Chapter 16: Find Kierra Adams
Violet walked into the suite with three bags filled with clothes. Once the door closed, she dropped onto the couch. She had bought more than she’d intended. She pulled out her phone to check her balance. After paying for the limousine and everything she’d bought, she still had 25 million left.
Aside from the clothes, she had also made a quick stop at her old apartment and taken her laptop, the only important thing she owned, without being seen by anyone. This was because, even though it was an old model, it held a lot of things she had saved on it.
She reached into her space and pulled out a cinnamon roll she’d placed there earlier. She took a large bite, chewing slowly.
Lillian had made a video with her and introduced her as a friend, Kierra. Before she left, she’d asked that they meet up another time, to which Violet had agreed. She had done her part and was betting everything on Leo seeing the video.
If he didn’t, she would have to find someone else. The only reason she wasn’t doing that already was because she wanted to focus on one target at a time.
In a swift motion, Violet took off the blonde wig she wore. She reached into her space and brought out a bottle of juice. It was still just as cold as when she had first placed it there.
"Turns out this space is better than I imagined. For someone as lazy as me, this is exactly what I need." She laughed before taking a sip of the juice.
After she finished eating, Violet took the clothes to her master bedroom and arranged them inside the closet. Then she took a quick shower, washing off the makeup on her face.
Violet pushed her hand through her thick, long black hair as she stared at herself. There were a few rashes on her face. In her past life, she had been too broke to afford any good skincare products or routine.
"I will not neglect myself anymore. Even in the apocalypse, I will ensure I keep my skin in the best condition." She turned her face to the side and traced her finely structured jawline. "The beauty of a woman is her weapon." she whispered.
Even if she couldn’t use her face now, for fear of being caught, she still needed to keep it in the best condition.
Later that day, Violet sat in front of the table in her room, her laptop open before her. She began forming a list of everything she would need.
She needed to get food first, non-perishables that could last for years: rice, canned goods, dried beans, powdered milk, water purification tablets and filters were just as important, matches, lighters, and fuel, along with portable stoves for cooking once electricity failed.
Next came weapons and defence. She needed knives, firearms with enough ammunition to last, and something less conspicuous, like pepper spray or a taser, for situations where a gun would draw too much attention. Body armour was also important.
She made a note to look into self-defence training once she had the time, since owning a weapon meant nothing if she didn’t know how to use it under pressure.
She also needed vehicles built to survive the terrain the apocalypse would leave behind, medicine was non-negotiable too: antibiotics, painkillers, antiseptics, and anything for chronic conditions. She also added clothing suited for extreme weather and prolonged wear, along with basic survival gear like tents, flashlights, and batteries, things that seemed mundane now but would mean the difference between life and death later.
The list was more than ten pages. She wrote down anything and everything she thought she’d need with a promise to keep adding whatever she couldn’t remember now.
To be able to get all these things, she needed to make money, billions of dollars.
After making the list, she walked to the wine cabinet and took out a bottle of wine and a glass.
The wine made a gurgling sound as she poured it into the glass. She took a slow sip and walked to the floor-to-ceiling glass window.
From this point, she could see the entire city. Skyscrapers stretched endlessly into the horizon, their windows glowing gold with the last light of the setting sun, while the streets below buzzed faintly.
Violet’s mind reverted to her past life. The view in front of her shifted, her eyes combing through the ruins that would befall this beautiful place in a matter of months. Her heart turned heavy, and she pressed one hand to her chest.
All the misery and pain she had experienced back then seemed to rush back to her. The walls began to close in on her. The cries, the pain, and the terror all flashed before her eyes.
But when she blinked, the scene shifted once more, returning to its present state.
Violet felt her legs go weak and moved to the bed. She sat on the edge of it. "This time will be different." she promised herself.
This time she would not be caught unprepared.
She called her system, and the blue screen appeared in front of her. Her eyes went to the bottom of it, resting on the countdown.
87 Days, 6 Hours, 12 Minutes.
She still had time. She downed the remaining wine in her glass and twirled the empty glass in her hand.
"Let’s focus on the meeting with Leo." she said under her breath. "Everything else can come later."
**
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the city, a man sat behind a table inside his office.
His fingers danced across the keypad in front of him, his eyes pinned on the laptop.
A soft knock on the door caused him to lift his head, and a few seconds passed before he invited the person on the other side in.
Hurried footsteps resounded, and Leo lifted his head. His eyes settled on his assistant, Vincent.
"What happened?" he asked.
Vincent pushed his round-rimmed glasses up and handed Leo the iPad he was holding, the lines between his brows creased with worry.
"Sir, I think you need to see this."
Seeing the worried expression on Vincent’s face, Leo hurriedly took the iPad from him. On the screen was an old woman with white hair and a man with blond hair, smiling side by side.
It wasn’t the photo of his grandmother and brother that upset him, it was the heading of the article.
It made his throat go dry and his chest tighten.
"An interview with Frederick Kings, the Unannounced Heir to the Kings Estate." He balled his fist and tossed the iPad onto the table.
"Why is such an article online? Who’s the fool that published it?" he asked through gritted teeth.
The question wasn’t directed at Vincent, because Leo continued, "Grandma wouldn’t allow articles like this to circulate unless this person has her permission." He tapped his finger on the table, his gaze turning calculating. "I need to do something."
"That’s not all, it turns out Miss Lillian met Miss Kierra today. I don’t think they were previously acquainted, based on the way Miss Lillian introduced her. I thought it was important that you know that." Vincent said.
Leo’s eyes narrowed, the wheels in his head beginning to spin.
He remembered Kierra Adams, the girl who had gotten the necklace he wanted and had also extended an offer to him.
"If she’s already hanging out with Miss Lillian, doesn’t this mean it’s just a matter of time before her information gets into Frederick’s hands?" Vincent asked, his flat, professional tone carrying a wave of concern that didn’t go unnoticed by Leo.
Leo adjusted in his seat, he’d had that same thought too. He couldn’t allow that to happen. If it did, it would mean Frederick would be sealed in as the Kings heir.
"Find Miss Kierra, I need to meet her," he instructed.
"Yes, sir." Vincent answered, then turned around and walked out of the office, leaving a worried Leo behind.