Hoarding Resources In Apocalypse

Chapter 2

A few moments into his meal, Ciro looked up to the stomach-upsetting view of Sarah and Natalie, her best friend. He remembered how Natalie had stood supporting her friend with a smirk on her face, and his expression dripped with ice.

Ciro raised his wine glass toward them slowly and deliberately and smiled, while inwardly restraining himself from strangling them.

Sarah's face went bright red, her stomach betraying her at the sight of the meal with a growl.

"I already told you that I am here to see my boyfriend," she huffed impatiently at the host, then turned to stare seductively and innocently into Ciro's eyes.

He almost snorted.

"You weren't picking up my calls, Ciro. I was beginning to get worried." She spoke in a lyrical tune that should have sounded like music, but to Ciro it was nothing more than a snake hissing.

"Boyfriend?" His eyes lifted with a tang of irritation.

"Sarah told me everything that happened," Natalie cut in smoothly. "You know she didn't mean a word of it, right? It's just another one of those social media prank trends that I advised her to try out just to get your reaction."

"Is that so."

Sarah quickly gave an affirmative nod. But it was obvious they were only there because they had seen him eating at a high-end restaurant.

"Yes, baby. I could never leave you for anything. You must feel lonely eating alone, and you know how much I've always wanted to try a meal here."

"You still haven't told him how you got the money to eat at such a place," Natalie added, eyes sharp with calculation.

"My luck paid out. I won a lottery," he replied like it was a walk in the park.

Sarah's eyes widened. Her mind ran wild with calculations. If Ciro was able to dine at such a luxurious place with lottery money, it could only mean the winnings numbered in the millions of dollars.

"I was going to tell you this morning, but sadly, we are already done."

Sarah's heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach.

"I really wish I could believe you, Sarah, but this morning just felt too real."

He leaned back slightly, studying her.

"Except there is something, of course, that you could use to prove your loyalty."

"Anything, Ciro. Anything to show how much I really love you."

"Then prove your loyalty to me, Sarah. Prove that you can do anything for me. That you are the most submissive woman on the planet. Kneel so I can have my meal."

Sarah's stomach churned, burned, and sank as the crowd watched closely with murmurs rippling through the room.

But all her gold-digging instincts had gone wild, and she was ready to do anything to drain Ciro dry—even if it meant cameras flashing in her face and the internet blowing up.

Ciro placed his plate comfortably on her back, and the taste of his meal seemed to deepen with the subtle hint of revenge.

She was about to rise and take a seat like nothing had happened between them, but Ciro's cold stare made her think twice, and she froze.

"I ordered the meal for myself alone, sadly." There was a quiet glint in Ciro's eyes as he continued. "But you can stay and watch. I don't mind."

And they did. Thirty minutes felt like one hell of a lifetime. Meal after meal rolled onto the table from different continents—dishes that only royalty would feast on for celebration.

Ciro even tossed a piece of steak to a passing dog while they got nothing.

By the time he was done, the saliva had dried in their mouths.

When he finally rose from the table, they followed Ciro closely from behind like loyal servants.

Once Ciro was done with his meal, he drove straight to the bank. His phone was blowing up with texts, missed calls, and voicemails from an angry boss, all carrying the same energy: I am going to kill you.

You can try, Ciro replied in his head.

The city was experiencing a worker shortage, and there wouldn't be a replacement for him anytime soon.

Ciro arrived at the bank, liquidating all the money he had saved over the years to build a future with Sarah. The thought almost made him puke.

"Are you sure you want to liquidate all two million dollars?" the banker asked with a concerned look on her face.

"No matter how many times you ask me that question, my answer won't change," Ciro responded flatly, and her face burned bright red.

Stares bored into him from behind.

People shook their heads after overhearing the conversation—mostly people he recognized.

"He must have gotten into some trouble, so he's desperate."

"Just another gambler drowning in debt," a bald-headed man noted, and almost everyone agreed with him right away.

"What a pity, isn't it?"

"The only ones who will be pitied in a few months' time are all of you," Ciro muttered as he brushed past them in haste, and their blood ran cold.

And he's also a lunatic.

From there, Ciro headed to an estate company. He had two plots of land inherited from his grandfather. The first he was going to use to build a personal fortress, while the other he was ready to sell.

He approached the agent. They were fast with their business but mostly shady.

"The stock for real property has been falling lately. Your land won't fetch more than a million," the agent said. Ciro could see straight through the lies.

But if he wanted to go through the proper legal process, it was going to take an excessive amount of time and paperwork he didn't have.

"I really need the money urgently. I wish I could go lower, but I can't."

"I'm afraid I can't help you, but maybe the manager could."

The distasteful web of lies left a sour feeling in Ciro's throat, and soon enough a bald-headed man walked in—a former classmate with a glint of amusement on his face.

"Selling your inheritance now?" He couldn't help but mock.

"I'm quite the generous man, so I can offer you as much as one million two hundred."

There was a wide grin on the bald man's face. Real estate was a gold mine, and acquiring land so easily was ever-growing wealth. What he didn't realize was that soon only a tiny fraction of the world's population would remain, and land would become completely worthless.

"Great! Great!"

The bald man grinned wider, the paperwork was processed swiftly, and the money landed in Ciro's account. The notification sound created an overflow of joy, and as he stepped outside, snowflakes fell on his head.

Then more.

News flashed across every screen in sight—the city, closer to the equator than any other, was experiencing its first snowfall in a year.

A woman danced nearby, ecstatic.

"The snow—it's a sign from God that this year is going to be a blessing!" she announced, while others who had never seen snow before rejoiced around her.

Ciro watched them quietly.

He knew better.