Chapter Three

“Andrew, have you signed those papers yet?”

Veronica’s voice grew sharper as she paced across the marble floor, her heels striking heavily against the polished tiles. She snatched the paperwork from the glass coffee table and stared at the divorce documents Vanessa’s lawyer had just sent over.

“No, I haven’t signed them. I only just got home, Mom. I’m dealing with it,” Andrew said. He leaned back on the sofa and waved his hands dismissively, though his jaw remained tight. Who did she think she was, demanding that he sign so quickly?

“If you let this go through, who’s paying next month’s rent? And what about Leo’s private school tuition?” Veronica planted her hands on her hips, her brow deeply furrowed. “She hasn’t transferred her paycheck, and she’s muted my messages. You’d better think this through. We can’t afford to lose that income.”

Susan sat on the other sofa with a bag of frozen peas pressed against her knee. The laundry basket had left her sore, but that didn’t stop her from reclining comfortably against the cushions and scrolling through new dresses on her phone.

“You’re worrying too much, Aunt Veronica,” she said, looking up with an air of indifference. “Yes, she lost her temper today. So what? All these years, whenever she’s been upset, she’s gone off to cry somewhere and then come right back to cooking and doing our laundry. She’s used to it.”

Veronica stopped pacing and looked at her. “This is different. She knows about the two of you.”

“And what can she do about it?” Susan set her phone in her lap and slipped her arm through Andrew’s. “If she could really bring herself to leave, she would have done it years ago. She agonizes over buying herself a new pair of shoes, but now she’s willing to pay for a lawyer? She wants Andrew to sweet-talk her into coming home. The more you worry, the more she’ll think it’s working.”

Andrew gave a contemptuous laugh, as though someone had finally said what he wanted to hear. He picked up the documents, skimmed a few pages, and stopped at the signature line.

“Susan’s right. She thinks she has something on me, and she’s using it to make me back down. She sounded tough enough on the phone. Give her a couple of days out there with no one catering to her, and she’ll come to her senses.”

“But what if she really doesn’t come back?” Veronica still sounded uncertain. “We can’t be expected to pay all those bills ourselves.”

“She will, Mom. She has no family, barely any friends who’d take her in, and nothing but the paycheck she just received.” Andrew put the documents back on the table, sounding more certain with every word. “Hotels cost money. Food costs money. Even if she finds somewhere to rent, she’ll need a deposit. She’s spent everything on this family for years. How much could she have saved? How long do you think she’ll last?”

Susan chuckled and picked up her phone again. “I doubt she’ll make it a week. All Leo has to do is call and say he misses her, and she’ll start softening up. Remember how she’d go straight out to buy him muffins whenever he asked, no matter how exhausted she was after work?”

The tension gradually eased from Veronica’s face. Thinking back over Vanessa’s behavior through the years, she had to admit they had a point. A woman who apologized for putting too much salt in dinner couldn’t suddenly have found the courage to abandon this family for good.

“In that case, leave her alone for now.” She finally sat down and pushed the documents toward Andrew. “But when she comes back, make sure she catches up on everything she’s neglected today. I’m not cleaning up after her.”

“Of course.” Andrew picked up the stylus and signed his name without hesitation. “Once she sees how readily I signed, she’ll know she can’t scare me with this. When she regrets it, she won’t find it so easy to come back and make demands.”

He tapped Send, tossed the device onto the table, and reached for the television remote. Susan leaned against him and returned to shopping for dresses, while Veronica began deciding which missing kitchen supplies Vanessa should buy first when she returned.

Across the street, Vanessa sat in the front passenger seat of a rented car, waiting for the real estate agent to arrive with the keys. Her phone chimed on the seat beside her.

A message from her lawyer read: Andrew has signed the agreement. The divorce paperwork is now complete, and the relevant documents have been filed.

Vanessa read the notification carefully and saved the documents. The last of the pressure weighing on her lifted. She sent a brief thank-you, then opened her personal banking app. Under the arrangements they had agreed on, the inheritance should have arrived by now.

Balance: US$50,000,000.00

It was enough. Enough to buy the villa on the hill, build an underground shelter, install solar panels, investigate a private water source, and stockpile years’ worth of food.

A light tap came at the window. The agent had arrived. Vanessa picked up her bag, stepped out, and followed her through the villa’s gates. The spacious grounds could accommodate water storage and power equipment, while the basement would be ideal for supplies. She checked the entrances and exits, then asked the agent to take her up to the top-floor balcony so she could survey the surrounding terrain.

Through the reinforced glass railing, Vanessa could see the road below the ridge and the familiar apartment building on the other side. Andrew’s home stood directly opposite. From here, she could even see the balcony she had just escaped. Her gaze lingered there briefly before returning to the grounds as she looked for suitable locations for solar panels.

In forty days, global temperatures would climb high enough to melt asphalt, and civilization would buckle under prolonged power outages. She needed a home that could withstand the heat, hold supplies, and maintain independent water and power systems. The villa’s location and layout suited her needs perfectly.

“This really is extraordinary,” Vanessa murmured, running her fingers along the smooth stone railing.

“I’m glad you like it.” The agent joined her with a smile. “The house was built to exceptional standards. However, as I mentioned on the phone, Mrs. Tignon, another client has already offered one million dollars—”

“Miss Axerold,” Vanessa interrupted, her voice calm and clear. “Please use my maiden name. The documents should reflect that as well.”

The agent broke off, cleared her throat awkwardly, and tapped at her tablet. “Ah… Miss Axerold. My apologies. But as I was saying, we already have another client lined up. He’s prepared to put down one million dollars in cash. I only brought you here to view the property because you insisted…”

“I’ll pay double,” Vanessa said without hesitation. Her gaze swept across the grounds, searching for suitable places to install solar panels. “Two million dollars. Arrange an immediate wire transfer. Make sure the other buyer is adequately compensated so he’ll withdraw.”

The agent nearly choked, her eyes widening. “Two million? Cash? Are you sure, ma’am?”

“Yes,” Vanessa said evenly. “Arrange the transfer.”

“I… I’ll get right on it!” the agent stammered, handing over the electronic reader with trembling hands.

Vanessa took out her black card and tapped it against the device. A click sounded, and the transfer went through.

The moment the electronic documents arrived in her inbox under her own surname, she took out her phone and called the contractor.

“Matt, I’ve bought the house on the ridge. Bring your team over. I need to finalize the modifications and get the equipment on-site as soon as possible.”

“Are you planning to tear it down?” Matt sounded bewildered. “Vanessa, that villa was designed by top structural engineers. It doesn’t need any renovation.”

“I don’t need cosmetic work. I need it equipped to my specifications,” Vanessa corrected him smoothly. “Industrial-grade insulation behind every wall, two underground water tanks, a private deep-well pump, a triple-redundant solar power system, and heavy-duty alloy shutters on every window.”

“That’s not a renovation, Vanessa. That’s a doomsday fortress,” Matt said slowly, drawing a deep breath. He had no idea what was coming, but her determination was unmistakable. “All right… I’ll have the heavy equipment there before dawn.”

“That’s exactly what I need.” She ended the call and slipped her phone into her pocket. The property was secured. Her fortress was taking shape. All her attention was fixed on the forty-day countdown. As she headed downstairs, she sent the waiting driver the address of a nearby warehouse store.

Next, she needed to fill the house with food, drinking water, and everything else she would need to survive.

Meanwhile, in the apartment across the street, Leo hurled an empty snack box onto the floor and shrieked that he was hungry. Susan rummaged through the kitchen, then shut the refrigerator in disgust and turned to Andrew.

“There’s nothing here. Not even anything ready to eat. When is Vanessa coming back?”

“She’s barely been gone, and you’re already asking for her?” Andrew set down the remote irritably. “Just make something.”

“Then you make it.” Susan immediately put the pan back in the sink. “I haven’t even had lunch, and you expect me to cook dinner for everyone? Who used all these dishes, anyway? Don’t tell me I’m supposed to wash them first!”

Leo’s crying grew louder. Andrew frowned and told him to be quiet, while Susan pushed the child toward him. Irritated by the noise, Veronica snatched her handbag from the table and cut through their argument.

“Enough! I’ll go shopping. Vanessa’s only been gone a day, and you’re already tearing the house apart?” She pulled the supplementary card from her bag and waved it at them. “So what if she won’t transfer her paycheck? I still have this card. We’re buying the good stuff tonight. Let her see we won’t starve without her!”