"Why do I have to work with the stinky animals?! Are you perhaps targeting me?!" Melody said in outrage, she felt that she was demeaned by Kisha for putting her in a filthy place such as pigpens and the like.
Kisha paused her discussion with Eric and turned to Melody who was red from anger. "Then tell me what can you do Ms. Evans?!" Her cold voice permeated the entire place.
"There are other places you can put me to work. I can be Duke's assistant."
Kisha let out a cold chuckle that could send people's hair standing. "Do you think, we are still in a society where being a CEO's assistant is good enough to put food on your table?"
Melody was wearing an arrogant look, thinking that Kisha was afraid of her getting close to Duke by being his assistant. "What's wrong with being his assistant? Are you afraid?" She gave Kisha a challenging smirk.
Eagle on the other hand was giving Melody a mocking gaze, as if he was looking at a stupid girl who was still living in her own world.
Kisha withdrew any form of smile on her face, her blank stare made Melody feel not just uncomfortable but scared. She started to sweat but she didn't want to back down.
Kisha's voice and aura turned a few degrees colder which made everyone in the room suck in their breath. "First of all Ms. Evans. You're not here as a guest, so you can't choose what you want and don't want to do. Second, you don't have any other admirable traits in survival or other house chores. Third, food is not free so if you want to eat, then work and learn to follow your superior. Fourth, you can't even take care of yourself and yet you want to be Duke's assistant? Tell me, if I threw you out there would the zombies spare your life just because you can play the piano or would they watch you dance?"
Melody was fuming for being humiliated in front of everyone and the worst part is, not a single person from her family said a thing to defend her. If eyes could kill, Melody had already killed Kisha multiple times. She started to skin Kisha alive in her head and said. "According to your logic, I am so useless, so isn't it better if I just serve as an assistant to Duke so I could learn a thing or two?"
"True, you might learn something if you follow him. But we are now in a time-constrained environment where every second counts. Farming and growing animals are most important. So, don't you think that you'll be very helpful if you just do the task assigned to you?"
"How dare you treat me, the only Evans's heiress like this?!" She emphasized the word heiress, not wanting to recognize Kisha as her sister.
"Hmmm. You are indeed the Evans's heiress, but this is not your company or home. So don't use that crap on me." Kisha deflected.
"YOU!" Melody said with gritted teeth, her hands balled and her nails digging to her flesh.
"What?!" Kisha lazily raised her brows and continued. "If you'd like, there's another solution."
Melody did not answer but still waited for Kisha to continue.
"You could just leave. Go to any base or evacuation center, there, they will treat you with respect and they will not ask you to do any filthy job unbefitting your position. How about that?"
Melody disdained Kisha for being barbaric and unsophisticated but she hated her even more for always getting in her way in getting close to Duke and for trying to take her family's attention from her and now, she's even sending her to a filthy place to work. She really wanted to go up there and give her a double-sided slap on the face.
Melody's face contorted in an unsightly manner because of her uncontrollable rage, even Emma could not take it anymore. "I'll just exchange positions with Melody, Ms. Aldens."
"Mrs. Evans, I have put everyone in their respective position considering their previous jobs and strengths as an individual, which I think will be helpful with the base. But if you wish to take her position instead, I will not interfere. I just wish she's not going to pull anything stupid or be a hindrance in the kitchen."
Emma's face flushed red, she had nothing to retort. Even she found her daughter Melody narrow-minded in this situation. She could only bear the responsibility for her as her mother and avoid direct confrontation between her two daughters. She was indeed caught between a rock and a hard place.
Yet, Melody did not appreciate the gesture and just snorted. Thinking that she would teach Kisha a lesson sooner or later.
"I just came by to have a look, but I didn't expect to witness this." A very cold voice reverberated throughout the conference room, everybody was equally nervous but Kisha was lazily looking at the person who spoke.
"We are almost done with the meeting, if you have anything you would like to add, please do so."
"Hmm. I left you completely in charge of this matter. If there's anyone who doesn't want to listen to your arrangements, just throw them out to fend for themselves outside." His gaze lingered on Melody as he reiterated it word for word.
Hearing Duke's words that were aimed at her, Melody quieted down and tears started to fall from her eyes like a faulty faucet. "I'm sorry Duke, I don't want to cause trouble. I just wanted to be of use to you."
Her tears pulled Edward's heartstrings, as her pitiful appearance and choked-up voice as she apologized made him feel bad for his daughter, they raised her for so many years and doted on her. She was a pampered rich lady, and now she has to suddenly accept a situation where she has to do something she has never done before. He somehow felt dissatisfied with Kisha, feeling that she was targeting Melody on purpose.
He glances at Kisha before stepping in to coax Melody and apologize to Duke on her behalf. "Duke, I apologize for my daughter's behavior. I hope you don't take it to heart, she was used to a carefree life so she hasn't adapted to the sudden change and her stress level just led her to this."
"Just take it that my daughter is being willful." Edward's smile was strained.
Kisha felt that she had gone too far by scolding Melody, it was true that she used to be the young miss of an affluent family and she wouldn't be able to adjust in just a day. So she relented and let Emma and Melody change places since it would not hinder any of the base's operations. And to also give them a little leeway for Duke.
"All of us here were forced to accept what the world has become, if we are going to wait for some people to adjust, we'll die from the zombies that never stop a second to find their next meal." Duke looked around and observed each person's expression without missing a beat. "If you think, it is unfair for you to do the dirty work, you are free to go out there to gather your supplies and pay for your accommodations. We will not ask you to do anything else."
Everyone's faces turned pale, they knew how scary it was out there and they only survived by relying on Duke's team to get here. If they go out there again to try their luck, who knows how they will die?