Chapter 95: A Family Wants to Stay?

Chapter 95: Chapter 95: A Family Wants to Stay?

When the old woman saw Seraphina Sullivan holding her precious grandson up like a little chick, she flew into a panic.

Forgetting all decorum, she lunged forward, claws out, trying to shove Seraphina Sullivan.

All the while, she spewed a stream of filthy curses:

"Hey! You damn bitch! How can a young girl like you be so vicious? How could you lay a hand on a child?! Let go of my grandson! Let us in! You’re so young, but you don’t have an ounce of compassion! With a heart that hard, you’re going to get what’s coming to you!"

Faced with the pestering family and a guilt-tripping Keith Griffith, Seraphina Sullivan’s expression remained utterly unmoved.

With a flick of her arm, she unceremoniously tossed the screeching brat back into the old woman’s arms. The force was considerable, making the old woman stagger and almost drop him.

"I never agreed to let any of you into my home."

Seraphina Sullivan’s voice was ice-cold, leaving no room for negotiation.

She then turned her head, her gaze sharp as a blade, and aimed it directly at Keith Griffith, who was pretending to mediate while actually fanning the flames.

"Since this ’Mr.’ Griffith here is so kind-hearted and eager to help, why don’t you invite this family to stay at your place? If I recall correctly, your apartment, 808, is on a high floor, so it isn’t flooded at all, is it? Is your home not big enough? Wouldn’t it be the perfect place to put up this ’poor’ family?"

Keith Griffith’s mouth twitched, choked by the blunt questions.

His face went pale, and he stammered, "Ah... well... Ms. Sullivan, you’ve misunderstood... My place... my place is small and rather messy. It really can’t fit this many people. I just saw that you live alone and have plenty of space, so I thought..."

Seraphina Sullivan couldn’t be bothered to listen to his nonsense and cut him off. "If you want to play the hero, that’s your business. I don’t care. But my home does not welcome uninvited guests! Understand?"

The old woman had just caught her grandson when she heard Seraphina’s words and flew into another rage. Pointing a finger in Seraphina Sullivan’s face, she began spewing all sorts of vile curses, her spittle flying everywhere.

Seraphina Sullivan didn’t even deign to lift an eyelid. She simply tilted her head slightly and said coolly to the person behind her, "Sean Chandler."

Sean Chandler, who had been standing silently just inside the doorway like a shadow, immediately took a step forward.

His tall frame nearly blocked the entire doorway.

He said nothing, but his eyes—cold, emotionless, and tempered by the slaughter of dungeons—swept dispassionately over the group outside.

The formless yet tangible pressure he exuded instantly silenced the squawking old woman and the sturdy man, Old Wright, who had been about to speak.

Even the crying child in their arms was frightened into silence.

Keith Griffith was also taken aback by Sean Chandler’s aura. Only then did he remember that Seraphina Sullivan had a man in her apartment who was not to be trifled with.

Seeing things were not going his way, Keith Griffith immediately put on an awkward expression. "Uh... haha, well, since it’s inconvenient for Ms. Sullivan, then... then let’s just forget it. We’ll figure something else out... Sorry for the trouble, sorry for the trouble..."

He dejectedly pulled along the still-dazed family of Old Wright and practically fled into the elevator.

Just then, the door across the hall opened a crack. Miss Webb peeked her head out, her face a mixture of concern and lingering fear.

"Sullivan, are you all right?" Miss Webb asked in a low voice, before shaking her head in disapproval.

"Honestly, that Griffith! I don’t know what he was thinking, bringing all those people over to stay at your place without even asking you. It’s just outrageous!"

Seeing the concern in Miss Webb’s eyes, the iciness on Seraphina Sullivan’s face softened a little. She tugged at the corner of her mouth and uttered a few words:

"Maybe he’s got water on the brain."

Miss Webb sighed and looked out the window worriedly. "Sigh, it’s all this cursed rain! Who would have thought the water would flood the entire first floor overnight? It wasn’t this bad just a few days ago... And now, we’re trapped here for the foreseeable future. There’s no getting out."

Seraphina Sullivan noted that while Miss Webb was worried, she wasn’t panicking like the other neighbors.

Her thoughts turned to Miss Webb’s son, Justin Brooks.

An idea came to her.

She decided to probe. "Miss Webb, you don’t seem as nervous as the others. Has Mr. Brooks given you any updates?"

Miss Webb glanced around before lowering her voice. "It’s not exactly a secret. My son told us not to worry. He said the government has already launched an emergency response and is doing everything it can to organize rescue efforts. They’re prioritizing the evacuation of people on the lower floors and in structurally unsound buildings. He told us to stay put on the upper floors where it’s relatively safe and not to panic. He also said... he said this rain probably won’t let up for a while, so we should be prepared for that."

Seraphina Sullivan nodded. ’It seems the authorities are still trying to maintain order,’ she thought, ’but the situation is clearly grim.’

"Take care, Miss Webb. If you need anything, you can knock on my door," Seraphina Sullivan said. She didn’t mind extending a small olive branch to a neighbor who had always been pleasant enough.

"Oh, yes, of course. Thank you, Sullivan." Miss Webb gave her a grateful smile and closed the door.

Seraphina Sullivan had just returned to her apartment and hadn’t even been sitting for a few minutes when she heard footsteps and voices in the hallway again.

It was Keith Griffith and that family, back again!

Through the peephole, she saw Keith Griffith holding a set of keys, walking straight to the door of the apartment next to hers!

"Webb, you all can stay here for now!" Keith Griffith’s voice carried a forced, cheerful enthusiasm.

"The family that lives here left on vacation a while ago. I saw on their social media that they’re traveling abroad. With the current situation, they definitely won’t be back anytime soon. The place is just sitting empty anyway."

The sturdy, simple-looking man’s face broke into a grateful smile. "Oh, Griffith, thank you so much! You’ve really saved our necks! Once the water goes down, I’ll be sure to thank you properly!"

CLICK. The door opened, the group filed inside, and the door closed behind them.

The moment the door shut, the expression on Samuel Webb’s face, which had been one of simple-minded gratitude just a moment before, changed instantly. The honest-looking facade disappeared, replaced by a shrewd, calculating look in his eyes.

The old woman immediately sidled up to him, complaining, "Son! Back there, at that bitch’s door, she treated your mother and your son like that, and you just took it? How could you be such a coward? Why didn’t you teach her a lesson!"

Samuel Webb shot his mother an impatient glare, his tone a clear warning. "Mom! From now on, stay away from the woman next door! You hear me? She’s not someone to be taken lightly. That man in her apartment is obviously bad news. If a real fight breaks out, we’ll be the ones to suffer!"

Startled by her son’s unusually stern gaze, the old woman muttered a few things under her breath but didn’t dare to argue further.

"Daddy! I’m hungry!" the brat wailed, conveniently breaking the tense atmosphere.

"Wife, get out the food we brought from home," Samuel Webb ordered. "Give the boy something to eat first."

The haggard woman, who had barely registered as being there, answered meekly and began rummaging through their several backpacks for food.