Read Novel Full Chapter 433: Took Care
Chapter 433: Chapter 433: Took Care
Those words had ignited something fierce inside her.
Scarlett had straightened on the spot, fire blazing in her eyes.
"Then watch closely," she had declared. "I’ll definitely take first place this time."
As a result, she had indeed taken first place that time.
It was the only occasion on which she managed to surpass Silas, and the victory filled her with such intense gratification that it washed away the lingering ache of her heartbreak.
For a brief moment, as she stood at the top, breathing in the dusty scent of chalk and old books in the classroom, she felt light, almost invincible.
However, everything changed when she accidentally entered into the teacher’s office.
That was where she learned the truth... that Silas had deliberately left two or three easy questions unanswered so that her rank wouldn’t drop, so that she could stand in first place, even if only once.
The realization struck her harder than any loss ever could. From that moment on, Scarlett understood something she had never considered before.
Even though she had always viewed Silas as a rival, Silas had never seen her that way. To him, she was a friend’s friend, someone he had never intended to hurt.
From then on, something warm and dangerous began to burn quietly in her chest. Love.
She loved him so deeply that she became hopelessly devoted, even when she knew it led nowhere.
The one thing that gave her a fragile sense of reassurance was that Silas never put her down just because he loved Ivy.
There was never a time when Ivy demanded something unreasonable and Silas turned to Scarlett to fulfill it.
Silas always used his own ability to please Ivy, and from the very beginning, he had made one thing painfully clear to Scarlett.
"I don’t like you," he had told her plainly, without cruelty but without hesitation either.
Those words had made her heart ache even more, and instead of letting go, they only made her cling tighter.
While she was drowning in her unreturned devotion to Silas, Aiden suddenly started showing interest in her.
It made Scarlett suspicious at first, but by then, she had already gotten over her fleeting crush on Aiden.
Aiden, however, never realized what he had lost.
By the time he understood that Scarlett no longer saw him that way, it was already too late.
From then until now, he had been the one hopelessly devoted to her. This tangled triangle of emotions was enough to give anyone a headache.
Jack certainly felt it.
He rubbed his temples and inched closer to Chloe, lowering his voice.
"Isn’t it strange," he whispered, "that we’re watching this kind of drama unfold right in front of us? I mean, this is the apocalypse, and yet it feels like a Korean drama."
Chloe rolled her eyes sharply and shot him a glare.
"You forgot something," she snapped. "I’m Scarlett’s friend."
Jack immediately stiffened and took a step back, the realization hitting him.
’I really was being stupid,’ he admitted to himself, lips pressing together in embarrassment.
Nearby, Arial took in the tense atmosphere and shook her head lightly before turning to Silas.
"Have the living arrangements been settled?" she asked, cutting through the emotional undercurrent with calm logic.
Silas smiled. "Ivy already took care of it," he replied. "Every member of our team has an apartment."
The words stunned everyone.
Even Scarlett froze. She had never imagined that Ivy, the woman she had always seen as a competitor, would be kind enough to reserve places for all of them in such a sought-after base.
These days, the population of the SiIvy Base had swelled dramatically. Nearby bases were slowly emptying out as people poured in, desperate for safety.
It wasn’t just the protection or the fact that the base was far cooler than the scorching heat outside.
It was also the food. The meals were cheap, and as long as someone had enough capital to survive, they could eat.
The line outside the SiIvy Base stretched endlessly, from its gates all the way to the outskirts near the military base.
The distance was so long that many people still chose to stand there, day after day.
What truly moved people wasn’t just the living conditions, but the fact that the base provided free food to everyone waiting in line.
Many couldn’t afford to eat otherwise. Even though it was only one meal a day, it was more than enough for countless desperate souls.
Even Silas’s own subordinates had once dreamed of moving their families there.
They had given up after learning how difficult it was to secure a place until they found out that Ivy was the base’s representative.
They had even asked Silas to use his connections to pull a few strings.
Now, hearing that an apartment had already been reserved for each of them, their hearts felt unbearably warm.
Even Aiden felt a stab of remorse for his earlier behavior.
Silas had never revealed his plans outright, but whenever their cooperation was needed, he always informed them in advance.
Otherwise, he kept things hidden, sometimes for their own good, and sometimes to ensure the plan wouldn’t be ruined.
Now Aiden understood. Silas truly cared about them. Otherwise, he would never have gone so far as to secure apartments for everyone.
Silas added calmly, "Ivy is grateful to all of you. She’s also arranged food supplies for three years."
Henry’s eyes widened, and even Chloe couldn’t help but mutter under her breath.
Jack pressed a hand dramatically to his chest. "Ivy really is a goddess," he declared. "If I ever get the chance, I want to marry a woman like her."
Everyone glared at him.
Even Silas turned to stare, and Jack immediately waved his hands.
"I mean a woman like Ivy," he corrected hurriedly. "Not Ivy herself." He let out an awkward laugh.
Arial ignored him entirely and looked back at Silas.
"That’s too much," she said seriously. "We can’t accept all of this." The others nodded in agreement.
At that moment, they were already in the jeep, driving forward steadily.