Nina Jacobs hadn't expected Vera Coleman to show up.
Daniel Hale had come with her.
Fortunately, she had already put away everything important in her system's storage. All that was left out at home was some rice, flour, oil, and other basic supplies.
"I heard from Leo Hale that he ran into you, and you were even being harassed? Why didn't you tell me about something so serious?"
As soon as she opened the door, Vera Coleman pulled Nina in, looking her up and down. She spoke quickly, and her furrowed brow made it seem like she was angry.
In her previous life, Nina couldn't have gotten along with Vera when she was like this.
She'd even found her words caustic.
And yet, this was the same Vera who had been willing to come for her when things were at their most dangerous.
"As long as the kid's alright, that's all that matters."
Daniel Hale spoke with a thick regional accent, the gold chain around his neck even thicker than the last time Nina had seen it.
The old Nina had found Daniel Hale unbearably tacky. She'd thought only the nouveau riche would buy something as gaudy as gold.
But now, she thought Daniel Hale had exceptionally keen foresight.
After all, by the second year of the apocalypse, paper money and bank cards would become completely worthless.
Aside from the Crystal Cores inside zombie heads, which served as currency, the only other accepted payment was gold.
She had only learned in her previous life, from Leo Hale, that Daniel Hale was the one who had pulled strings to get her that high-paying job right before graduation.
He just hadn't told her, afraid she wouldn't accept the help.
"I know you think I'm nagging, but please, don't tune me out."
Remembering the reason for her visit, Vera Coleman quickly changed her tone.
"Please, come in."
Nina welcomed the two of them inside.
Seeing that Nina wasn't angry and, in fact, looked quite gentle, the anxious Daniel Hale let out a sigh of relief.
The moment he stepped into the living room, however, Daniel Hale's true nature returned:
"This place won't do. The building is old and run-down. It's not safe for a young lady to live here all by herself. You know what? If it comes to it, Uncle Hale will just buy you a new house!"
Vera Coleman quickly jabbed Daniel Hale, silently telling him to rein it in.
'Her daughter hated this kind of ostentatious display of wealth.'
But Nina's reaction caught them both completely off guard.
"Oh? Since you're so rich, Uncle Hale, how about you give me a few gold bars instead?"
Nina said with a smile, though she didn't seem to be joking.
It took Daniel Hale a moment to process that, but then he burst out laughing.
"Classy, very classy! Knowing that gold is more valuable than property at your age... You really are college-educated, aren't you?"
"I was just joking."
"We're family; we don't joke about things like this. As long as you agree to come home with us, forget gold bars—I'll get you a whole mountain of gold."
Daniel Hale said with a smile.
"Live with you?"
Nina knew her mother had always wanted her to move into the Hale family home right after graduation, but today, Vera looked like she had something else on her mind.
"Nina, come back to me. You can learn the business from your Uncle Hale, and our family can have a good life together. That's more important than anything."
Vera held Nina's hand, looking somewhat embarrassed, as if she were holding something back.
"Yeah, Nina. That good-for-nothing son of mine, Leo, is always out fooling around. Instead of going to work for someone else, you should come work for the family! I'll pay you ten times what they would—no, a hundred times! That way, I can also free up some time to spend with your mom."
Daniel Hale felt like he might actually have a shot today.
For some reason, he felt that Nina was different today.
"Mom, if you have something on your mind, you can just say it."
Nina, however, read between the lines of what Daniel Hale had said.
"Nina, your mom is pregnant."
The room fell silent the moment Daniel Hale spoke.
Vera watched as her daughter's expression grew darker and darker, and a knot of anxiety tightened in her own chest.
'Her daughter is already a grown woman. It's only natural she wouldn't be able to accept this.'
'But she and Hale couldn't bear the thought of getting rid of the little life inside her…'
"How far along are you?"
Nina asked, frowning as she stared at Vera's stomach.
"F-four... A little over four months."
Both Vera and Daniel sat up straighter.
'She hadn't even been this nervous during her prenatal checkups. Could her daughter really not accept this baby?'
"I see."
Nina's mind was racing, trying to figure out what to do next. She didn't even notice how tense the couple was.
"I'll come over tomorrow afternoon. Make sure you have the gold ready. The more, the better."
Nina's feelings were complicated.
Perhaps the reason Leo Hale had hated her so much in her previous life was because of this child.
But he never told her about it.
"Oh! Oh! Right, okay! We'll be at home waiting for you. I'll go get things ready as soon as I get back!"
Daniel Hale and Vera were overjoyed.
'Does this mean Nina agreed to come back?'
Vera was especially happy. Even though Nina didn't seem thrilled about the baby, at least she hadn't pushed them away entirely.
'Besides, buying gold is an investment. It wouldn't hurt to buy a little extra.'
After Vera and Daniel left, Nina grew even more agitated.
She ended up going to the nearest baby supply store and buying a large amount of infant products, clothes, and blankets.
As she was walking down the street, laden with bags, she ran into a familiar face.
"Nina? Out shopping? Why did you buy so much?"
Renee Strong stepped out of a car, her eyes fixed on Nina and the bags she was holding.
'The apocalypse is coming soon.'
'Has Nina started hoarding supplies, too?'
'Does she know something?'
"Why do I keep running into you? Stealing my man was bad enough. Don't tell me you're trying to compete with what I'm buying, too?"
'That's when Nina remembered the wholesale grain and oil market was just on the next street over. Renee must be here to hoard supplies, too. She just happened to run into me.'
"I'm just curious what you could possibly be buying this late."
Renee still looked like she wasn't going to drop it.
"I just came out of a baby supply store. What do you think I bought?"
Nina nonchalantly loosened her grip on the bags, revealing the baby clothes and supplies inside.
Renee let out a sigh of relief.
'What kind of sane person buys baby clothes right before the apocalypse?'
'Looks like I was overthinking things.'
"And you? What are you doing wandering around here so late? Don't tell me you got into a fight with that scumbag of yours."
Nina's gloating expression instantly made Renee's blood boil.
"For your information, we're doing just fine. Liam's parents and family are in City D. I was just out picking up a few things," Renee explained.
'So she brought her family here, too?'
Thinking of Liam Grant's family, Nina couldn't help but smirk.
'Having a family like that around during the apocalypse... It's bound to be interesting…'
"Well, I hope you all have fun."
Nina walked away without a backward glance.
Renee returned to the car, where two other people were waiting.
"I'm still not convinced. Wyatt, go and confirm."
Simon Abbott said, pushing up his glasses as he stared in the direction Nina had gone.
"Is that necessary? Shannon Renner wasn't reborn, and Nina's acting like this. There's no way she's one of us," Renee said, disagreeing.
Simon Abbott had always been meticulous. In their past life, he had been the team's master strategist.
But she felt she'd already been perfectly clear in her questioning; there was no need for Simon to take this extra, unnecessary step.
"It's necessary," Simon said. "Because she is the one variable among us."