Reborn Before The Apocalypse: The Last Safe Hotel

Chapter 004 – Varek’s Suspicion

*****

That morning, after Ronan had first brought up the divorce, Celeste had dismissed his words as a joke.

How could she have believed him?

Before she left for her night shift the previous day, Ronan had still been worshiping the ground she walked on, doing everything possible to please her as he always did.

Yet now, staring blankly at his unreadable expression, Celeste realized he wasn’t joking.

Joren and Varek were equally caught off guard.

Helena had already told them about Ronan's request, but hearing him say it himself was different.

Then Varek's breathing quickened.

‘Finally.’ His eyes lit up.

For three years, he had desperately waited for this moment.

He had even asked Celeste before why she hadn't divorced Ronan, despite her family’s hatred of him and her own indifference toward him.

According to Celeste, the only reason she had stayed married was because of her grandfather's dying wish.

He had arranged her marriage to Ronan with Ronan's grandfather, and she refused to go against it.

But now...

"Ce... Celeste," Varek said, barely containing his excitement. "The birthday banquet isn't that important. You can stay and handle this."

Celeste didn't even spare him a glance.

She focused on Ronan, a hint of dissatisfaction and confusion slowly flashing through her eyes before her expression returned to its usual indifference.

"I told you we'd discuss it later," she responded coldly. "Why would you bring up the topic again when you know I'm heading to an important event?"

A sharp pain struck Ronan's heart.

‘An important event?’

She didn't even consider their marriage and divorce important enough to deal with immediately, yet a friend's birthday banquet was.

Ronan smiled bitterly at himself.

Before he could respond, Helena cried out.

"Daughter, what event could possibly be more important than divorcing this useless man?"

"That's right!" Joren snapped. "This bastard has dragged our family down for three years. Divorcing him would be the best thing that has happened to our family since he entered it."

Even Varek swallowed his excitement and quickly said, "I can go to the banquet on your behalf and tell Brenda you had an emergency."

Celeste ignored them all.

She stared at Ronan for another moment, then turned around and walked away… as though indirectly saying he wasn't worth a second more of her time.

"Daughter!" Helena cried. "This is what we've been praying for!"

"Come on, daughter! I can't imagine this bastard staying another second in this house!"

Celeste didn't respond, and the coldness radiating from her was enough to stop them from following.

Varek didn’t follow immediately. He watched Celeste's departing back for a moment, his thoughts blank, then...

‘We'll discuss it later.’ Her words echoed in his mind. ‘What's there to discuss?’

His excitement faded, and his eyes narrowed. ‘Don't tell me...’

His complexion rapidly paled as an unsettling thought surfaced. For three years, he had believed Celeste's indifference toward Ronan was absolute.

But lately...

"Wait for me, Celeste," he finally called as he rushed after her, a new thought brewing in his mind.

…..

Back inside the house, Joren and Helena looked as though they had suffered an unbearable blow.

"Why? Just why is she treating this as something trivial?" Helena demanded. "What if this gold digger changes his mind?"

Joren gritted his teeth.

Ronan ignored them, his eyes lingering on the doorway through which Celeste had disappeared.

He had always known that Celeste didn't love him, but until now, he hadn't realized just how little their marriage meant to her.

Compared to a friend's birthday banquet, even their divorce could wait.

‘I really was a fool.’

Ronan forced a deep breath and turned toward his room beneath the staircase, a cramped space that had once been used as a laundry room.

He had lived there for most of the past three years.

The only time he was allowed into Celeste’s room was when she was in the mood, which happened only once every few months.

Even then, she would send him away after satisfying herself, never caring whether he had finished.

He had endured all of it because he loved her.

Now, remembering it only made him disgusted with the man he had once been.

Just as he reached for the door, Helena's voice rang out.

"Bastard, you didn't prepare breakfast before leaving this morning!"

Ronan stopped.

"Go prepare us something to eat. My husband and I are hungry." She spoke as though she were ordering a servant.

Joren also looked at him. "I'm craving French onion soup, lobster bisque, and barbecue ribs."

He issued the command without caring whether Ronan was exhausted, knew how to prepare such elaborate dishes, or even had the necessary ingredients.

In the past, Ronan would have immediately nodded and done as commanded.

But this time, he just stared at them for a second, then he opened his door, walked inside, and shut it.

Helena and Joren stared at the closed door in disbelief before their shock turned to rage.

"Bastard! Come out here now!"

"How dare you ignore us?!"

They pounded on the door, hurling curses and threats, but Ronan ignored them completely.

He spent the next few hours researching possible locations, construction companies, materials, power systems, water storage, food reserves, and security.

Eventually, their voices faded as they realized he had no intention of responding.

Ronan continued working through his plans until a loud bang suddenly shook the door.

"Ronan, you dog! Come out now!" Rael roared, pounding on the door in a frenzy. He even tried to break it.

Ronan remained calm.

They wouldn't actually destroy it. The Frosts were too stingy to pay for a replacement, and Celeste certainly wouldn't cover the cost for something like that.

‘They'll give up eventually.’

Ronan returned to his bed and stretched out. "Time to sleep. I'll officially start the mission tomorrow."

Just then, his stomach growled so loudly that even the people outside could hear it.

The three of them immediately laughed, convinced that Ronan would have no choice but to come out now.

Ronan merely chuckled as though he had heard a funny joke.

He had gone days without eating during the apocalypse. A single day of hunger meant nothing to him.

He closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.

…

Ronan woke at six the next morning, his throat dry from thirst.

He opened the door and… immediately stopped.

Joren and Rael were slumped against the wall on either side of his room. Joren was holding a belt, while Rael had one lying across his chest.

Both men were sound asleep, snoring heavily.

Ronan immediately understood what had happened.

The two had stayed there overnight, waiting for him to come out so they could ambush him.

The realization brought back memories of his previous death.

Instantly, Ronan's eyes turned red, and his fists tightened. But he forced the rage down.

Just then, another thought crossed his mind.

If Celeste had been home, Joren and Rael wouldn't have spent the entire night outside his room.

As indifferent as Celeste was toward him, they knew their daughter was too strict to tolerate something like this.

Which meant she didn't come home.

Ronan paused.

Yesterday had been Celeste's day off, so she couldn't have been working the night shift.

Then a memory he had nearly forgotten resurfaced.

In his previous life, Celeste and Varek had attended this same birthday banquet, and she hadn't returned home that night either.

Back then, Ronan had spent the entire night worried about her, calling repeatedly without an answer.

The following morning, Celeste had dismissed his concerns and accused him of creating unnecessary drama.

Later, Helena had told him that Celeste had spent the night in a hotel with Varek.

Ronan had confronted Celeste, only to discover later that they had stayed in separate rooms.

But Celeste hadn't bothered to explain herself.

‘Believe whatever you want.’

She had even defended Varek right in front of him.

A bitter smile appeared on Ronan's lips. ‘So it had happened again.’

Yet the revelation no longer stirred the anguish it once had. He just walked into the kitchen to get some water.

He immediately frowned.

The place was a complete mess.

Dirty dishes filled the sink, crumbs and empty packets covered the countertops, cabinet doors stood open, and even the faucet was still running.

Ronan stared at the disaster.

Just one day without him, and they couldn't even keep the kitchen in order.

He shook his head, drank two cups of cold water, and walked out of the villa.

As he stepped into the cold morning air, Ronan glanced toward the road, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

‘Time to cash out my winnings.’

The sky had only just begun to brighten.