Chapter 12 An Unexpected Windfall
Finished
Kiara had stayed up most of the night, and by the time she returned to Skyhaven, all she wanted was a good, long sleep.
After parking the car, she didn’t bother with the elevator, For one, in this extreme heat, there was no telling when the power might cut out; for another, she knew her body was still weaker than she liked, and she never missed a chance to train it.
Taking the
airs two at a time, she jogged all the way up, slipped into her condominium, gave herself a quick rinse, and collapsed into bed. Sleep claimed her almost instantly,
When she woke again, it was already three in the afternoon.
Her body clock was in shambles, and she still felt groggy. But the thought of Cajun rabbit bites was enough to push her out of
bed.
After splashing some cold water on her face, she instinctively reached for the outdoor thermometer.
163 E
Yesterday, it had been 100 F.
She wasn’t shocked; from her experience, temperatures could climb past 175°F before the worst was over.
In the kitchen, she began preparing the rabbit meat and spices.
Once everything was lined up, she cleaned and dried the rabbit, cut it into bite–sized chunks, and marinated them in buttermilk, hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning. She dredged the pieces in seasoned flour, fried them until golden, then fried them again for extra crispness.
In a skillet, she sautéed garlic, onion, and chili in a little frying oil, tossed the rabbit back in, and finished with chopped parsley and Cajun seasoning a hot, smoky–spicy plate of rabbit bites was ready to serve.
She scooped some dirty rice, grabbed a cold bottle of soda from the fridge, and was just about to settle in with her food and a fantasy drama episode when a knock came at the door.
Kiara frowned, took a sip of soda and stared at the switch.
She regretted not flipping the breaker switch when she’d gotten back earlier; it would have kept the electric lock engaged.
Still, with Travis gone for good and no other acquaintances in Skyhaven, who could it be?
Kiara opened the door and was met with a bright, beaming smile that caught her off guard,
Isn’t this girl from the seventh floor?
Kiara narrowed her eyes, suspicion written all over her face.
Joy Bithell gave her a sweet, almost pleading grin. “Your cooking smells amazing. Could I maybe join you for a meal? I’ve been eating instant noodles for a week, and I think I’m going to be sick if 1 have another bite.
She looked every inch the pampered rich girl who’d never touched real hardship–so even begging for food, she managed to make it seem charming and innocent.
Clearly, life’s never hit her hard enough.
Kiara felt no urge to be kind.
Leaning one hand against the doorframe, her tone was ice. “No.”
Joy took a deep breath, as if trying to drink in the scent wafting from Kiara’s place, her mouth practically watering. I can pay you. My dad’s the chairman of the Bithell Group, Once he’s back in the country, Ill make sure you’re more than compensated
Kiara didn’t budge. “Not necessary. Now, could you leave?”
She knew the worth of food too well and the trouble she’d invite if she gave this girl so much as a bite.
Chapter 12 An Unexpected Windfall
Finished
Joy’s smile finally crumbled. Maybe no one had ever turned her down like this before. Eyes rimmed red, she turned and walked away.
Kiara shut the door without a flicker of hesitation.
Her appetite, however, was gone. Joy’s visit was a reminder–when everyone else was living on instant noodles and crackers, maybe she’d been a little high profile.
Kiara had no desire to stand out.
She picked up her phone and scrolled through the Skyhaven group cha
JoyOfJoy commented. ‘Smells so good! Whoever’s cooking, please share–just one spoonful! Spoon.jpg”
Ralph chimed in. “A week of instant noodles–I’m about to lose it. Whoever’s making that food, you’re cruel.”
LuvNile wrote. “Smells like it’s coming from our building. Didn’t think anyone here actually cooked.”
JoyOfJoy added. “Smells like it’s from the tenth floor! I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to beg for a plate!”
Elmer reminded. “Whoever’s cooking, you’ve caused a riot. Hand over the food, or we’ll come take it ourselves,”
Dozens more messages followed; everyone shared the same thought.
Kiara smirked. Let’s see if you can get past my door.
From now on, whenever she cooked something fragrant, she’d make sure every door and window was sealed tight.
After finally enjoying her meal, she stretched out on the couch, one hand on her full stomach, scrolling through her news
feed.
Joplor was still cut off, its volcano continuing to erupt. The brutal heatwave at home showed no sign of breaking, while Adroria was now facing the worst flooding in a thousand years.
Even desert regions–dry for centuries–were now drowning
The mood online had shifted. Where people had once joked about it being a short–lived crisis, “end of the world” was now a phrase repeated again and again.
Countless lives had already been lost in the disaster, and just as many had chosen to end their own rather than endure the relentless extremes
Experts urged people to seek counseling, but the internet was flooded with voices steeped in hopelessness, spreading despair like wildfire online.
Feeling the pull of that same negativity, Kiara switched off her phone. Enough news for one day.
Her hand drifted to her stomach, still full from her meal, and her gaze caught on the clutter spread across the coffee table- spoils from the night before, taken from Travis and his two lackeys.
Her eyes landed on a ring of keys. She stared at them for a moment, then made up her mind.
Two minutes later, she was unlocking Travis’s front door.
The smell of stale smoke hit her like a wall, making her cough twice.
Inside, the place was every cliché of nouveau riche excess–blinding gold trim, gaudy fixtures, and surfaces polished to a glare.
Still, wealth had its perks. The gold–inlaid hardwood sofa alone looked worth a fortune, and she sent it straight into her storage space.
Circling the living room, she stripped anything useful and tucked it away before heading straight for the study
If Travis was the kind of shallow braggart she thought he was, this was where the real treasures would be.
She’d expected Travis’s home to hold valuables, but when she stepped into his study and saw an entire wall glittering with rare crystals, her breath caught.
Chapter 12 An Unexpected Windfall
Well, this is unexpected. Talk about scavenging good stuff for free.
Finished
She brushed over the smooth facets of the crystals before she swept every last one into her storage space.
And the treasures didn’t stop there–gold bars and thick bundles of cash, all neatly tucked away in drawers.
But what truly made her pause was a heavy crate in the corner. When she opened it, she found it packed full of firearms and ammunition…
In her last life, Kiara had often wondered how someone as unimpressive as Travis had managed to bully his controlling the building.
Now she had her answer.
Still, why would he need this kind of arsenal?
For the first time, she felt a prickling sense that Travis wasn’t as simple as he looked.
With nothing pressing to do, she decided to dig further.
Her gut told her the study would hold the truth–and she was right.
way into
It didn’t take long before Kiara uncovered a stack of documents in Travis’s bookshelf–résumés from dozens of young men and women, all tied to Elespool
The employer listed on every single one made her blood run–cold; a notorious overseas syndicate known for harvesting
organs.
It was obvious now–Travis had been a middleman, luring people from home straight into that hell.
Kiara’s expression darkened as she counted the files. Over 200.
Any trace of satisfaction from her windfall vanished, replaced by hard, icy anger.
Travis had died easy; he deserved it a hundred times worse.
