Chapter 149 - 137: She Has Changed, Was She Wrong?

At the mention of Lucia’s name, Joel Bloom’s face turned black as soot.

"Sis, why are you bringing her up out of nowhere?"

It was obvious Joel Bloom wanted nothing to do with this conversation. But avoidance wouldn’t solve the problem. Flora didn’t want them all to tiptoe around the issue now, only for her to lose control and kill the woman one day, leading her three closest family members to blame her for it.

Some things had to be brought into the open to prevent misunderstandings. Once a misunderstanding took root, it would create a rift. She didn’t want to let someone else exploit that opening later and drive a wedge into her family.

"It’s fine if you don’t want to talk now, but I’m going to ask you one thing. And you’d better tell me the truth."

Joel Bloom gave a sullen grunt of acknowledgment.

"Is the baby in her belly yours?"

Joel Bloom’s eyes darted around. Caleb Bloom’s expression was just as grim as he watched his son. Only Jade looked at Joel Bloom with a purely questioning gaze.

"Son, just tell your sister the truth. This is no joking matter!"

Joel Bloom frowned. His thin lips, which had regained a bit of color, pressed together before he whispered, "Yes."

All superpower users had excellent hearing. With no soundproofing between floors, they could pick up even the quietest sounds. Lucia was a superpower user, so naturally, she heard it too.

Downstairs, Lucia was slumped weakly on the sofa, her superpower having been completely drained by everyone washing their hands. Upon hearing Joel say that one word, "Yes," a triumphant smile finally touched her lips.

She struggled to her feet and slowly started toward the second floor. ’I have to use this time to win back Joel’s trust and affection. It’s the only way I can survive comfortably in this group!’

On the second floor, right after Joel said "Yes," Flora pressed him, "Are you sure?"

The question stunned Joel Bloom, Caleb Bloom, and Jade.

"Flora, what do you mean by that?" Jade asked, confused. As a simple country woman, she wasn’t one for scheming. In her eyes, things were black and white.

Joel Bloom’s face grew even darker. He glared at Flora and snapped, "What are you talking about, Sis! Lucia might have betrayed me, but only because she was forced to do it to survive. Before that, we were truly in love!"

Flora sighed to herself. ’The young and reckless are always so stubborn.’

"I don’t mean anything else by it. If you’re sure, then it’s no big deal for our group to support one more person." Flora looked at Joel’s defiant expression. "But if it’s not..."

Joel saw the ruthlessness in Flora’s eyes—a dangerous glint that sent a chill down his spine. She was like a completely different person from the sister he knew.

"Sis, you’ve changed!"

Joel’s words made Flora pause for a moment before she gave him a cold smile. The smile was like a sudden, cold rain on a starry night, instantly chilling the air. It was like a lone poppy in a vast sea of flowers—beautiful, yet dangerous.

"If I were still the naive, clueless person you remember, I would’ve died long ago."

’It wasn’t an ’if.’ I’ve already died once. A gut-wrenching death, one I had to accept with complete conviction. So, in this life, I’ve changed. Is that so wrong?’

’Right now, my brother is just like I was in my past life—trusting the wrong person. And what a miserable end that led to. In my last life, that fool probably went to his grave without ever knowing that Belle Bloom was the one who got him killed. When it comes to being a fool, we siblings are so alike.’

"Hmph!" Caleb Bloom’s sharp, cold snort suddenly rang out, making Joel jolt.

"Joel Bloom, if you dare speak to your sister like that again, I’ll disown you! Apologize to her."

The person Joel feared most in the family was his father, Caleb Bloom. That was why he always tried to hide his mistakes and willful behavior from him. He turned to his mother with a pleading look.

Jade sighed. She stroked her son’s forehead, her face full of motherly love as she said, "Don’t be so willful! If it hadn’t been for your sister, you would’ve died! From now on, you listen to her, you hear me? Now, apologize to your sister!"

Joel stared at his mother for a long moment, bewildered. With the indignation of youth, he cried, "Mom, how come you’re not on my side either?"

Flora glared at her equally naive little brother. "You’d better appreciate that I’m still willing to warn you now. Otherwise, I’ll beat you so badly your own mother won’t recognize you!"

’Looks like this little brother of mine won’t ever grow up unless he goes through some hardship. After all, she was nineteen, and he had just turned eighteen. A boy who just became an adult, already getting intimate with a woman who looked several years older than her... if that wasn’t foolish, what was?’

’It’s a good thing this is the apocalypse. If it weren’t, the villagers back home would be talking behind the Bloom family’s backs nonstop!’

’Besides, who’s to say the child is even his? If it is, he’s still a fool. If it’s not, well, that’s even more pathetic.’

’He was growing a fine pair of horns.’

The more Flora thought about it, the angrier she became. She tossed two bottles of spiritual water to her mother and snapped, "Make him drink this. Maybe it’ll get him to talk less!"

Just as Flora reached the top of the stairs, she saw Lucia cautiously making her way up, her face pale and bloodless, looking utterly pitiful.

The corner of Flora’s lip curled into a cold sneer. "Going to see my brother looking like this? Perfect timing. So deathly pale, just begging for pity."

Lucia’s face turned a shade paler, but she forced a smile. "Sister, I just wanted to see how Joel is doing."

"My brother is perfectly fine, you don’t need to go up. And another thing, don’t call me ’Sister.’ Neither I nor my family have acknowledged you."

"You—!"

"What about me? Don’t think for a second I don’t know what you’re plotting. If that child in your belly really belongs to the Bloom family, we will of course take good care of it after it’s born. As for you, as long as you don’t cause trouble, it’s not a problem for the group to support you."

A vein throbbed on Lucia’s forehead. She fought back the urge to lash out, clenching her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms. Yet, she maintained a weak smile. "If you don’t like me calling you Sister, then I won’t. But... but I really, truly love Joel. Please, just give us your blessing."

Their voices drew the attention of people both upstairs and downstairs.

As gossipy as Cynthia Grant, Shelly was peeking from downstairs, holding Caleb’s hand in one hand and Lisa’s in the other. When she saw Flora glance her way, she quickly ducked back, taking the two children with her to hide on the first floor.

Cynthia Grant stood brazenly at the top of the stairs, her arms crossed as she watched the argument with great relish, which earned her a fierce glare from Flora.

"Cynthia Grant, if you’re that bored, go wash the dishes."

Seeing Flora’s hostile tone and fuming expression, Cynthia Grant obediently started to slip past her, hoping to take refuge on the first floor.

"Lucia, let me be straight with you," Flora said, her attention snapping back. "In this group, I call the shots. If you don’t obey, I’ll throw both you and my brother out."

"He’s your own brother. Would you really have the heart to throw him outside to face all those monsters and zombies?" Lucia asked, skeptical.

"Just watch me."

Of course, Flora was just bluffing in a fit of anger about throwing her brother out, but her voice was loud and clear, and she was sure Joel could hear her upstairs.

But even after she’d been playing the part of the vicious sister for so long, Lucia just stood there like a post, still determined to get to the second floor. The sight made Flora’s eye twitch, and she fought the urge to just slap the woman dead.

"Cynthia Grant!"

A chill went down Cynthia’s back, and she froze. Turning around, she asked, "Yes, my lady? Your command is my wish!"

"Tie her up for me."

"Huh?" Cynthia hadn’t expected Flora to be so aggressive—actually resorting to force just to stop this woman from getting to her brother.

"Now!"

In response, a green vine shot up from the floor at Lucia’s feet, swiftly wrapping around her entire body until she was bound tightly from head to toe.

Flora grabbed the vine around Lucia’s waist with one hand, lifting her as easily as if she were a sack of potatoes. She walked down the stairs and unceremoniously dumped her on the sofa.

Flora shot Cynthia a warning glare. "Don’t untie her. Or else!"

"I won’t, I won’t! I absolutely won’t!" Cynthia promised, and to prove her point, she even tightened the vine around Lucia another notch.