Ch 21: Smooth Preparations- Part 3

The manager quickly led Selene to a private side room, her hands twitching with nervous energy. She hesitated before speaking.

"Miss Vale, how long do you plan to stay? Would you like me to inform your family?"

Selene remained calm, her expression unreadable. 

"No. My visit is a secret. I'm here to check the hotel's facilities. Since this place is under my family's management, I want to see if it meets our standards." 

She folded her arms, her voice steady. 

It was a lie and speaking this made Selene's heart skip a beat in fear. She had never lied like this before, so she was not sure if what she sounded like was believable or not.

But her worries turned out to be nothing to be concerned over. The manager was totally eating up the shit she was making.

The manager stiffened. 

"I— I see."

Selene leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharp. 

"If word of my presence leaks out, the hotel will fail its evaluation. And that wouldn't be good for you, would it?" 

Her tone darkened, pressing the weight of her words onto the woman before her. She channeled the way her mother used to talk to people she considered worthless.

As much as it hurt Selene to act like this, it was for her greater good. And it was not like she was harming the manager by being like this.

The manager swallowed hard.

"I'm telling you this because I like you. I'd rather see you remain in charge here than someone less competent." 

Selene continued, her voice softening just a bit. 

A flicker of relief passed through the manager's eyes. She quickly straightened up and gave Selene a small nod, as if sealing an unspoken agreement.

"Understood, Miss Vale."

Without further questions, the manager led her to one of the hotel's top-security rooms. Only Selene would have access to it, ensuring absolute privacy.

"This room has been reserved for VIPs. No one will disturb you here. I will also make sure any records of your visit are scrapped out of our system." 

The manager explained as she unlocked the door with a key card. It was the only access to this place.

Selene stepped inside, her sharp eyes scanning the interior. Spacious. Secure. Well-maintained. It was more than what she could handle.

But showing how overwhelmed she felt was not a choice she had.

She turned back to the manager and gave a small nod of approval. 

"Good work."

The woman's shoulders loosened. 

"I hope you have a pleasant stay, Miss Vale." 

She bowed slightly before leaving the room, ensuring the door was locked securely behind her.

Once alone, Selene let out a slow breath and sat on the plush couch.

Her body ached from the nonstop errands, but she couldn't allow herself to relax too much.

This was only temporary.

She needed to stay alert, just in case she had to leave on short notice.

After all, the world was still normal—for now. But that wouldn't last.

And when everything collapsed, she would be ready.

______

Selene stretched out on the bed, savoring the rare moment of peace. 

The past few days had been a whirlwind of preparations, and exhaustion was finally catching up to her. 

But she couldn't afford to slow down. Now was the time to press her advantage.

She had food delivered to her room and ate quickly, fueling herself for whatever came next.

Just as she was finishing her meal, her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID— it was the construction company she had hired to check her site out.

"Miss Vale, we have great news. We took a look around the property and found a small two-story house on the land. It's run-down, but with renovations, it can be ready in a month. If that is something you want us to get started on, do tell us." 

The man on the other end said, his tone eager. 

Selene sat up, her brows furrowing. 

"A house?" 

She hadn't noticed anything except that land she had bought. 

"Yes. It was covered by overgrown trees and debris, which is why it wasn't listed in the initial sale. But if you're willing to pay extra, we can have it renovated and fully functional within the month" 

The man sounded desperate, likely not wanting to lose this deal. 

Selene tapped her fingers against the table, thinking. This was unexpected. The company could have easily kept quiet and made her pay for a completely new structure. 

Yet, they were offering a quicker and cheaper solution.

A good sign.

She made a mental note to give them a tip about stockpiling supplies once the job was done. 

Reliable people would be rare once the world collapsed, and she had no reason to hold back a little kindness.

"Do it. Make it as secure as possible. I'll also need a specialist to install security measures and the tech I purchased." 

She gave the needed permission.

"We'll handle everything. We'll update you as we go." 

The man assured her. 

The call ended, and for the first time in days, Selene felt her mood lift. Things were progressing even better than she expected.

She threw off the blankets and got up. The air in the room felt stuffy, so she decided to take a walk outside.

The streets were still bustling, people going about their daily lives, unaware that their world would soon turn to ruin. 

Selene walked slowly, taking in the normalcy. It was strange—she had lived through all of this before, yet it felt distant.

Then, suddenly, her system pinged.

A sharp notification appeared in front of her.

[New Directive: Proceed to Designated Location.]

Selene frowned.

This was new.

In her past life, she had never received any guidance from the system. Her title had only been revealed to her now, and the system had stayed silent otherwise. So why was it giving her instructions all of a sudden?

Her first instinct was to ignore it. But the directive remained, pulsing faintly at the back of her mind.

Annoyed, Selene sighed.

"…Fine."

She adjusted her jacket and turned in the direction the system wanted her to go.

She would check it out.