BXBX NOVEL Chapter 126: Overcoming Envy
"Elena… You\'re looking at things from an outdated perspective… The world is completely different than it was a month ago, and it stands to reason that relationships are naturally going to change because of it.
Zane is quite literally the only man in this bunker with us, and Angelica has been in extreme proximity with him for weeks now. We all do everything together, and Angelica\'s opinion of him was already quite good, considering he saved her from a bad situation, and shortly thereafter heard of his tragic backstory.
Not only that, but Zane has been protecting her, allowing her to act as his spotter whenever we engaged in combat. If anything, he spends more time with her, then he does any of us. Is it really so hard to believe that at the end of the world, when life is incredibly uncertain that she would develop feelings for the man and act on them?"
Elena did not immediately respond to Oliva\'s words. Instead, she pouted for some time, continuing to drink her beer as she became increasingly intoxicated. Eventually, however, she did respond to Olivia\'s words, stating how envious she felt.
"I just don\'t understand it…. This is not normal! Three women with the same man!?! How can you be so relaxed about this?"
Olivia smiled and took a sip from her own beer before telling Elena her honest thoughts on the matter.
"Elena, you\'re a smart girl… Based upon what we have seen, how many people do you think are left in the world? Living beings, I mean? 10% of the population? 5%? 1%!?! Humanity is quite literally fighting with itself over the scraps of the old world, while we are continuously pressed into a corner by the undead.
However many humans remain, will keep dwindling in the coming years. And now let me ask you this? What is the ratio of men to women? After all, you know as well as I do that these raiders, these marauders, these slavers, they prioritize women and girls as slaves, because they are more valuable. But the men are largely disposable.
Angelica told me that at the auction less than 10% of the slaves for sale were men or boys.
Does it not stand to reason that with this mentality by those more sinister living beings, that the male population will soon be heavily imbalanced compared to the women? I mean, let\'s take our sample size, for example. There are currently give us living in this sanctuary. One male, four females.
Are you really going to say that you alone should monopolize Zane? What about the rest of us? It\'s not like we can go out and find other men… You simply can\'t trust strangers anymore, because you never know if they will backstab you for things as basic as food and water. Let alone blood crystals!
It\'s only natural after spending so much time together, and caring for one another, saving one another from near constant death, that some feelings would develop between us and Zane…."
Elena obviously understood what Olivia was talking about, and she also could comprehend the logic behind the woman\'s words. But logic was not exactly something that persuaded most women in the world. In fact, most women, like Elena, were a slave to their emotions. And right now, her emotions were telling her that she was hurt about having to share Zane. A sentiment which she was quick to discuss.
"It\'s just that…. When we were kids…. I always thought that Zane and I would get married one day… And sure, after everything that happened, and my parents forcing me to separate from Zane, I ended up putting those thoughts behind me. But ever since the apocalypse began, and Zane and I have been together again, I thought maybe that old childhood dream of mine would come true.
But now I have to share him with you and Angelica as well. Who next, Madison? It\'s simply unfair. I have known him the longest, I have liked him the longest, so what gives you all the right to take him from me!"
Olivia frowned when she heard Elena\'s words, and flicked the crimson-haired beauty in between the eyes, almost as if she were scolding a small child. She then spoke in an overbearing tone, as if scolding Elena for her selfishness.
"Girl, did you not just hear a word I just said? Do you really think marriage is a thing anymore? The entire world we knew is gone. When will you get that in that thick head of yours? There\'s no such thing as marriage, and since Zane is the only man here, and we have all developed feelings for him, why should you not share him with us?
Besides… You jest about Madison, and sure she hates Zane now, not that I really blame her, but I have a feeling due to our circumstances it won\'t be long before she starts to develop feelings for the man as well, even if it is some fucked up form of Stockholm syndrome. I mean…. It was just a few weeks ago when you hated Zane as well, yet here you are, trying to monopolize him for yourself!"
Elena flushed red when she heard Olivia\'s words. She did not even want to think about how stupid she had been to blame Zane for putting her family to rest after they had turned. Overcome by grief, she blamed Zane for what was the fault of this damn virus that had torn the world asunder.
It was not exactly something she was proud of, even if it happened only a few weeks ago. Hell, now that she thought about it, they had all been through so much together in such a short amount of time. It was strange to think that it had only been roughly a month since the apocalypse began.
And it was this thought that ultimately started to bring Elena around to the idea of sharing Zane. They had only been in this new world for a month, and yet, if she thought about it rationally, a month ago she hadn\'t even spoken to Zane in years. Now she couldn\'t live without him.
What if Angelica felt the same way, and Olivia, for that matter? They had all begun to rely on Zane, especially when it came to doing the dark, horrible, and dirty aspects of this cruel new world. Was it really so strange that Olivia and Angelica also developed such feelings for Zane?
This made further sense to Elena as she thought about how attractive Zane had become. Before the apocalypse, and the changes his body underwent as a result of the system and his unique skill, Zane was just an average looking guy.
But he was now so much more than that. It made sense why Angelica, who had only ever known Zane as the man he was now, would so quickly fall for him. Because of this, Elena sighed heavily, and downed the remainder of her beer before speaking to Olivia with a sort of newfound understanding in her blue eyes.
"Alright… I understand… I honestly do…. I am being incredibly selfish…. And petty… You win, I won\'t try to stop Zane and Angelica from being together, or him and Madison, for that matter…"
Olivia smiled joyfully when she saw that Elena had finally "seen the light" and was about to say something when a familiar voice spoke up from the corner of the room.
"As if…. Zane and me? Are you crazy? Even if he was the last man on Earth, I would totally like never fall for him! He\'s such a bastard! How a sweet girl like Angelica could ever fall for such a sadist is like totally unthinkable!"
Madison was standing in the doorway with a particularly offended look on her face. She had clearly been listening in on the conversation, but for how long, neither Olivia nor Elena knew. Elena jumped out of her seat and was about to scream at Madison for insulting Zane.
After all, she had no idea what the man had been through, but before she could, Olivia stopped her by raising her hand and speaking to Madison herself.
"You should be incredibly thankful that Zane has taken care of you these past few days. I understand you are still grieving about your parents… But if we had not come here, sooner or later the dead would have found this place, and without people like us protecting it, you all would have died, anyway.
But I will give you time to grieve and forget you insulted Zane like that. You\'re welcome to join us for a drink if you wish. There is much you don\'t know about the man, and I think you might change your opinion of him once you hear it…"
Madison bit her lip in displeasure. She was unsure how she should proceed, but ultimately she sat down at the table, while Olivia fetched her a beer. Where the two women would tell the girl all about what they had all been through, and Zane\'s troubled past.