Frozen Apocalypse: My System Gives Me Infinite Supplies

Chapter 5: The Debt Trap and the Gate Confrontation

I drove straight to the address the lender had given me and parked outside a shabby office building. After going upstairs and explaining why I'd come, I was led into a small office where a middle-aged man sat behind a desk, looking through some documents.

He glanced at me and held out his hand. “Let me see the property papers and the owner's identification.”

I placed the documents on his desk and waited while he checked them. After looking through everything, he leaned back in his chair and gave me a crooked smile.

“All right. We can offer you a two-million-dollar loan, but the interest will be high, and you'll have to repay it within the agreed period.”

“Fine. Prepare the contract.”

The paperwork was ready soon after, and I signed the loan agreement before leaving the office with the money secured.

Two million dollars still wasn't enough for everything I needed, so I sat in my truck and opened the online lending apps I'd found earlier. I applied for every loan I could get approved, then tried several private lenders who didn't ask too many questions.

Tamsin's identification and financial records made the applications easier, though not every lender approved them. I kept going until the last transfer came through, bringing my available balance back to five million dollars.

That was enough to continue preparing for the apocalypse.

I made sure the repayment dates were as short as possible, with the final deadline falling five days before the disaster began. By the time the lenders came looking for their money, the world would be in chaos, and I'd have much bigger problems to worry about than their threats.

I had no intention of paying them back.

The lenders would eventually track down the property and go after the people living there. Tamsin's family had been so eager to get their hands on the house that they'd never bothered to consider what might happen next. Let them deal with the creditors themselves.

I put my phone away and started the truck.

Meanwhile, news of my spending had already reached Highcrest Terraces. A former neighbor had seen me buying supplies near the commercial docks and arranging deliveries, then shared what he'd witnessed online.

The video soon reached Burl.

Inside the stripped apartment, he stared at his phone in disbelief before slamming it against the bare concrete floor.

“Tamsin! Look at this! Calder is spending money like crazy!” He shoved the screen in her face, showing her the video of trucks and workers loading supplies. “Where did he get all that money? He told you he only had three million dollars! Is he spending the money he was supposed to give us for the renovations?”

Tamsin watched the video, her expression changing. She'd thought I'd be left with little more than the money from the house, but now I was renting a villa and buying supplies by the truckload.

“How would I know?” she snapped. “He transferred the money, and we got the house. What else do you expect me to do?”

“Don't give me that!” Burl shouted. “You said you could handle him! Now look at this place. There's no floor, no furniture, and not even a toilet. Where am I supposed to live?”

Martha rushed over when she heard them arguing. After watching the video, she slapped Tamsin on the shoulder and pointed angrily at the screen.

“You let that man fool us! He's clearly got more money, and he's spending it on himself while Burl is stuck in this mess. Get the car ready. We're going to find him!”

Tamsin was furious too. She grabbed her bag and followed them out.

By late afternoon, I was driving back to Blackwood Ridge after arranging the loans. My body was still sore from the previous day's work, but seeing the villa again lifted my spirits.

Luke's crew had made good progress. Workers were fitting reinforced shutters over the ground-floor windows, while others were installing thick steel posts along the boundary. There was still plenty to do, but the place was already looking more secure.

I parked near the gate and reached for the keys. Before I could open it, three people stepped out from beside a parked car and blocked my way.

“Calder Reid, you shameless bastard!” Martha shouted.

I looked at her, then at Tamsin and Burl standing behind her. I was tired, hungry, and in no mood to deal with them, but they had apparently come all this way just to cause trouble.

The workers began slowing down to watch. A few delivery drivers stopped nearby, and before long, several people had gathered around the entrance to see what was happening.

Martha took one look at the growing crowd and raised her voice.

“Everyone, come and see what kind of man he is! My daughter spent years looking after him, and now that he's got some money, he wants to divorce her and live in a luxury villa by himself. What kind of husband treats his wife like that?”

I stared at her in disbelief.

Burl stepped forward and pointed at me. “Where did you get the money for this place? And who told you that you could hire all these workers? You're spending money that should belong to our family! Hand it over!”

I almost laughed.

“Your family?” I asked. “Burl Lowen, you're nearly thirty years old, and you still expect your brother-in-law to pay for your wedding and buy you a house. You don't even have a job, yet you act as if I'm the one who owes you something.”

His face turned red, but I wasn't finished.

“In all my thirty years, I've never seen a family quite like yours. You treat me like a walking wallet, and the moment I stop handing over money, you come to my gate to make a scene. You're not family. You're a bunch of bloodsuckers.”

The crowd began whispering among themselves.

“His wife's younger brother expects him to pay for the wedding?”

“And buy him a house? What does he do for a living?”

“Look at them blocking the man's gate. They don't seem embarrassed at all.”

Burl's face grew even redder as more people turned to stare at him. Martha tried to interrupt, but the murmurs around her only grew louder.

Tamsin stepped forward, trying to keep her voice calm. “Calder, stop making a scene in public. We can talk about this privately.”

I looked at her coldly. “There's nothing to talk about. You got the house, so why are you here causing trouble at my gate?”

Tamsin's expression changed slightly. With so many people watching, she clearly hadn't expected me to embarrass her family so openly.