Chapter 3

After breakfast, I didn't dare waste time. I headed straight to a jewelry pawn shop, planning to sell my pink diamond.

It was stunning, sure, but once the apocalypse came, it'd be worthless. If jewels could save people, Regina wouldn't have been roasted to death.

The shop owner nearly dropped his glasses when I pulled out the pink diamond. He asked again and again if I was really sure I wanted to sell.

"This pink diamond is extremely rare. Its value rises every year. Selling it now would be a waste," the owner said.

Since I insisted, he told me to wait a moment.

After I nodded, he went to the corner and made a phone call.

When he returned, he said I could sell it.

"How much?" I asked, staring at the pink diamond in my hand. It was my very first wedding ring.

In my previous life, I never even had a proper outfit, let alone a wedding ring.

"16 million dollars," he replied.

The moment that number left his mouth, any attachment I had vanished. I handed the diamond over without hesitation.

With 16 million dollars sitting safely in my account, I finally felt secure. I went straight to the market.

The shop didn't brush me off just because I was a young girl on my own. Instead, he welcomed me warmly.

Seeing the store's solid stock, I asked him to grab a notebook and write my list down.

He chuckled. "Don't worry. I've got a good memory. I'll remember everything," he said.

"All right," I began, rattling off the order. "I'll need twenty-five tons each of oats and all-purpose flour. Then, half a ton each of black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and lentils.

"I also want a thousand pounds each of cornmeal, rolled oats, instant potato flakes, and cornstarch.

"Oh, and I'll need a thousand pounds of vegetable oil, five hundred fifty-pound sacks of sea salt, and half a ton of granulated sugar. Do you carry hard fruit candies in bulk? And..."

But before I could finish, the owner cut me off. "Are you kidding? What's a young girl like you doing with all this?"

It was just natural for him to ask. Nobody ordered in those quantities.

I told him I was stocking up for a big grocery store. He clearly didn't buy it, but after looking me over, he reluctantly took out his notebook. Carefully, he wrote everything down and drafted an invoice.

The bill came out to a staggering 280 thousand dollars.

But when the apocalypse struck, even 10 million wouldn't get someone this much food.

The heat would wipe out all crops, forcing people to survive only on what they'd hoarded. Families would tear each other apart for a handful of food.

I paid in full. The owner's face lit up as he arranged everything.

Good thing I had the money. Otherwise, I'd never dare buy it all at once.

The shop owner even sent a driver to help me haul the goods.

To stay discreet, I had him take the load to an abandoned warehouse Casper owned.

I'd asked Finley about it earlier that morning.

Nobody was around, so no one would suspect a thing.

After the driver and crew unloaded, I stashed everything into my space in one go.

Even after all that, it barely took up one percent of its capacity.

Encouraged, I went on another spree.

This time, I hit the appliance market and bought 100 air conditioners, heaters, freezers, solar generators, and wind turbines.

Ice age or furnace, I'd be prepared.

By the time I got home, night had fallen.

Casper was sitting alone in the living room with the lights off, but he seemed to radiate that gentle, comforting glow that only Phoenixes had.

When he saw me, he asked where I'd been.

I couldn't possibly tell him what I'd been up to, so I fumbled for an answer. "I just got here and wanted to check the place out."

But when I lowered my eyes, I froze. Casper was holding the very same pink diamond ring I'd sold.

I looked up at him in shock, only to find his gaze locked on mine. My face burned. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to bury myself in the ground.

"Is it about the money, or do you just not want to marry me?" Casper asked, his voice low.

He stepped closer, close enough that I felt his breath.

I had no idea how to deal with him, so I did the only thing I could—back away.

"Stop moving. You're about to hit the corner. There's a pillar right behind you," he warned.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw his hand hovering protectively behind my head, ready to catch me if I bumped into anything.

Not wanting to hurt his feelings, I replied, "It's not that I don't want to marry you. I've just been a little short on cash lately, so..."

Casper broke into a grin the second he heard that. "Money's no problem. How much do you need? I'll have thirty million wired to you right now. But you're not selling that ring again," he said firmly.

With that, he slipped the ring back on my finger. I nodded vigorously at him.

Looking satisfied, he started humming a tune as he headed back to his study.

*****

The next day, I got back to my shopping spree.

Yesterday, I stocked up on basic supplies and food. I checked the breakfast I had tucked into my space. It was still warm, fresh, and hadn't spoiled at all.

That meant I could store all kinds of ready-made food. Even if I couldn't cook later, I wouldn't have to worry about starving.

By the time I sat down for breakfast, Casper was already waiting at a round table.

Seeing the mountain of food, I didn't bother with manners—just dove in, shoveling food into my mouth.

Casper looked pleased, too, eating quite a bit himself.

Between mouthfuls, I suddenly asked him what he liked to eat.

Casper's ears flushed red. "Anything's fine," he said.

Nodding, I noticed he seemed to eat steak and salmon more than anything else. Without thinking, I blurted, "Guess we'll need to buy more steak and salmon."

Casper gave a shy little smile. "Honestly, you don't have to get that much..." he said softly.

His voice was so soft that I didn't catch a word. I was too busy chewing to pay attention.

After breakfast, just like yesterday, Finley had someone pack food for me. I left with a grin stretching ear to ear.

This time, I hit every top restaurant in town, ordering a hundred portions of each signature dish, including steak and salmon.

On top of that, I stocked up on seafood, fruit, and vegetables. I bought anything and everything.

Even if the apocalypse lasted a hundred years, Casper and I would never go hungry.

Even though things between us were still formal, I could feel his kindness.

And since he was footing the bill, the least I could do was make sure he was cared for.

With that in mind, I hit the clothing store and bought piles of clothes, especially winter gear.

When I passed the men's section, I hesitated. With Phoenix blood, Casper was always warm. Maybe he didn't need heavy clothes.

Still, just to be safe, I picked out winter gear in his size, guessing from memory.

I grabbed base layers and underwear, too.

Since Casper had given me so much money, I didn't hold back. I stocked up on everything I needed.

By my count, the apocalypse was only a day or two away.