The next few days were a blur. Daniel moved with a single-minded determination that he hadn't known he was capable of before. He drained his bank accounts, maxed out his credit cards, and applied for every loan he could get his hands on. He didn't care about the consequences—money meant nothing in the face of what was coming. It was all about survival.
He used the funds to buy a mansion—a sprawling property in an upscale neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. It was extravagant, far more than he would ever need, but it was the perfect place to fortify, to build his refuge. It had plenty of space, far from the chaos that would engulf the city when the apocalypse began.
He hired a construction crew, paying them to start work on an underground bunker—reinforced walls, special insulation, secret compartments. It was a massive project, and the contractors were curious, throwing him odd looks, but he didn't care.
One of them had laughed, saying, "Planning for the end of the world or something?"
Daniel had smiled, his eyes cold. "Something like that."
The mansion was perfect. It was secluded, surrounded by woods on one side, with a good vantage point and plenty of space for defenses. He made sure every detail was planned—the security, the supplies, the escape routes. He wouldn't let anything catch him off guard.
In between overseeing the construction and gathering supplies, Daniel found himself fielding calls from Ashley almost daily. She was persistent, her voice growing more desperate each time. She accused him of being selfish, of abandoning her, of throwing their relationship away.
Daniel listened with a detached calm, his mind focused on his plans. Each call only solidified his resolve. She was nothing to him now. A parasite. And when the apocalypse came, she would be just another fool who hadn't been prepared.
One night, after another call filled with her ranting about how he was ruining her life, Daniel hung up and sat in the dark of his new home, a grim smile on his lips.
"Just wait, Ashley," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. "I'll make sure you regret everything. You'll wish you had never crossed me."
He wasn't sure exactly what form his revenge would take, but he knew one thing for sure: she would suffer. And when the world fell apart, and people were dying in the cold, he would be the one in control. He would survive. He would thrive.
And those who had betrayed him? They'd be nothing but a footnote in his story.
The first chapter of Daniel's new life was filled with anger, with a determination that burned hotter than the sun. The world was about to end, and Daniel had one goal: to come out on top, no matter the cost.
The afternoon sun hung low over the wealthy neighborhood, casting long shadows that seemed to wrap around Daniel's mansion. The hum of construction equipment echoed through the estate grounds as workers moved about, digging deep into the earth to expand the bunker beneath. Reinforced walls, hidden compartments, secure doors—everything was coming together according to his design. The mansion was going to be a fortress by the time the first signs of The Great Cold hit.
Daniel stood at the edge of the construction site, arms crossed, watching as the workers dug into the earth. The bunker needed to be perfect. Any mistake, any oversight, could mean death—not just for him, but for anyone he allowed inside. If he allowed anyone inside.
"Hey there, new neighbor!"
The sudden voice, loud and confident, made Daniel's head turn. A woman stood at the edge of his property, leaning casually against the fence. She looked to be in her late twenties, with dark hair tied up in a loose bun and an easy smile on her lips. Her eyes, however, were sharp, as if she was taking in every detail.
"New construction, huh?" She gestured toward the digging crew. "Most people just renovate the kitchen when they move in. You planning on building a bomb shelter or something?"
Daniel's guard went up instantly. He narrowed his eyes, assessing her quickly. She was wearing casual clothing—jeans, a tank top, sneakers. Nothing unusual. But her eyes, her stance—something about her screamed trouble. She didn't look nervous or shy about approaching a stranger, which was out of the ordinary. Most of his neighbors had steered clear, either because they assumed he was rich and unfriendly or because they were too busy with their own lives.
This woman, however, seemed very comfortable with intruding on his space.
"Just taking some precautions," Daniel said evenly, not giving much away. He wasn't interested in small talk, not with the apocalypse knocking on humanity's door. He had more pressing matters—like getting his bunker completed and stocked up.
The woman laughed, pushing herself off the fence and stepping closer. "Smart. I'm Claire, by the way. I live just down the road. Figured I'd come by and introduce myself. Not every day you get a new neighbor around here."
Daniel forced a smile, though his body remained tense. Something about her was off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He opened his mouth to respond when something flickered in the air above her head—something that made him freeze.
A bar. Faintly glowing. Orange with a hint of red.
Daniel blinked, his heart skipping a beat. He stared at the glowing bar for a moment, trying to make sense of it, when the system's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, cold and clear.
[Potential Partner Detected: Claire. High compatibility. Enormous potential if granted abilities.]
Daniel's breath caught. He almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of it. He had wondered when—or if—the system would activate. He hadn't expected it to be now, or in this way. He took a moment to glance at Claire again, and sure enough, the bar was still there.
[Condition: Must engage in intercourse to unlock abilities.]
Of course. Of fucking course. He had just sworn off trusting people—romantic entanglements were off the table, and yet, here he was, faced with this. A system that required him to get close to people—intimately close—in order to grant them powers.
"Something wrong?" Claire's voice broke through his thoughts, her head tilting slightly as she looked at him with a curious frown. She must have noticed him staring.