A Fortune in the Making

The moment Audra returned to her room, she knew she couldn't afford to waste another day.

Bennett's family had made their position clear. They expected her to change her mind, apologise for embarrassing them and eventually return to the familiar routine of being the wife who made everyone's life easier.

They could keep waiting.

She had more important things to do.

She picked up her phone and called the supplier whose number she had saved the previous day.

"Mr. Eze?"

"Good morning, ma'am. I was expecting your call."

"I'd like to see some of your available stock today. I don't want to place a large order without checking the quality first."

"That's understandable. I can arrange for you to visit our distribution centre this afternoon."

"Good. Send me the address."

"Certainly. And, Miss Ellery?"

"Yes?"

"If you're planning to buy in bulk, I would advise you to come prepared. Prices have been changing quite frequently."

Audra glanced at the notes on her phone.

"Then I'll make sure I know exactly what I'm paying for."

She ended the call.

After putting her phone down, she went to her wardrobe and selected a simple outfit. She tied her hair back, picked up her handbag and checked that she had enough money available for the initial purchase.

Before leaving, her eyes settled on the small collection of expensive accessories arranged inside her dressing table.

Most of them had been gifts from Bennett over the years.

She had once attached sentimental value to every single one. She remembered how carefully she had kept them, how often she had worn them to family occasions and how she had convinced herself that each gift represented affection.

Now, they were simply assets she needed to assess.

She opened a drawer and selected several pieces, placing them inside a small pouch.

There was no reason to keep expensive jewellery locked away when it could potentially help finance her preparations. Once the world changed, nobody would care about the brand names or how much something had originally cost.

Still, she wasn't going to sell them carelessly.

She would have them valued first and confirm what she could legally dispose of before making any decisions.

She slipped the pouch into her handbag.

It was time to start converting the life she had been given into something that could actually keep her alive.

The distribution centre was busier than she expected.

Workers moved between stacked goods while delivery vehicles came and went outside. Several customers were already waiting near the main office, discussing orders with the staff.

Mr. Eze, a middle-aged man with a broad build, approached her as soon as she stepped through the entrance.

"Miss Ellery?"

"Yes."

"Welcome. I hope finding the place wasn't difficult."

"Not at all."

He extended a hand, and she shook it.

"I've prepared a list of some of our available products. We can go through everything in my office."

"That would be helpful. But I'd like to inspect the stock before discussing quantities."

Mr. Eze smiled.

"Of course. Follow me."

He led her towards the warehouse.

Audra immediately noticed several workers loading bags of rice into a delivery vehicle. Other sections contained cartons of packaged food, cooking oil, beverages and household essentials.

The place was larger than she had imagined.

It was also a reminder of how much work lay ahead of her.

She couldn't possibly acquire everything she needed in one visit.

"Are those part of your current stock?" she asked, pointing towards the bags of rice.

"Yes. We have different grades and quantities."

"Can I inspect them?"

Mr. Eze nodded.

He showed her the available products, explaining the different suppliers and quantities they could provide.

Audra examined everything without rushing.

She checked the packaging, expiry dates and storage conditions. She also asked about the frequency of new deliveries and how the company handled damaged goods.

Mr. Eze answered most of her questions confidently, although he became slightly uncomfortable when she asked to inspect the packaging of a particular batch.

"Is there a problem with this one?" he asked.

"Some of the packaging is damaged."

"Only a few bags. Nothing serious."

"Then they shouldn't be sold at the same price as the others."

He studied her for a moment before giving a short laugh.

"You know how to negotiate."

"I know how to avoid wasting money."

"They're still perfectly usable."

"Perhaps. But I'm not paying the same price for damaged packaging as I would for properly sealed products."

Mr. Eze looked at the bags again.

"All right. I'll speak with the storekeeper."

He called one of the workers and asked him to separate the affected bags.

Audra continued inspecting the remaining goods.

She wasn't there to impress anybody. She needed supplies that would remain useful when ordinary shopping became impossible.

At one point, Mr. Eze glanced at the notes on her phone.

"You're planning to buy quite a lot?"

"Eventually."

"Then I would advise you to place a bulk order now. Prices can change without much notice, especially when demand increases."

"I understand. But I won't buy more than I can properly store."

"That's reasonable."

"How much notice would you need for a larger order?"

"Depending on the quantity, a few days. We can also arrange delivery."

"Would the price remain the same?"

"That would depend on the market."

Audra looked at him.

"Then I would prefer a written quotation. I want the quantities, prices and delivery charges clearly stated."

"Of course."

"And I want the expiry dates included for the packaged products."

Mr. Eze nodded.

"You're very particular."

"Because I intend to spend a considerable amount of money. I don't think that's unreasonable."

He gave a small smile.

"No, it isn't."

They returned to the office, where he presented her with a preliminary quotation.

Audra studied it.

The figures were higher than she had expected.

She went through the list again, checking each item before stopping at one particular entry.

"Mr. Eze, why is this quantity priced differently from what you mentioned outside?"

He leaned forward.

"Which one?"

"The cooking oil. You gave me a different price earlier."

"Ah, that was the old price. The supplier recently increased it."

"When?"

"Yesterday."

Audra looked at him.

"Then why wasn't that mentioned before you prepared the quotation?"

Mr. Eze hesitated.

"I thought you understood that prices could change."

"I understand that prices change. I also understand that customers should be informed before they agree to purchase."

He looked at the document again.

"Let me confirm something."

He made a quick call to someone in the accounts department.

Audra waited.

A few minutes later, he returned with an explanation. The quotation had included a revised price for the cooking oil, but the earlier figure he had mentioned was still applicable to a small quantity available in their remaining stock.

It wasn't a major difference, but it was enough to make her reconsider the order.

"Can I purchase the remaining stock at the earlier price?"

"Yes, but the quantity is limited."

"Then include that quantity in my invoice."

He nodded.

She selected a modest quantity of rice, beans, cooking oil and other basic supplies. It was deliberately smaller than the quantity she intended to acquire later.

She wanted to test the supplier's reliability before trusting him with anything substantial.

While the workers prepared her goods, she reviewed the final invoice.

Something else caught her attention.

"Mr. Eze."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"This delivery charge is different from the amount you mentioned earlier."

He collected the invoice and examined it.

"Ah, that must be an error."

"Then please correct it before I make the payment."

"Certainly."

He called one of the office workers and instructed him to amend the document.

Audra waited until the corrected invoice was brought to her.

She checked the figures again before completing the payment.

She wasn't going to let impatience turn a straightforward purchase into an avoidable loss.

When the transaction was completed, Mr. Eze handed her a copy of the receipt.

"Thank you for your business, Miss Ellery. I hope this will be the beginning of a good relationship."

"That depends on the quality of your service."

He laughed.

"I'll make sure you aren't disappointed."

"We'll see."

The workers began loading the purchases into her vehicle.

Audra stood nearby, checking the quantities against the invoice as each item was carried out.

She had just finished counting the bags of rice when one of the workers approached her.

"Madam, where should we put the remaining cartons?"

"Which remaining cartons?"

"The ones for your order."

Audra turned towards the vehicle.

She had paid for a specific quantity. The invoice showed that every item had been accounted for, but the workers appeared to be loading more than she had ordered.

She approached the vehicle and checked the cartons.

"These aren't on my invoice."

The worker looked confused.

"Mr. Eze said we should load them."

Audra turned towards the office.

"Please call him."

A few minutes later, Mr. Eze appeared.

"Is there a problem?"

"These cartons aren't included in my order."

"Oh, those are samples. I thought you might want to take them along."

"Samples?"

"Yes. You can examine them at home. If you like the products, you can include them in your next order."

Audra looked at the cartons.

She understood the gesture, but she wasn't interested in accepting goods without knowing what they contained or what obligations might come with them.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'd rather not take anything that isn't documented."

Mr. Eze nodded.

"That's fine. We can remove them."

"Thank you."

The workers unloaded the extra cartons.

It was a small matter, but Audra was beginning to understand why she needed to be present during every important transaction.

A supplier's friendliness did not mean she should stop paying attention.

When the final items had been loaded, she checked the vehicle once more.

Everything matched the invoice.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome, ma'am. I'll send you the updated quotation for the larger order before the end of the day."

"I'll look out for it."

She entered the vehicle and instructed the driver to head home.

There was traffic on the road. This delayed their movement.

Audra spent most of it reviewing the figures on her phone.

She had written down the amount she had spent, the quantities purchased and the estimated cost of expanding the order.

The numbers were already becoming larger than she had initially imagined.

And this was only the beginning.

She needed more than food. There would be medicine, clean water, hygiene products, batteries, fuel, clothing and other necessities.

She would also need a secure location where everything could be kept.

The money required would be substantial.

That was why she couldn't afford careless spending.

Her phone rang.

Daniel Mercer.

"Audra, good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Daniel."

"I wanted to let you know that I've received the documents you sent earlier. I'm still reviewing the relevant details, but I'll contact you once I have a clearer picture."

"All right."

"Also, Bennett's side has acknowledged the divorce notice. I don't expect an immediate resolution, so be prepared for some delay."

Audra looked out of the window.

"That's fine. I don't intend to withdraw it."

"I understand. I'll keep you updated."

"Thank you."

The call ended.

She returned her attention to the notes on her phone.

There was no point allowing the divorce proceedings to consume every hour of her day. Daniel could handle the legal process.

She needed to concentrate on the things that would become increasingly difficult to obtain as the countdown continued.

When the vehicle finally arrived, Audra instructed the driver to help unload the purchases into the room she had temporarily chosen for storage.

She counted everything again before allowing him to leave.

Then she locked the door.

The supplies occupied more space than she had expected.

It wasn't an ideal arrangement, but it would serve as a temporary solution until she secured a proper storage facility.

Audra sat on the edge of the bed and removed her shoes.

Her phone vibrated.

A message from Bennett.

Where have you been all day?

She stared at it without replying.

Another message arrived.

My mother says you left the house without telling anyone.

Audra placed the phone on the table.

A moment later, it rang.

Bennett again.

She rejected the call.

His next message appeared almost immediately.

We need to talk about your behaviour. This cannot continue.

Audra let out a quiet breath.

He still believed he could summon her whenever he wanted.

She turned off the screen.

She had a divorce to complete, assets to organise, supplies to secure and a safe place to establish.

Bennett's complaints were nowhere near the top of her priorities.

Later that evening, Audra returned to her dressing table.

She brought out the pouch containing the jewellery she had selected earlier and arranged the pieces on the surface.

One necklace caught her attention.

Bennett had given it to her on their second wedding anniversary.

She remembered the occasion clearly.

She had spent the entire day preparing for dinner with his family, only for him to arrive late. When he finally handed her the necklace, she smiled as though it made up for everything.

She had worn it proudly for years.

Now, she couldn't even remember the last time she had looked at it without feeling disappointed.

Audra placed it back inside the pouch.

There was no need to hold on to memories simply because they had once made her happy.

She picked up her phone and searched for reputable jewellery dealers and auction services.

She wasn't going to sell everything to the first person who offered her money. She needed proper valuations and clear records of every transaction.

After checking several businesses, she settled on one that had operated for years and arranged an appointment for the following morning.

She saved the confirmation and returned to her spreadsheet.

She listed the jewellery she intended to have valued, along with other personal possessions she could potentially sell without affecting the legal proceedings.

Her eyes moved to the figures.

The first purchase was modest, but it had given her something important: a starting point.

She now had a supplier whose stock she had inspected personally, a receipt for her purchases and a clearer idea of what future orders would cost.

It wasn't enough.

Not nearly enough.

But she had stopped waiting for the perfect moment to begin.

Audra saved the document and leaned back.

The room was quiet.

For a brief moment, she allowed herself to remember the last time she had faced the apocalypse.

She remembered how desperately she had needed supplies, how she had depended on people who eventually abandoned her and how helpless she had felt when everything she had trusted collapsed.

She would never put herself in that position again.

This time, she would have resources of her own.

She would have somewhere secure to keep them.

And she would make certain that nobody could decide whether she deserved to survive.

Her phone lit up again.

Another message from Bennett.

She didn't open it.

The first purchase had been made.

Tomorrow, she will begin turning the rest of her plans into reality.

But as she closed the spreadsheet, another thought crossed her mind.

Food was only one part of surviving what was coming.

She needed a place that could protect everything she was working so hard to acquire.

And she couldn't afford to choose the wrong one.