Apocalypse—Bonds of Abundance

Chapter 003: The New, Wealthy Neighbour

Williams checked into a luxury hotel only a few blocks from the Mega Millions headquarters.

The building towered above the street, its glass façade reflecting the white glow of snow-covered sidewalks. Inside, warm light spilled across the polished floors.

The receptionist glanced at Williams briefly before returning her attention to the screen.

"One night?" she asked.

"Two nights in the best room available," Williams replied calmly, dropping his credit card without hesitation.

He was willing to exhaust every single dime he had left, as he strongly believed in his lottery numbers.

Tonight, he intended to enjoy every comfort the world offered. He was driven by the memories of how money had been meaningless and food had been priceless during the apocalypse.

After receiving his room key, Williams rode the elevator to the upper floor. His suite overlooked the modern city, the distant skyline glowing faintly beneath drifting snow.

He stood at the window for a moment, staring outside and recalling how the entire streets had been buried beneath endless ice.

Cars froze in place, and buildings were abandoned.

"All are yet to come," he muttered to himself, chuckling dryly. "How unfortunate the world would be."

The future was coming. But this time, he would be freaking ready.

-------

After a short while, he ordered dinner. It wasn't a simple meal of some sort.

No. It was a feast of streak, lobster, roasted duck, and a full bottle of expensive red wine.

The hotel staff delivered the dishes one at a time, each plate placed carefully across the dining table.

After the last order was served, the waiter hesitated slightly.

"Sir...will anyone else be joining you?"

"No," Williams said flatly.

The waiter blinked in surprise but quickly masked it with a professional smile.

"Well then, sir. Enjoy your meal."

Of course, Williams did.

He ate slowly, savoring every bite.

In the frozen world that was to come, meat and food would become rarer than gold. He had lived it, so he knew.

Tonight, Williams ate until he was completely satisfied.

Then he took a long, hot shower, the warmth seeping deep into his bones.

Sleep came the very moment he lay down on the soft bed.

For the first time since his premonition, he rested.

-------

When he woke again, the sky outside had fully darkened. It was evening.

He glanced at the clock, noting how nearly twelve hours had passed.

This meant the lottery draw had already been announced.

Without wasting time, Williams got up, dressed, and headed straight for the Mega Million headquarters.

The building buzzed with quiet activity as employees moved between offices while televisions replayed the winning numbers again and again.

Williams approached the verification counter.

"I'd like to claim a ticket."

The clerk took it casually at first. Then the machine beeped as she lazily scanned it.

"Oh my God," she gasped with widened eyes.

Williams smiled.

She scanned it again, and the same result appeared.

This time, her hand froze.

"Sir...kindly wait here."

Within minutes, several officials arrived.

The next set of verification processes was meticulous. Serial numbers were checked, signatures verified, and multiple confirmations completed.

Finally, the senior officer removed his glasses and smiled, looking into Williams' eyes

"Congratulations, sir. You're the sole winner of a jackpot worth two hundred million dollars."

Even after the taxes were deducted, the net amount still transferred to Williams' account still exceeded one hundred millions dollars.

The Amante family's entire fortune did not even come close.

-----

When Williams stepped back into the lobby, a group of sharply dressed men instantly surrounded the area near the exit.

"Hey buddy–" one of them said as he reached them.

"We're financial advisors–"

"Investment managers–"

"Mr. Williams!" one called, flashing him a perfect smile. "Congratulations on your win. I represent a premier wealth management firm, and we specialize in helping lottery winners grow their assets through diversified portfolios–"

Williams walked straight past him.

Another hurried forward. "Sir. We offer private investment strategies with guaranteed returns–"

"Not interested," Williams said calmly.

Within seconds, he was already outside.

All the advisors stared after him, stunned.

Most lottery winners practically rushed to them for financial guidance. But this one treated a hundred million dollars like pocket change.

-----

Just an hour later, Williams sat inside the headquarters of the city's largest real estate and security company–Blackridge Real Estate & Security.

Three senior executives sat right across from him, watching as he placed a hand on the table.

"I've got three requests," he said.

"Yes sir," the lead executive replied, nodding quietly. "Go right ahead."

"First," Williams said, "you'll find a way to erase any public information linking my identity to the lottery win."

The executives exchanged uneasy glances.

"I'm afraid that may be... complicated, sir," the lead executive said.

"I'll pay whatever it costs," Williams replied immediately.

After a brief pause, the lead executive nodded. "Alright sir. We can make the necessary arrangements."

Williams nodded, then continued. "Second, I want to purchase the largest mansion right next to Amante's residence."

As he spoke, one of the executives pulled up the property file.

His eyebrows rose, and he shot a quick glance at Williams. "That property is currently listed at twenty-eight million dollars, sir."

"Good," Williams replied, relaxing further in his seat. "I'll pay in full."

Silence followed, and executives slowly nodded.

"Okay. And the third request?"

Williams leaned slightly forward now, eyes sternly fixed on the senior editor. "I want the entire mansion converted into a safe house quite capable of withstanding extreme cold."

One executive frowned slightly.

"That's a rare request, I must say. Are you preparing shelter against a war or something?"

The other executives chuckled, as they found the joke funny.

"Most clients build survival bunkers in rural areas," the senior editor chipped in.

"They also don't convert luxury mansions into shelters," another executive chipped in.

William's expression was calm. Of course, they had no idea what was coming.

"I didn't ask what most clients do," he said. "Are you in or not?"

A moment passed, then the lead executive nodded again. "Alright. Understood. Construction would begin immediately."

------

That same evening, trucks rolled into the quiet neighbourhood where the Amante family lived. Massive construction equipment was offloaded, and workers began tearing down walls and unloading materials under bright floodlights.

In no time, the once peaceful steer filled with the sounds of drilling and machinery.

------

Inside the Amante residence, laughter echoed through the dining room.

Dora sat comfortably with a glass of wine, while Isaac leaned back in his chair.

Frederick and his new girlfriend sat together, whispering occasionally.

"I must admit," Dora said with a satisfied smile. "The house feels more peaceful now."

Fredrick chuckled. "We did lose a free servant though."

Vera laughed lightly, rubbing his chest. "That's true, my love."

"Oh, that boy was always a burden," Isaac said, waving dismissively.

Just at that moment, they all heard a crashing sound that shook the windows.

Dora frowned sharply. "What in heaven's name was that?"

Another metallic crash followed. It echoed outside.

"Let's take a look," Isaac said as he got to his feet.

Dora and the others soon joined him, and they all saw the bright construction lights illuminated the mansion next door.

Workers moved everywhere, heavy machinery tearing through sections of the large property.

"What's going on?" Dora asked, blinking in confusion.

Just then, their neighbour Mr. Coleman hurried over.

"Isaac, have you heard the news?"

Isaac frowned. "What news?"

"A mysterious wealthy buyer just purchased that mansion this afternoon," Coleman said excitedly. "Apparently he's renovating the entire place."

Dora's eyes lit up slightly. "A wealthy buyer?"

"Yes. He's extremely rich. I heard he'll be arriving later today to inspect the work."

Fredrick smirked. "Well...that could be useful."

Isaac nodded. "Living next to someone powerful has its advantages."

Dora straightened her coat. "We'll do well by his side."

Just as she finished saying this, a sleek black car rolled slowly through the construction gates.

It stopped near the entrance, and the driver stepped out and opened the back door.

A figure emerged through the drifting dust and bright construction lights.

Dora squinted, her smile slowly fading as recognition dawned on her.

"Williams?" she muttered in a trembling voice. "Oh, my God."