul that kind of load. They couldn't take it even if they wanted to.

But Mariella had her storage space. No matter how big it was, she could take it all.

"Good work. Thanks," she said, reaching out to pat Chandler on the shoulder.

Chandler paused.

For some reason, it felt suspiciously similar to the way she patted the dog.

...

Mariella had already showered in the storage space. Yawning, she was ready to head upstairs to sleep.

"Ms. Townsend," Number One called out to her.

Mariella turned lazily, her eyelids so heavy that she could barely keep them open.

Number One handed over a heavy bag filled with hard drives and USB sticks.

"All the video materials and e-books you asked me to download have been organized into categories. If there's anything off, I can keep refining it."

Mariella took the bag and smiled. "Thanks for the hard work."

Number One's eyes lit up, as if he was expecting something more.

Mariella thought for a moment, then added, "I'll give you a bonus at the end of the month."

The light in Number One's eyes dimmed. He lowered his head.

He'd seen her pat Chandler on the shoulder, but she'd never done that to him.

It wasn't that he was expecting anything. He just felt there was a difference in how she treated him compared to Chandler.

Of course, Chandler was the captain, and he was only the deputy captain. There was naturally a difference in status.

Even so, for some reason, a faint bitterness crept into his chest.

Mariella had no idea what was going through his head. She was exhausted and just wanted to get some proper sleep.

She had barely taken a step when Number One called out again, "Ms. Townsend."

"What is it now? If you've got something to say, just say it," Mariella said with another yawn.

Looking at her tired face, Number One spoke softly. "Next time you go out to gather supplies, let me or Captain Zimmer go with you. You're... a woman. It's dangerous out there alone."

That woke her up a little. She broke into a wide grin and reached out to pat his shoulder.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it. If I need backup, I'll call you or Captain Zimmer. I won't hold back."

At last, Number One got what he'd been hoping for. His sharp-featured face broke into a simple, almost bashful smile, the tips of his ears turning red.

Even after Mariella disappeared upstairs, he remained standing there, staring at the empty staircase for a long time.

The sour feeling in his chest had completely vanished, replaced by a quiet, unexpected sweetness.

...

Harvey didn't sleep at all that night. The assassin he'd sent out had gone completely off the grid.

He was starting to regret disabling the surveillance at Celestine Ridge. Now he had no way of checking what had actually happened.

The private detective agency had only managed to confirm that Mariella had moved into No. 98 and No. 99 in Celestine Ridge with eleven bodyguards, and that the two townhouses had been combined into one heavily fortified residence.

That was when it hit him. Where did Mariella get the money to buy those houses?

Hiring over a dozen bodyguards could be explained if she were afraid of being hunted, but there was no way she could afford properties in Celestine Ridge.

Even if No. 98 and No. 99 were on the outskirts and among the smallest, least luxurious units, and even if the real estate market was in a slump, buying both and renovating them would still cost tens of millions.

She couldn't possibly have that kind of money, unless...

Harvey's pupils shrank as a terrifying thought crossed his mind, she had sold him out for money.

Thinking back, ever since she left the hospital, she'd been like a completely different person. Tough, defiant, constantly working against him. That kind of confidence had to come from somewhere.

She must've found another backer.

Kieran's name surfaced in his mind, along with the string of recent failed development projects, all of which Kieran had beaten him to.

Even when the storm hit and he tried to seize control of the two companies in Celestine Ridge, Kieran had gotten there first.

Kieran had never cared about scraps like this before, so why the sudden change?

Something wasn't right.

Once Harvey started thinking along those lines, it was impossible not to suspect Mariella.

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that she'd been the one pushing Kieran from behind the scenes. God knew how many of his secrets she'd already sold off.

"Mariella, how dare you betray me!" Harvey growled through clenched teeth. Even killing her wouldn't be enough.

She was once completely devoted to me. So how did she suddenly turn against me?

He couldn't make sense of it.

Just then, the hospital contacted him again. "When the flood hit, Jennifer was nearly swept away. She was rescued by the police, but her left arm was crushed in the impact, a comminuted fracture. The hospital is out of beds, short on medicine, and severely lacking surgeons. We can't schedule her operation in time. You need to find a solution immediately to avoid permanent damage."