First move

Lucas arched his brows in surprise. “You're selling your company?”

“I'm drowning in debt, it's personal and I don't want to dive into it. Do you think you can help?” I asked Lucas, keeping up the act.

He was calculating, I could see it on his face. He looked away from me for a second before turning back to face me.

“Even if I wanted to, I don't think I have enough to afford your company at its current market price.”

“I'll sell it for 20 billion dollars, with my shares inclusive.”

The market price for my company was 50 billion, so the shock on his face was evident when I mentioned that price.

“Won't you regret this?” Lucas seemed to be caught between his greed and taking the risk. “I don't think I have that much to spare. You can put it on the market, I'm sure you'll find a buyer.”

“That would take forever and this is urgent for me,” I continued pressing. “You got some investment somewhere, don't you think you can squeeze out of that? After buying, you can merge the company with yours if you like.”

Our parents had left us each a company before their untimely death in a jet crash.

“I'll have to think about this, it's a very big decision for me too.”

I nodded twice. “I understand but you have twenty-four hours, I'll find someone else if you don't reach out.”

“Okay, I'll keep in touch. I have to go back to my place now.”

“That's fine, go with your ex brother-in-law please.”

He smirked at me. “I know you two will make up soon, bye sis.”

“That is not happening, bye Lucas.”

I curled on my bed, feeling exhausted with the little show I had to put on and somehow drifted off to sleep. After an hour, I woke up refreshed but feeling like I had wasted that time.

Pulling out my phone, I scrolled to my notepad and made a list of things that I had to get done.

1. Divorce Andrew. (Cut off his access to my accounts and cards, as soon as the divorce papers are served.)

2. Sell anything that would not have value in the next seven days. (Even if it's my designer bags °-° )

3. Figure out how to handle my brother.

4. Get supplies and find suitable accommodation.

5. Food, food, food.

I smiled at the fifth priority, but couldn't help having mixed feelings about the third. Lucas was family even if he was the one that hit the final nail in my coffin.

Trying not to dwell on that, I brought out all my expensive bags and took pictures of them. After that, I posted them on an online marketplace and just a few minutes later, I got buyers for them.

Within two hours, I had sold over fifty designer bags. I looked at the money sitting in my private account, it was nowhere near the rough estimate I had in mind.

My account was reading $105,000.

But I needed over $60B in order to be adequately prepared, since there was no telling when the great freeze would end. 

Because this time I wouldn't need just a shelter, getting a secured fortress in a suitable location was going to cost over $40B.

My designer clothes were the next in line followed by my shoes. I put out every single one of them apart from what I'd need for the next few days.

The servants at home were looking at me like something was wrong, but I ignored their stares as I continued the task of decluttering my space for money.

It was 9pm, when I sent out the last batch of clothes that had been bought. “Phew! I had no idea marketing and selling could be so much work.”

Another look at my account and I could see a pretty $300,000 sitting in it. I heaved a sigh of relief, it was good that I was making progress at least.

I checked for the price of an off-grid solar generator with backup batteries, as I threw myself on the bed exhausted.

The price was $14,000 and I needed like forty of them. I found myself laughing hard at the $300,000 I had on me. Andrew had become more careful, seeing as he did not spend any money today.

It was most likely because of the divorce I brought up, because on a normal day he spends over $20,000. If I were to add the $1M that was in the account he had access to, maybe I could buy something important.

I looked up a shopping site and ordered 50 sets of cold weather gear. It cost somewhere around $120,000 because of the urgent shipping fees.

“Damn! Things are so expensive, but I need them. Everything on the list is very important, how do I get medical trauma kits and antibiotics though?”

Only licensed medical personnel or certified bodies could get their hands on that, because I was ordering in bulk.

“Ahh, why didn't I think of him? Bryan would get those for me easily.”

He was my childhood friend who worked as a certified registered nurse. I was a bit excited as I searched for his number on my phone. The excitement died down, when I couldn't remember how I saved his number.

“I wonder how far Arnold has gone with processing the papers.” My mind went over our conversation earlier. “Oh no, I was supposed to call him back for something.” 

After a slight contemplation, I tapped on his name. He answered on the first ring. “Is this a good time, Arnold?”

“Yes ma'am, good evening.”

“Good evening, how far have you gone with the papers?”

He was definitely smiling on the other end, I could tell that from how he sounded. “I'll bring them over to you tomorrow.”

“Good, you wanted to tell me something earlier on. What was that?” I asked him.

“Well, your father left a separate will for you.” He paused, like he was not sure about going on. “I was to give it to you, if you got a divorce or had a child. But if you sign over your assets, your spouse gets it.”

“That doesn't make any sense, his will has been read to us.”

“Yes, the general will for his family.” Arnold tapped on his phone with his fingernails. “You don't have to worry about it being another company, let's just say it's in cash.”

My heart was racing at this point. “How much are we talking about here?”

“$300B.”

My hands trembled a bit as I tried to steady my grip on the phone, that was six times the value of my company. 

“Do you mean three hundred thousand dollars?” I asked in disbelief.

“No it's billions, ma'am.”

In my last life, I'd signed those papers without reading them. With my assets in his hands, Andrew must have gotten to it through those papers.

It seemed even the heavens were on my side for revenge. “How do I get it?”