Chapter 3

She powered down her phone. As exhaustion finally claimed her, a voice drifted through the quiet room. It sounded hauntingly familiar, yet she couldn’t quite place it.

"Sleep and rest. You know I am watching over you."

The mysterious comfort allowed Joanna to sleep through the night in absolute peace.

When she woke up at eight the next morning, a spike of anxiety hit her. How can I possibly prepare for the end of the world in just six months?

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to compartmentalize. First, she needed to unlock her storage space. Second, she had to establish secure safe houses. Finally, she needed a network. To survive the reach of Nightshade Base, she had to build early alliances with other future faction leaders. She needed to dismantle Elliot’s operation before they ever knew she existed.

After getting dressed, she stopped by a local bakery. The taste of a flaky, fresh-baked croissant blew her away. She made a mental note to return and buy out their entire inventory once her bracelet was active; any food placed inside her pocket dimension remained frozen in time, perfectly preserved.

She had just finished her last bite when her phone flashed with an incoming call. It was Alice.

"Joanna, are you still coming home?"

A wave of pure hatred crashed over Joanna, but she instantly masked her expression. Softening her tone to hide the killing intent vibrating in her veins, she replied, "Yes, Alice. I’m leaving tomorrow morning. I’ll be home soon."

Alice scoffed on the other end. "Good. Mom wants you to stop by the bank to handle the share transfer first. You better have everything ready in time for my birthday, or Mom is going to absolutely lose it."

Joanna smiled darkly to herself. Why don't I help them bleed their own bank accounts dry before the world ends? Let’s see how long they last without a dime to their names.

"Don’t worry, sis," Joanna said, her voice dripping with artificial warmth. "I have a massive surprise waiting for you guys when I get back this summer, I promise. See you soon!"

She hung up immediately and climbed into her car. This time, they wouldn't rob her of a single thing.

She spent the afternoon scouting jewelry stores and flea markets. Pulling up to her first stop, she approached an outdoor stall managed by an overweight, balding vendor. His glass display cases housed an assortment of high-quality ruby necklaces, diamond bracelets, and gold pendants. The price tags were steep, but the craftsmanship was undeniable.

"Excuse me, miss," the vendor said, leaning forward. "Are you interested in anything specific? I have a few estate pieces in the back if you're looking for something unique."

He lifted a velvet cloth on his rear workbench, revealing a pair of diamond earrings and two small jade statues.

Something inside Joanna’s chest fluttered the moment her eyes locked onto the figurines. While she knew her storage space reacted well to traditional jewelry, her intuition anchored entirely onto the green jade. They were a matching pair of intricately carved elephants, each weighing a few pounds.

"How much for the elephants?" she asked.

The vendor’s smile widened. "Ah, those are made from rare, grade-A jadeite. Very high quality. I can do ten thousand for one, or fifteen thousand for the pair."

He placed both figurines on the counter for her to inspect. As she lifted them, her heart raced. It was an uncanny, magnetic pull—her subconscious already knew exactly what raw energy her pocket dimension craved.

"Fifteen thousand is a bit outside my current budget," Joanna lied smoothly, setting them down to scan the rest of the inventory. She ran a rapid calculation of the total value displayed in his front cases. "Do you happen to carry any uncut or raw gemstones?"

The vendor blinked in surprise. "I don’t keep raw stones here, but my cousin does. Most of these display pieces actually come from his workshop. They were custom commissions that clients backed out on, so he let me list them at a discount. I can give you his shop address."

"Thank you," Joanna replied. Then, leaning over the glass, she gestured to the rows of diamonds and rubies. "Since these are uncollected commissions he’s trying to liquidate... what's your bulk price if I buy out every single piece in these front display cases right now?"

The vendor rapidly tapped away at his calculator. After a few tense minutes, he looked up, his eyes bright. "If you take the entire front inventory off my hands today, I can give you a flat fifteen percent discount off the total wholesale cost."

The vendor was visibly sweating. Who is this gorgeous young woman who can drop this much cash on jewelry? he thought, a spike of anxiety hitting him. She better not be trying to scam me.

Sensing his hesitation, Joanna leaned against the glass counter. "How about this: give me a flat twenty percent discount, throw in the two jade elephant figurines, and I will pay you in cash right now."

The man swallowed hard, running the numbers. The transaction would still net him a tidy two-thousand-dollar commission. "Deal," he said hastily.

He packed up the entire display in record time, his hands moving almost frantically, terrified she might change her mind. "I tucked my cousin’s contact information inside the bag," he whispered, offering a bright, relieved smile. "Just tell him you’re the one who cleared out my inventory today, and he’ll give you a massive discount on any uncut gems he has in stock."

As the vendor eagerly packed up his booth to go home early, the owners of the two neighboring jewelry stalls perked up. Having witnessed the cash transaction, they practically tripped over themselves to catch her attention, immediately offering twenty-five percent discounts on their own stock. Joanna felt a surge of satisfaction. She bought them out too, paying in cash.

All of this wealth was coming home with her tomorrow. Actually, Joanna realized as she walked away, if I want to avoid Gwen and Alice, I shouldn't even step foot in their house.

It would be much smarter to book a hotel room for a few days, stay hidden, and vanish the moment her shares were liquidated.