Chapter 396: Chapter 406: Unusual

As this thought crossed his mind, the man gave Felix Lawrence a teasing look, his eyes darting toward Stella Sterling every now and then.

He had to admit, the woman was truly beautiful. In this post-apocalyptic world, she wasn’t gaunt and emaciated like everyone else.

Her skin was flawless and fair—so fair it seemed to glow.

Just by standing there, she seemed like someone from a completely different world.

It wasn’t just her beauty; her entire bearing was exceptional.

’It’s no wonder Lawrence is taken with a woman like her!’

Seeing his appraising gaze, Stella Sterling frowned, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes.

"Don’t get the wrong idea. And stop staring. This is my friend."

Seeing the man’s expression, Felix Lawrence knew he had definitely misunderstood something.

For the past couple of years, he had focused solely on expanding his influence and avenging his wife and his fallen brothers.

Other than the women who were part of his crew, he hadn’t been with any other woman.

Now, bringing Miss Sterling back alone was bound to cause a misunderstanding among his men.

So he thought for a moment, then his tone hardened. "It’s not what you think, so get those ideas out of your head. Miss Sterling is not only my friend, but she’s also the person who saved my life. What’s more, she is my most honored guest."

"You will treat her with the utmost hospitality. There is to be no slight or disrespect, or I, Felix Lawrence, will not let you off easy."

Felix Lawrence may have become ruthless toward outsiders, but to his own people—his brothers and friends—he had always been righteous and magnanimous. He was also consistently lenient with his subordinates.

Their interactions had always been casual and harmonious.

This was the first time he had spoken so sternly.

The man froze, the smirk instantly vanishing from his face. His expression turned much more serious. "Right, Lawrence. I’ll remember that!"

He didn’t dare tease him any further, but now he was even more curious. ’Just what is the deal with this woman?’

’What made Lawrence hold her in such high regard?’

But after Felix Lawrence’s warning, he didn’t dare ask any more questions.

Although Lawrence was approachable and treated them well, a boss was still a boss. He commanded great authority among them, and they wouldn’t dare disobey his orders.

Besides, they all knew that while Lawrence was easy-going, that was a side he only showed to them. When he got angry, he could be terrifying.

The way he dealt with his enemies was ruthless.

So, while they could joke around normally, the moment he got serious, they didn’t dare keep up their antics.

He then turned to Stella Sterling and apologized sincerely. "My apologies, Miss Sterling. I didn’t mean anything by it, I was just curious. It was a misunderstanding. If I caused any offense, I offer you my most sincere apology."

With that, he gave Stella Sterling a deep bow.

Stella Sterling had indeed been displeased, but Felix Lawrence had already reprimanded the man, and his apology was both sincere and swift.

The coldness in her eyes softened, and she nodded.

She didn’t speak, but it was clear she was willing to let the matter go.

Standing to the side, Felix Lawrence quietly sighed in relief. He had seen the displeasure in Miss Sterling’s eyes and had worried she might get the wrong impression.

He spoke up, "All right, all right. Go have someone clear out a room and clean it."

He paused, then added, "And for tonight... prepare something a little more substantial."

"There’s no need to go to any trouble. Whatever you normally have is fine. I’m not picky."

Stella Sterling spoke up.

’Judging by the conditions here,’ she thought, ’their supplies must be scarce. Otherwise, a leader like him wouldn’t be personally leading people on raids.’

’So, while I’m staying here, I don’t want to trouble them by making them prepare anything special. I’ll just eat what they eat.’

’I’m not picky at all. Besides, if I’m still hungry and want something else, I can always secretly have an extra meal on my own.’

Felix Lawrence laughed heartily. "Don’t worry about it. I say ’more substantial,’ but it’s not like we have any real delicacies to offer you. It’s just a bit more than our usual portions."

"But you’re a guest in my territory, after all. I want to at least show some proper hospitality, just for tonight."

Then he turned to the man beside him. "Now, go on!"

The man nodded quickly. While the thought of extra food made him a little happy, he was also surprised and worried.

’You have to understand,’ he thought, ’our supplies here are strictly rationed. Everything is allocated according to a plan.’

’After all, our supplies are finite. If we eat more now, how will so many of us survive until we find a new batch?’

’Lawrence had always been strict about this. But today, he was actually breaking his own rule to have them prepare more.’

’It was clear how much Lawrence valued this woman.’

’Now he was even more curious. Who was this woman, to make Lawrence treat her this way?’

’Before, he’d thought she might have some kind of relationship with Lawrence. That maybe Lawrence had taken a liking to her because she was beautiful, and she had come seeking his protection, to live by relying on him.’

’But now, he dismissed that thought.’

’Judging from Lawrence’s attitude toward her, that couldn’t possibly be the case.’

’If she were just another woman depending on Lawrence for survival, there would be no need for him to treat her with such importance.’

’In this apocalypse, just being given a bite to eat was already a huge blessing.’

’Men and women alike were often willing to sacrifice a great deal for a single meal.’

’So there was absolutely no reason for Lawrence to be fawning over her like this.’

’And maybe it was just his imagination, but he had a feeling based on how Lawrence acted around the woman...’

’...that Lawrence was... respectful of her.’

’Recalling Lawrence’s stern attitude from before, a jolt went through him. This woman’s background was probably anything but simple.’

’He just didn’t understand—if she was really so formidable, why would she need to stay with them for a while?’

’And their supplies were so limited. Because of her, they were having a bigger meal tonight, but what about after?’

’Wouldn’t they have to go back to scraping by for a long time, until they could find a new batch of supplies?’

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