Chapter 4

I actually had another house, left to me by my grandmother: a small, two-story mansion in the suburbs, which my dad didn't know about.

After school, I immediately rushed to a hardware store and picked out a tough-looking boss.

"Mr. Jenkins, I need the best steel plates you've got. I'm reinforcing my roof."

"And I need top-grade bulletproof glass to replace all the windows in the mansion."

"Also, get me as much waterproof, fireproof, and moisture-proof material as you can find!"

The hardware store owner thought I was messing with him, remaining motionless in his chair.

"Look, kid, if you're joking, go to another shop. Otherwise, I'll kick you out!"

Exactly! This is the kind of boss I need. That way, I won't have to worry about him if we're working at night.

"Sir, here's a $10,000 deposit. I'll pay the rest when it's done."

After Mr. Jenkins left with the materials, I went and bought two truckloads of high-quality charcoal, several thick blankets, and over a dozen extreme-weather coats.

Last time, the news said the extreme weather would only last a month, but I never lived to find out if it was true.

By the time I finished all that, it was almost evening. I went to the grocery store and pre-ordered two whole pigs, various other meats, and a truckload of vegetables.

Storage wouldn't be an issue; with the freezing temperatures, it wouldn't spoil.

After buying bottled water, I made a quick stop at the supermarket to stock up on a year's supply of feminine hygiene products. Essentials like these had to be stockpiled.

Finally, I bought over a dozen power banks. Power outages were a certainty in extreme weather. I thought about buying candles, but then I realized the light would make me too visible. In desperate times, people show their true, ugly colors.

There was still so much more to buy, but my mom's inheritance was almost gone, so I'd have to make do and pray I could last the month.

"Wow, Anya, your house is huge! Your dad is so amazing!"

Scarlett gushed the moment she walked in, shamelessly batting her eyelashes at my dad, who was completely besotted, practically drooling.

"Oh, this old house? It's nothing, Scarlett. Feel free to stay as long as you like, don't be shy with me."

My eyes practically rolled into the back of my head. How dare that old pervert? This house wasn't even his!

"Dad, your AC is so good! The living room is wonderfully cool."

That old pervert was still basking in his self-congratulation, nodding lecherously at everything Scarlett said.

Only I knew it was the ominous calm before the storm, the prelude to the extreme cold.

"Dad, let's have hot pot! Didn't we buy a lot of meat and seafood yesterday? Let Scarlett try some."

My intention was not to leave them with too much food, so they wouldn't last too long.

But my dad surprised me.

"Get it all out! Let Scarlett try a little of everything!"

I feigned hesitation and looked at my dad.

"But Dad, that's enough for us for two weeks or more. Isn't it too much to take out all at once?"