Apocalypse Domination: A Cold Rebirth

Chapter 3

"I want the wagyu ribeye cooked medium rare and a large bowl of hot clam chowder. Send it up immediately."

Liam dropped the room service phone onto the receiver. Warm air rushed over his face inside the penthouse suite of the Sterling Hotel.

In his previous life, he spent his final days huddled in a frozen basement. He chewed on leather shoelaces just to stave off the agonizing hunger. Now the sheets on the king-sized bed were pure cotton. The room temperature sat at a perfect seventy degrees.

The food arrived fifteen minutes later. Liam devoured the heavy feast in total silence. He savored the rich heat of the soup as it slid down his throat. He let his exhausted mind heal from the trauma of the apocalypse. He pulled the thick blankets over his chest and slept for fourteen solid hours.

He opened his eyes the next morning and grabbed his phone. The Mega Millions drawing had concluded overnight. He pulled up the official website and checked his ticket. The numbers matched perfectly.

Liam washed his face and put on a clean shirt. He boarded a private car straight to the state lottery headquarters. He claimed his prize under strict anonymity protocols to avoid the media circus. The total jackpot was three hundred million dollars.

The state and federal tax deductions took thirty percent. However, over two hundred million dollars still transferred directly into his newly minted private account. Julian possessed a family net worth of barely thirty million. Liam was now vastly wealthier than the people who threw him away to freeze. He walked through the corporate lobby of his new bank. A slick wealth manager tried to intercept him near the exit.

"Mr. Carter, if I could just show you our hedge fund portfolio," the man pleaded while holding out a glossy brochure.

"Not interested," Liam replied flatly. "I have my own investments to make."

He walked out the glass doors and directed his driver to Apex Architectural Defense. They operated as the premier real estate and private security firm in the state.

The firm director, Declan Rivers, sat across a glass desk. He looked at Liam with deep skepticism. Liam looked too young to be a serious client. Liam reached into his jacket and slid a verified bank statement across the glass surface.

Declan straightened his posture instantly. The skepticism vanished, and intense respect replaced it.

"How can Apex assist you today, Mr. Carter?" Declan asked.

"I have three non-negotiable demands," Liam said. He leaned back in the leather chair. "First, you will sign a strict non-disclosure agreement. My newfound wealth remains entirely anonymous. If my name leaks to the press, I will bankrupt this firm."

"Understood," Declan nodded eagerly. "Privacy is our core business. What is the second demand?"

"I want to purchase the massive vacant property located directly opposite the university campus," Liam stated. "Buy it today. Offer the owners twenty percent over the asking price if they hand over the deeds within the hour."

Declan blinked in surprise. "The campus property? Sir, that lot is highly exposed. Wealthy clients usually prefer remote areas in the mountains for their private safe houses."

Declan leaned forward and steepled his fingers. "Why build a fortress in the middle of a dense student district?"

"Because I want to watch my neighbors suffer," Liam smiled. The smile did not reach his eyes.

Declan swallowed hard. He wisely decided not to pry into the personal drama of a billionaire.

"Very well. And the third demand?" "Convert the entire property into an extreme weather safe house," Liam commanded. "I want military-grade thermal insulation. Install triple-paned polycarbonate windows."

Liam listed the specifications like a general preparing for war. "I want off-grid geothermal heating systems installed deep in the bedrock. Reinforce the perimeter walls with steel plates."

"I also need massive underground storage for food and water," Liam finished. "And I need the construction to start tonight. Run twenty-four-hour shifts. Pay the city whatever bribes are necessary for the noise permits."

"Tonight?" Declan choked on his breath. "Mr. Carter, building a polar bunker in a commercial district is highly unusual. The overtime labor costs alone will be astronomical."

"Money is just paper," Liam said softly. "Spend as much as you can. Just get it done before the end of the month."

While Liam finalized the contracts, a very different atmosphere settled over The Ivy Room. The upscale restaurant sat directly across the street from the vacant university lot. It catered exclusively to the wealthiest students on campus.

Julian sat at a corner booth with his arm draped around Chloe. They sipped expensive wine and picked at plates of seared scallops. Several other rich heirs from their business classes occupied the surrounding tables.

"It is actually quite peaceful around here tonight," Julian said, smiling contentedly. "No more pathetic glares from your ex-boyfriend. I am glad you finally dropped that dead weight, Chloe."

"I agree," Chloe sighed while taking a sip of her drink. "He lacked the edge needed for our social circle. Let him learn how harsh the real world is."

Suddenly, the crystal chandeliers above them vibrated violently. A deafening crash echoed from the street outside. The heavy rhythmic thud of industrial machinery followed immediately.

"What in the world is that?" Julian yelled. He dropped his fork onto his plate.

The noise grew louder. It sounded like a small army invading the quiet district. Dust began to drift past the large glass windows of the restaurant.

The restaurant owner, Mrs. Kim, rushed out from the kitchen. Her face flushed with outrage.

"At this hour?" Mrs. Kim shrieked. "Do they have any idea who eats at this establishment? I am going to stop them right now." She stormed out the front doors and marched across the street. The students in the restaurant murmured among themselves. They were unaccustomed to such blatant disruptions.

Ten minutes later, Mrs. Kim returned. Her face was pale, and she wrung her hands nervously.

"Well?" Julian demanded from his booth. "Did you tell them to shut it down?"

"I cannot stop them," Mrs. Kim stammered. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. "I just spoke to the site foreman. A mysterious tycoon bought the entire block across the street in cash just an hour ago."

Mrs. Kim pointed a shaking finger at the heavy excavators visible through the window. "He paid the city a fortune for emergency overnight permits. They are gutting the whole place."

"A tycoon?" Julian gasped. His anger transformed into sudden greedy excitement. "Building right next to the campus?"

"Yes," Mrs. Kim nodded. "The foreman said the new owner is actually here right now. He is inspecting the initial demolition."

Chloe quickly fixed her hair and smoothed down her designer dress. She turned to Julian with a beaming smile.

"Do you see?" Chloe asked. Her voice dripped with sudden ambition. "This is an incredible networking opportunity. If we can build a strong relationship with a man this wealthy, it could secure our futures."

"She is right," a student from the next table chimed in. "A billionaire moving into our district is huge news. We should go introduce ourselves."

"I agree," Julian nodded. He puffed out his chest and stood up from the booth. "Let us show him the proper respect. Follow me."

The group of wealthy students walked out of the restaurant and approached the property line.

They craned their necks to look past the heavy machinery. Dozens of blinding floodlights illuminated the torn earth. Heavy excavators violently tore up the concrete foundations.

A tall figure wearing a sharp dark coat emerged from the swirling dust. He spoke quietly to the site manager and pointed toward the perimeter line with total authority.

The figure turned around and stepped into the clear light of the street lamps.

It was Liam. Chloe's eager welcoming smile slid off her face. Raw shock replaced it. Julian froze in his tracks. His jaw dropped open.

Liam looked at the people standing at the edge of his new property. A slow, terrifyingly cold smile spread across his face.