Chapter 3: Max Out His Card

Phinex’s POV

I suddenly burst out laughing and reached over to straighten her shoulder strap.

“Just teasing you.”

Dilia visibly relaxed.

“You scared me to death!”

“By the way, isn’t your birthday coming up?” I asked.

Her eyes lit up at once.

“In half a month! I’ve already booked the venue.”

“Then make sure you prepare well.” I smiled even more sincerely than she did. “I’ll definitely be there.”

Before long, Dilia would do something even more outrageous. And I had plans of my own…

Dilia completely missed the meaning behind my words. She even spun around on the spot, making her skirt flare.

“That day, I’ll be the most beautiful woman there.”

“Mm.” I nodded. “I’m looking forward to it too.”

Looking forward to watching you cry.

At last, she left, completely satisfied.

I continued pushing my cart through the store.

First, I picked out two enormous hiking backpacks so I could carry supplies with me more easily.

For warmth, I took five windproof, waterproof down jackets, five insulated outdoor jackets, five pairs of snow boots, and five pairs of thermal gloves. I also grabbed an entire case of disposable heat patches and another case of thermal face masks.

For food, I chose things that were filling and packed with calories: compressed biscuits, instant porridge, chocolate, and energy bars.

I loaded each type of food into the cart by the case.

I took two cases each of water and energy drinks.

I also grabbed a few changes of underwear and socks, along with sanitary pads—the one thing no woman could do without.

If it could keep us alive, I took it.

If it could keep us warm, I took it.

If it could be stored for a long time, I took it.

The cart piled up like a small mountain.

When it was time to pay, I pulled a card from my wallet.

Cecilia’s.

Beep.

Payment approved.

I looked at the total printed on the receipt, and for the first time, I felt genuinely happy.

“Again.”

In one breath, I pushed ten shopping carts up to the registers.

Every successful charge felt like another slap across Cecilia’s face.

Wasn’t he always saying I was ugly, useless, and unworthy of living?

Apparently, his money was perfectly worthy of being spent by me.

Batch after batch of supplies was delivered to the underground parking garage.

Once I was sure no one was around, I stuffed everything into the trunk of my car.

In an instant, the supplies vanished.

The trunk still looked completely empty.

I had discovered this earlier.

No matter what I put inside, the trunk looked as if it contained nothing at all.

But whenever I thought of something I wanted, I could reach in, find it, and take it out.

It had unlimited storage, and retrieving things was effortless.

Thank God. This trunk was incredible!

How could I possibly worry about having nowhere to store survival supplies?

Next came the safe house.

I drove out to the outskirts of the city.

In my previous life, while searching for supplies, I had accidentally discovered an abandoned air-raid shelter.

It was remote, but its main structure was still intact. Even the heavy metal door remained, though the lock was broken.

I pushed aside the weeds towering over my head and looked at the door. I couldn’t help smiling.

“Repair the door, insulate the place, install ventilation and electricity…”

“Then tidy up the interior. This will make a perfectly warm safe house.”

…

A few days later.

I was in the garage putting medicine into the trunk when a syrupy voice suddenly floated in from the living room.

“Darling bestie! Where are you?”

My hands stopped moving.

It was Dilia.

For the past few days, Cecilia had kept claiming that he was “away on business.”

But I knew perfectly well which bed he had gone to.

I put the last box of gauze into the trunk, shut the door, and walked into the living room.

Dilia was sitting on my sofa, idly playing with one of Cecilia’s watches.

The watch I had given him.

There was a partially concealed hickey on her neck.

She also carried the faint scent of cologne—the same kind Cecilia often wore.

When she saw me, she casually placed the watch back on the table as if nothing were wrong.

“You finally came out.”

I stared at her neck for two seconds.

She noticed and quickly lifted a hand to cover it with her hair.

“A mosquito bite.”

“Oh.”

I nodded. “That must have been one big mosquito.”

Dilia’s expression stiffened.

I didn’t give her a chance to explain.

“What do you want?”

She immediately put on a troubled expression. Her eyes reddened in an instant.

“Phinex, something happened recently.”

“You’re in debt?” I asked.

She froze. “How did you know?”

Of course I knew.

On this very day in my previous life, she had sat in front of me crying, saying she was buried in debt, being hounded by creditors, and completely out of options.

Then she had coaxed me into selling my premarital property to pay her debts.

And I really had sold it.

She used my money to repay her debts, buy jewelry, and book hotel rooms with my husband.

After the apocalypse, she stole my supplies and kicked me out.

Thinking about it now, the woman I had been in my previous life hadn’t been kind.

She had simply been out of her mind.

“Just a guess.” I sat down across from her. “Go on.”

Dilia immediately took my hand.

“I knew you understood me better than anyone.”

I nearly pulled my hand away, but forced myself to endure it.

“I really have no other choice. My creditors are pressing me so hard. I can’t sleep at night.”

As she spoke, tears began rolling down her cheeks.

“You and Cecilia aren’t short of money. No one is even living in that premarital house of yours anymore. Why don’t you… sell it? Give the money to me.”

I said nothing.

She must have believed she was my husband’s true love. She must have thought I would soften and was certain she could get her hands on my property.

When she assumed I was wavering, she raised the stakes.

“I’m not taking it for free! I swear, I’ll pay back every penny in three years. At most, three years!”

“Three years?”

“Yes!”

“What about interest?”

She froze again.

“Do we really need to talk about interest between us?”

I smiled. “Why shouldn’t we?”

The helpless look on her face was beginning to crack.

“Phinex, we’ve been friends for twelve years.”

“So?”

“So you’re capable of helping me now. Why won’t you?” Her voice began to sharpen. “It’s not as if you’re short of this little bit of money!”

At last, she could no longer keep pretending.

I slowly pulled my hand out of her grasp.

“First, that is my premarital property.”

“Second, your debts are not my debts.”

“Third…”

I glanced at the hickey on her neck, then at the watch on the table.

“Don’t you know a very wealthy man?”

Dilia’s face turned deathly white.

“What—what are you implying?”

“Nothing.” I stood up. “If you want money, go to someone willing to give it to you.”

“Don’t come to me. I’m not a free ATM.”

“Phinex!”

She stood up too, finally losing her temper out of humiliation.

“What happened to you? You weren’t like this before!”

“What a shame.” I opened the door. “The old Phinex is dead.”

Dilia’s face twisted. “You—”

“Get out.”

“You’ll regret this!”

“Get out!”

I shoved her straight out the door.

She nearly twisted an ankle on her high heels. Turning back, she glared at me.

“Phinex! You’re throwing away our friendship over such a small amount of money?”

I smiled.

“Such a small amount?”

“Then pay it back yourself.”

Bang!

The door slammed shut in her face.

I locked it.

The hallway stayed silent for several seconds.

Then I heard her lower her voice and spit out a venomous curse.

“Bitch…”

A moment later, I heard her make a phone call.

“Cecilia, something’s seriously wrong with her.”

“She refused to agree to sell the house.”

“I don’t care! You have to figure out that debt.”

When she ended the call, she lowered her voice and said one last thing.

“Phinex, I’m going to get everything you have.”