Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Drugged and Sent Away

Her hand rose, pausing in the air for a second or two.

In the end, Stella Sterling lowered her hand again.

She stared at Gordon Ford for a few seconds, then averted her gaze and looked outside, lost in thought.

Just then, Gordon Ford woke up.

He opened his eyes. They were clear, without a trace of grogginess.

His gaze fell upon Stella Sterling, who had her side turned to him. A flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes.

After a long moment, he finally spoke. "Sorry, I was exhausted before, so I fell asleep. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long."

"It’s fine. The food is ready. Go ahead and eat."

When Gordon Ford saw the meal before him, he was a little surprised. "Is the food here always this good?"

"Not really. But we’re friends, after all. Since you’ve come to my place, I have to be a good host."

This kind of spread would have been nothing special before, but in the post-apocalyptic world, it was incredibly precious.

Even Gordon Ford, who hadn’t lacked for food or drink these past few years, rarely saw meat dishes.

The occasional meat he ate was mostly dried or preserved.

But these dishes in front of him...

Gordon Ford looked at Stella Sterling for a few seconds, then said, "Just something simple would have been fine. This kind of food is rare nowadays." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"It’s okay. I got lucky and managed to get a batch of live chickens to raise. There aren’t many people here, so we can afford to eat them occasionally."

Stella Sterling said with a grin, "Don’t worry. You eating one meal isn’t going to make us go hungry. Just eat up."

"I might have to bother you for a few more days, so I’ll be relying on your hospitality for a little while. Let’s just say today’s meal is you treating me after all these years. From now on, just give me whatever. I don’t eat much."

Gordon Ford smiled, said no more, and started to eat.

Only after he had finished eating did Stella Sterling say, "You just mentioned staying here for a while, but it might not be convenient for me."

Gordon Ford’s hands paused. He then continued, "There was a bit of a problem on the way here. My boat is damaged. It’ll take a few days to fix, so I can’t leave for now."

After saying this, he quickly added, "Um, I won’t wander around. Or you can have someone watch me. I’ll pay you back for whatever food I eat."

Stella Sterling frowned. She didn’t really believe what Gordon Ford was saying, but he’d already put it that way. No matter what, they had once been good friends, and they had never had any major conflicts.

’If I can’t even...’

At that moment, Gordon Ford spoke again. "Honestly, I just want to see more of you, to spend a little more time by your side. Is even a few days not possible?"

Stella Sterling looked at him. Seeing the sadness in his eyes, she remained expressionless. After what felt like a long time, she finally said, "Fine. I’ll have someone arrange a place for you to stay."

After speaking, she stood up to leave.

"Don’t you want to know why I got here so quickly?"

Gordon Ford suddenly asked, looking at Stella Sterling.

’Stella Sterling was indeed a bit curious. Didn’t Gordon Ford leave on a mission? How did he get back so fast? Did he run into some kind of trouble? Was there an emergency?’

She raised an eyebrow. "If you don’t mind me prying into your affairs, then why?"

But after she asked, she noticed Gordon Ford’s gaze burning into her. Stella Sterling suddenly felt a pang of regret. "Never mind. I’m not actually that curious. In any case, just get some rest for the next few days."

She was about to leave, but Gordon Ford’s voice came from behind her. "Because I wanted to see you. I really, really wanted to."

Stella Sterling stopped in her tracks and turned to face him, her brow slightly furrowed. "Gordon Ford, I don’t like how you’re messing with my head."

Even though Stella Sterling’s tone was cold, Gordon Ford wasn’t hurt at all. Instead, he broke into a happy smile. "That I can mess with your head means I was already in your heart."

He chuckled as he spoke. "I don’t know why your attitude towards me changed so drastically in just half a year. If it’s because I didn’t show up that day, I’ve already explained it to you."

"But what happened in the past doesn’t matter anymore. Stella Sterling, I can’t let you go."

Whether it was three years ago or now, this was the first time Gordon Ford had ever been so direct.

He could feel Stella Sterling’s hesitation and distance. Gordon Ford felt that if he didn’t take the initiative, his chances would only get smaller as more time passed.

And this time, the fact that they could meet again proved their fate wasn’t over. So he had to seize this opportunity.

Stella Sterling suddenly let out a cold laugh. "So? That’s your business. It has nothing to do with me."

Before Gordon Ford could say more, Stella Sterling spoke again. "I’m not interested in romance right now."

"That’s fine. I can wait for you. But you can’t stop me from pursuing you, can you? After all, that’s my freedom."

Gordon Ford chuckled softly, but his words had a roguish, shameless edge to them.

Stella Sterling looked at him, her eyes growing colder. "Are you sure you want to do this? If we just stay friends, we can continue on like this."

"But I don’t want to just be friends with you."

Gordon Ford spoke. He wasn’t hoping Stella Sterling would agree to be with him right now, but he had to let her know his true feelings.

Two years ago, he had thought about taking things slow, getting closer to her gradually. But now, in this post-apocalyptic world, there were too many uncertainties. Their last separation had kept them apart for three years.

He didn’t know what the future held. He only knew that if he let things continue like this, his place in Stella Sterling’s heart would only shrink, so he had to seize his chance.

Just as he didn’t understand the current Stella Sterling, she didn’t really understand him either. He wasn’t nearly as good a person as he appeared to be in front of her.

Seeing that Gordon Ford had clearly made up his mind, Stella Sterling’s expression suddenly softened. She walked closer to him and began, "In that case—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Stella Sterling flung something from her hand, scattering it in Gordon Ford’s direction.

Gordon Ford’s eyes widened, and the next moment, he collapsed to the ground.

"This drug really is useful."

Stella Sterling muttered to herself, glanced at the unconscious Gordon Ford on the ground, then hauled him up like a sack of goods and walked out.

When Gordon Ford woke up again, he found himself surrounded by pitch darkness. He was lying in a small boat, with water all around him.

He sat up abruptly. This wasn’t Caeluna Base. Stella Sterling had actually drugged him and sent him away.

"You’re awake. Sterling asked me to see you off."

Stephen Lawrence said with a smile, looking at the man who had just woken up.

"Fine. Just fine, Stella Sterling."