Chapter 16: Ch 16: Securing the First asset- Part 1
Ethan Park stood at the entrance of the bank, his sharp eyes following the girl as she disappeared into the crowded streets.
His fingers clenched into fists.
Why did she look so familiar?
Sothing about her unsettled him—not just her face, but the way her presence lingered in his mind, like an old lody he couldn't quite place.
And then there was the other thing.
The faint traces of his own magical signature mixed into her aura.
It was fading—almost imperceptible—but it was there.
As far as Ethan knew, he had nothing to do with this girl. It was his first ti seeing her, so he was sure that he did not know her.
His brows furrowed as he tried to chase the elusive mory tugging at the edges of his consciousness.
A sudden pain blood in his skull.
Ethan sucked in a sharp breath, grabbing his head as images flashed before his eyes—too fast, too jumbled for him to understand.
Then—
Static.
The mory cut off, leaving behind only a dull, throbbing ache.
He cursed under his breath, massaging his temples.
"This has been happening too often lately. Is there sothing wrong with this body? Maybe I should get it checked out before the world starts falling apart."
He muttered, his tone sharp with frustration.
Ever since he rged with his host body and took control, these strange glitches had all but disappeared.
But now—
Now, they were returning. The mories of this body he had locked up tight were returning to him even when he was not done absorbing the host.
The real Ethan Park was beginning to fight back against him.
Ethan shook his head.
He had no ti for this.
Not when he was so close to achieving what he had co here to do.
Not when his revenge was within reach.
Just as he was regaining his composure, the sound of hurried footsteps drew his attention.
The bank clerk from earlier approached, his face shifting into an eager smile.
The sa clerk who had helped the girl.
Ethan straightened, his cold, calculating gaze locking onto the man.
The clerk greeted him with almost sickening enthusiasm.
"Ah, Young Master Park! It's an honor to assist you today. Please, co inside—"
The man practically bowed as he spoke.
Ethan ignored the flattery.
His mind was still fixated on the girl.
Her na.
Who was she?
Before the clerk could prattle on, Ethan cut him off with a single question:
"The girl who just left. What's her na?"
The clerk blinked in surprise, caught off guard.
"You an—?"
He hesitated, then quickly nodded.
"Ah, yes, of course! That was Miss Selene Vale."
Vale.
The na sent a sharp jolt through Ethan's chest, unexpected and unwanted.
His breath hitched.
Selene Vale.
He didn't know why, but hearing it hurt.
Like sothing was slipping through his fingers.
Sothing important.
Sothing he had lost.
But he couldn't afford to think about it. Not now.
Not when his path was already set.
Shoving the unfamiliar longing deep into the recesses of his mind, Ethan turned back to the clerk, his voice returning to its usual, detached coolness.
"I have sothing I need you to do for ."
He said.
The clerk's greedy eyes lit up.
"Of course, Young Master Park! Anything you need!"
Ethan smirked.
Good.
______
anwhile, Selene moved swiftly through the city streets, her bag of cash held close to her side.
She knew she couldn't afford to waste ti.
The apocalypse was coming.
And before she started gathering supplies, she needed one crucial thing:
Land.
A secure, isolated property where she could disappear before everything collapsed.
And she already had a place in mind.
A hidden estate in the outskirts of the city—one she had stumbled upon in her past life, but had been too weak and powerless to claim back then.
This ti, it would be hers.
Selene hailed a cab, giving the driver an address.
She had done her research before coming here—searching for a reputable property seller, soone with power and influence, soone who wouldn't ask too many questions.
The estate she wanted was no ordinary purchase.
It was off-market.
A place that belonged to an old, dying family with no heirs, its ownership tangled in bureaucracy and forgotten by most.
But Selene rembered.
She rembered how, in her last life, that very sa estate had beco a fortress for a group of survivors—strong, sturdy, and defensible against the horrors of the apocalypse.
It had been a safe haven.
Until it wasn't.
Selene knew exactly what had gone wrong back then.
And this ti, she would do better.
The cab pulled up to a tall, glass building—the headquarters of one of the most influential property agencies in the city.
Selene stepped out, adjusting her posture, slipping into the cold, calculating persona she needed for this mont.
Inside, she was greeted by a receptionist, who eyed her with mild curiosity.
"Do you have an appointnt?"
The woman asked.
"No. But I want to make a purchase. A very large one."
Selene said.
The receptionist raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
Selene didn't bla her.
To the outside world, she was nothing but a disgraced daughter from a wealthy family, a girl with no power, no influence, no worth.
But that was fine.
Because Selene had one thing no one else did.
Knowledge of the future.
And that made her dangerous.
The receptionist sighed, clearly about to dismiss her—
Until Selene reached into her bag and pulled out a thick stack of cash.
The woman's expression changed instantly.
"I'll fetch soone right away, Miss"
She said, her voice suddenly much more polite.
Selene smirked.
That's what she thought.
She took a seat in the waiting area, fingers drumming lightly against her arm.
Her mind was already moving a dozen steps ahead.
She needed to finalize the purchase, then secure transportation for her supplies.
She needed to disappear before her family could start looking for her.
She needed to survive.
And for that—
She needed to move fast.
Because ti was running out.
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