CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

THIRD PERSON POV

The surprise was evident on the three people's faces. They had all been summoned to Vivian Lake's office without any prior notice. The HR manager, the finance department manager, and Vivian's secretary, Mark, stood together, wondering why their boss had suddenly called them for an urgent meeting. Perhaps it had something to do with the project involving Damian Stark.

"Aren't you the secretary? You should know why we were called," Collins, the HR manager, said to Mark.

Mark shrugged. He already regretted telling them about their boss's unusual behavior that morning. Now, they wouldn't stop pestering him.

"There was no schedule for this, Collins. She doesn't even seem pleased about having to call you here. Will you two shut up?" Mark retorted sharply.

The finance manager rolled his eyes. Before anyone could say anything else, the office door opened.

Vivian Lake walked in. She smiled when she saw the three of them comfortably talking, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. During the apocalypse, desperate people had become dangerous. Some stole food. Some killed for water. Others stole from the people they once worked for. These three were no different. She knew exactly what they would eventually do. She also knew that she had given them far too much trust in her previous life. This time, she was going to act before they had the chance to betray her.

Vivian walked toward her desk and sat down. The three employees remained standing.

"From now on, none of you will handle the company's accounts." Silence filled the room. "I have removed all of you from that aspect of the company. If the company ever needs anything involving its accounts or major financial transactions, you will have to come directly to me."

A gasp escaped one of them. The three were completely caught off guard. They had expected Vivian to discuss the Stark Group project. They had expected a normal business meeting. They had not expected this.

"But Ms. Lake, what have we done to deserve this?" The finance department manager looked genuinely confused.

Vivian shrugged. It's not about what you've done, she thought to herself. It's about what you might do. Of course, she didn't say that aloud. These greedy bastards would eventually try to take money from her company during the apocalypse. None of them deserved to be anywhere near her finances.

She remembered seeing Mr. Collins in the news during the apocalypse. He had become one of the infected. She remembered the chaos surrounding the company during those early days. People had been desperate to get their hands on whatever resources they could find. Money had lost its value almost overnight. At that point, what was the point of having millions sitting inside a bank account? Food was more valuable. Water was more valuable. Weapons were more valuable. Medicine was more valuable. Even a simple battery could become something worth fighting for.

"You did nothing," she finally said, leaning back in her chair. "I haven't fired you or reduced your salary, so there is nothing to worry about."

They looked at one another.

"But why remove us from the company's accounts?" the finance manager asked.

"Because I'm the owner." Her answer was simple. "I believe I can handle it myself. However, Mr. Collins, I left you the funds for the salaries for all my employees. You can pay them today."

There was nothing more for them to argue about. She dismissed them. As they left, she watched the door close behind them. She didn't trust them—not anymore.

Now she had another month, and she intended to use every resource she had. Her company still had money—a lot of it. And unlike in the previous timeline, she wasn't going to sit around watching it become useless. She could use it now. She could purchase everything she needed before prices became ridiculous. Once the apocalypse started, supply chains would collapse. Stores would be emptied. People would panic. And eventually, money would become nothing more than paper. She had no intention of carrying millions in cash while starving to death.

After the renovation was complete, she would stock her apartment with everything she needed: provisions, water, medicine, weapons, bombs, ammunition—everything. During the apocalypse, guns became one of the basic tools of survival. People didn't hesitate to raid one another for food. Some survivors were more dangerous than the zombies. The zombies were predictable; they wanted flesh. Humans wanted everything.

She remembered the streets covered in abandoned cars, the empty stores, the broken windows, the screaming, the constant gunshots, and the smell of blood. She remembered learning that the infected could only be permanently stopped if their skulls were damaged deeply enough. A normal wound wasn't enough; they would keep coming. That was why preparation mattered. She couldn't afford to make mistakes.

If her instincts were right, Damian Stark would soon move into the apartment next to hers. He would begin fortifying his room just as she was doing now. That was what had happened in her previous life. And there was only one explanation that made sense: he already knew about the apocalypse.

But how? Was he reborn, too? Was he preparing because he remembered everything? Or had he somehow discovered information about the coming disaster before everyone else? She couldn't stop thinking about it. There were too many questions. Why had Damian moved into this building? Why had he secured his room so heavily? Why had he been so prepared when everyone else was caught off guard? And if he was reborn, did he remember her? Did he remember what happened between them? Did he remember locking her outside?

Her fingers tightened around her phone. She didn't have the answers yet, but she would. The Starks were supposed to meet with her in two days. Damian Stark himself would be representing the company. That meant she would get the answers she was looking for.