LOGINClay tried to sneak away, but Elena's sharp voice cut through the crowd."Stop right there!"Clay froze. His body still ached from the hits he'd taken earlier, and when he saw Elena striding toward him, he actually stumbled back in fear. "W-What do you want?"With a cold, mocking smile, Elena reached out and grabbed the emerald amulet hanging from his neck. "This is the one I bought you. Don't you think it's time it came back to its rightful owner?"She yanked it off without hesitation, then stared him down. "Now, you can leave."Clay's whole body shook with rage. "You ... Fine, Elena! You just wait. I won't let this go!" He wanted to curse more, but the sudden wail of police sirens made him freeze.He jolted in fear. Clay didn't need to think hard to know what would happen if he was actually taken in—everyone at school would hear about it. He couldn't afford to be expelled.Without another word, he shoved through the crowd and ran as fast as he could.Elena didn't bother stopping him
Sophia gasped. "Elena!"But Elena had foreseen it. She spun around and kicked Clay hard in the side, sending him sprawling onto the ground.Clay lay there, stunned, staring at her in disbelief.They had dated for over a year, and he never once knew she could fight like that.It was only a little past nine, and plenty of neighbors were still outside walking their dogs or chatting. The noise had already drawn a crowd.Elena glared coldly at the man who looked handsome on the outside but was rotten within. Deep in her heart, she wanted nothing more than to end him.In her past life, he had stolen her supplies, set her up to be violated by a group of thugs, caused Zara's death, and later joined forces with Kora to kill her. Even after the world ended, he lived on for eight more years while she suffered.The Greatquake hadn't taken him out. Was it really true that the wicked lived the longest?If fate wouldn't deal with him, then she would.Her hands clenched into fists, her expression lik
When it came to fuel—gasoline and diesel—Elena called Marcus to discuss it.Marcus simply said, "Sweetheart, you don't need to worry about that. Buying those things takes connections and hard work, and you're new to the area. Let me handle it. I've been in business for years, and I know a few people who can help."Elena had survived eight long years on her own in the apocalypse; she had grown used to relying only on herself.But after spending these past few days with her parents, she felt as though she had two mountains backing her. Even if the end of the world was harsh, she was no longer afraid of it.By the time she got back, it was already past seven in the evening She brought home a huge serving of Cajun chicken for dinner. The mother and daughter sat down and ate quickly, clearing the food in no time.Afterward, they shut the warehouse doors and organized the day's supplies, stacking everything neatly inside the storage space.Looking at the place, packed to the brim, Elena felt
The soldier hesitated for a moment before handing her a photo. He asked, "Have you seen this person before?"Elena glanced down. It was a picture of a very pretty young woman. She shook her head. "No, I haven't. What happened to her?"The soldier's voice was calm but firm. "She's extremely dangerous. If you see her, you must call the police right away."Elena quickly nodded, pretending to look frightened. "O-okay ... that's terrifying. Thank you, sir. I'll be careful."He studied her again, his eyes narrowing. Behind him, several other soldiers shifted, their hands resting on their belts, ready to act. Elena realized her outfit must have made her look suspicious.Thinking quickly, she pulled back the shade of her sun visor and took off her hat, giving an awkward smile."The sun's brutal today. I'm terrified of getting a tan."She was pretty in her own way, with the fresh, youthful look of a college student—but she was clearly not the woman in the photo. The group finally looked away.E
Sophia stayed calm. "Once we sell the apartment and the stores, we'll have enough." She glanced at Elena, then hesitated before asking, "Elena, you haven't mentioned Ryan at all... What's going on with you two?"Elena's phone had been ringing all day, but every time Ryan's name appeared on the screen, she hung up immediately. She ignored calls from her classmates and her student advisor too. She didn't want to say too much and worry her parents, but after thinking for a moment, she decided her mom needed to know."Ryan isn't a good person. When the world falls apart, he'll run with a bunch of bullies who prey on the weak. And he's already messing around with Lila. So I broke up with him."Sophia's brows pulled tight. "Lila? Isn't she your best friend?"She remembered Lila clearly. Lila had once come home with Elena for a holiday, and both Sophia and Marcus had met her.Before Elena could respond, Sophia's face hardened. She clenched her teeth. "What a rotten pair. Don't you worry, Ele
Even if the storage space didn't absorb the bracelet, it could still hold it just fine. Besides, the apocalypse was approaching, and jewelry wouldn't mean much anymore. People would trade gold bracelets and necklaces for a meal.Elena dropped the emerald bracelet into the storage space. In an instant, the white, container-like room inside expanded, almost like a shipping container stretching out before her eyes. She ran a rough estimate, then opened her eyes and smiled. "Looks like it grew by about 500 square feet!"Her parents let out a breath of relief. As long as the space could expand, that was what mattered.Sophia, still wearing a gold necklace and matching earrings, took them off and handed them to Elena. "Elena, try these too."Elena placed the jewelry inside. After a moment, she nodded. "It expanded again, but not by much. Maybe just a few dozen square feet."That was still good. The jewelry was small, only a few ounces of gold, and it wasn't worth nearly as much as the brace







