Chapter 387 - 397: Reminder
Chapter 387: Chapter 397: Reminder
Resentment festered in Felix Lawrence’s heart. Whenever he thought of that man, a fierce hatred erupted in his eyes.
All the people River Larkin had gotten killed were his former companions, people from their old residential complex.
Many had followed him here simply because they trusted him and believed in him.
The apocalypse was cruel back then, but when they were all together, they had even dreamed of the future.
But those people had died because of River Larkin. And among them... was his...
Wife...
Felix Lawrence squeezed his eyes shut. A pang of grief shot through him, and the rims of his eyes reddened.
’I hate him!’
He was even doing things now that he once would have disdained, all just to stay alive—to live long enough to get his revenge.
’After all, that bastard River Larkin is still alive. How can I just die?’
’If I don’t kill River Larkin, I’ll be letting down my old companions. I’ll be letting down my wife.’
"Have some water. Calm down."
Seeing how emotional he was, Stella Sterling handed a small bottle of water to him.
’To hear River Larkin’s name again, and under these circumstances...’
’But on second thought, it wasn’t surprising.’
’River Larkin was never a good person; he just always pretended to be one in front of others.’
’In my past life, he was one of the main culprits who drove me out of the complex.’
’In this life, things have developed differently because I’ve already changed the course of events.’
’What happened in my past life didn’t happen again. Instead, he appeared before me in a different way.’
She hadn’t had much contact with him, but Stella Sterling could tell he was the type of person who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
He was also incredibly patient. Previously, in order to get close to her and join her team, he had done everything possible to get on her good side.
This was despite her giving him the cold shoulder and speaking to him harshly multiple times.
But he had always acted as if he didn’t mind, always wearing a grin in her presence.
After he fell from her window that one time, he had apparently gotten the hint and never appeared before her again, likely realizing she was bad news for him.
But Stella Sterling knew that the actions of the bullies in the building at that time—the three Bell brothers and their cronies—were inextricably linked to River Larkin.
After the Bell brothers and the others died off, River Larkin vanished without a trace.
He didn’t even show up when she let Gregory Ford and Basil Xavier move into his old apartment.
She had assumed he’d left their complex long ago.
She never would have thought that Felix Lawrence would later end up with River Larkin, or that something like this would happen.
Stella Sterling’s voice was calm and cool, sounding exceptionally clear in the suburban night.
It pulled Felix Lawrence back from his overwhelming hatred.
His breathing was ragged. He gasped for air a few times, took the water from Stella Sterling, and took a few large gulps. "Thanks!"
He had been so overwhelmed by emotion that he hadn’t noticed where Stella Sterling had gotten the water from.
After two gulps, it hit him—Miss Sterling had given him clean, bottled water.
In the apocalypse, such water was exceptionally precious. In this sweltering heat, water had become an even more valuable resource than food.
Felix Lawrence suddenly felt embarrassed. "My apologies... I’ll pay you back, but... the water I find probably won’t be this clean."
Stella Sterling’s expression was placid. "Don’t worry about it."
"How could I not? Water is too precious right now."
Felix Lawrence scratched his large, shaved head, his attitude firm.
He would have let it go if it were anything else, but he knew better than anyone just how hard it was to come by even a little water these days.
’How could I possibly take advantage of Miss Sterling?’
Seeing how insistent he was, Stella Sterling didn’t press the issue.
’If I keep refusing, it’ll just look strange,’ she thought. ’Worst case, I’ll just give the water he returns to Andrew Shaw.’
Anger is fleeting, and those events had happened long ago. After Stella Sterling pulled him back from the edge, Felix Lawrence’s fury slowly subsided.
He was much calmer now.
He looked at Stella Sterling and said grimly, "Miss Sterling, I’m not telling you all this for any other reason. I just want to warn you. If you ever run into this River Larkin, you have to be careful. Don’t let him fool you."
"The man is an expert at putting on a front and cozying up to people. He’s in the Veridia area, too. If you meet him, he might try to use your old connection from the complex to get close to you. You never know when he might stab you in the back, so you absolutely must be on your guard."
As far as he recalled, Stella Sterling and that River Larkin hadn’t really interacted.
Still, he wanted to warn her.
After all, they were both in Veridia now; they were bound to run into each other eventually.
If that happened, River Larkin might try to harm Miss Sterling just as he had harmed them. For the sake of being old neighbors, Miss Sterling might let her guard down around him, just as he once had, and fall right into his trap.
That’s why he had to give her a warning when he saw her.
Stella Sterling was a little surprised. Then she smiled and offered her thanks. "Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind."
Of course, she would never trust a man like River Larkin. Factoring in her past life, she felt nothing but disgust for him and had no intention of ever getting close.
Besides, she doubted River Larkin would even try.
After last time, they had completely burned that bridge.
He knew exactly what she thought of him.
So even if he wanted revenge or planned to make a move against her, he would only do it from the shadows.
Felix Lawrence didn’t know any of this, but his warning was well-intentioned.
And Stella Sterling appreciated the sentiment.
She asked, "And you? Are you going to find him and get your revenge?"
Hearing this, Felix Lawrence nodded with grim determination. "Of course. He killed so many people... my wife died at his hands, too. If I don’t get my revenge, I’ll never be able to live with myself."
"My only goal, the only reason I’m still alive, is to kill him."
As he spoke, the rims of Felix Lawrence’s eyes reddened again.
He was already a tall, burly man, and with this expression, he looked downright menacing.
But Stella Sterling didn’t find him terrifying. When she heard that his wife had also died at River’s hands...
...her gaze flickered. ’So, she’s really gone.’
’I had wondered if perhaps she just hadn’t come along, but to think she actually met with disaster...’
She remembered the woman as being quite capable, and she’d had a good impression of her. Back in the old complex, when she was bored, she would sometimes go and chat with her.
The woman was smart, competent, and emotionally intelligent—often like a kind, understanding older sister.
But to think...