I Inherited Trillions, Now What?

Chapter 85 First day at the new work II

Barbara stood at the docks, glancing around in confusion. This was supposed to be the meeting point for her new employer, yet all she saw was the open sea stretching endlessly before her. She frowned, muttering to herself, "What's all this?"

The past few days had felt like a dream. Ever since she landed the job, her father's attitude toward her had shifted dramatically. He had showered her with love and attention like never before, even extending his newfound generosity to her husband. They had been living in luxury, indulging in things they had never imagined.

Just days ago, they had gone furniture shopping for their home, and to her astonishment, her father had casually handed her the keys to his Mercedes-Maybach S680—a car worth $250,000. She had expected him to protest, to scold her for even considering it. But instead, he had merely asked, "Is that the one?" before passing her the keys without a second thought. The ease with which he had done it left her shaken, making her question the true nature of the job she had been given—or rather, the identity of the person she was about to work for.

Now, standing at the docks, she had chosen not to bring the car, a small display of her newly developed sense of financial discipline. Still, the uncertainty of what lay ahead weighed heavily on her.

As Barbara walked a little further, her eyes widened slightly at the sight ahead—a small structure that resembled a guard post. Her heart picked up pace as she made her way toward it. Upon reaching the area, she noticed a compact guardhouse beside the post, its dark-tinted windows concealing whoever—or whatever—was inside.

She hesitated for a moment before stepping closer, her gaze landing on a small intercom mounted beside the entrance. With a deep breath, she pressed the button. A faint buzzing sound followed, making her frown. What now? She debated whether to speak, hoping someone was listening, when suddenly, a gruff voice crackled through the speaker.

"Hello."

She flinched slightly, startled by the sudden response.

"Ehm... hello," she replied nervously, her voice barely above a whisper. Then, clearing her throat, she steadied herself and spoke with more confidence.

"Hello, I'm here for a job. My name is—"

Before she could finish, the voice interrupted.

"Mrs. Longbottom?"

Her breath hitched. The way they said her name—it wasn't a question, more of a confirmation.

"Yes, yes! That's me. And do I—"

A sharp beep cut her off, followed by silence. She frowned, glancing around. What just happened? Why did they stop talking?

Before she could dwell on it, a deep, mechanical hum filled the air. Then came a loud, heavy buzz, vibrating through the ground beneath her feet. She turned sharply toward the massive black gate in front of her, its towering frame made of thick, heavy metal. It rattled slightly before groaning to life, gears grinding as it slowly crept open.

Barbara instinctively took a step back, watching as the massive doors parted like the entrance to some secretive world. The space beyond remained shadowed, giving away nothing of what lay ahead.

She took a deep breath, glancing sideways, then behind her, as if expecting someone to call her back. No one did.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she squared her shoulders and stepped forward, crossing the threshold

As Barbara stepped past the massive gate, she instinctively began moving forward, her eyes landing on what appeared to be a garage in the distance. Just as she was about to continue, a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Wait."

She flinched slightly but quickly steeled herself, turning toward the source of the voice. From the side, a door she hadn't noticed before swung open, and a man emerged. He was tall and imposing, his face marked by a deep scar that ran from his brow down to his cheek. But it wasn't the scar that made her breath hitch—it was the gun strapped securely to his body.

Her stomach tightened at the sight of the weapon. She wasn't well-versed in firearms, but it looked far more advanced than anything she had ever seen, the kind of gun straight out of a war movie. Who exactly am I working for?

"ID, please," the man said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Her hands moved on instinct, fumbling with her purse as she scrambled to pull out her identification card. She handed it over, her fingers trembling slightly. The man took it without a word, inspecting it for a brief moment before turning and disappearing back inside the guardhouse.

Barbara exhaled, thinking she was done, but when he returned moments later, he held a sleek, rectangular device in his hand.

"Place your finger here for the fingerprint scan," he instructed.

She glanced at the device, then back at him. His expression was unreadable, his gaze steady, offering no explanation. She hesitated for a second before stretching out her hand, pressing all five fingers onto the scanner. A soft beep followed, and a green light flickered to life.

Barbara's breath caught in her throat as a digital image flashed onto the screen—a picture of her. One she didn't remember taking. How do they already have my photo?

She wanted to ask, but before she could form the words, the man spoke again.

"Enter inside. Your ride to the main building is ready. And welcome, Mrs. Longbottom."@@@@

With that, he turned on his heel and disappeared back into the guardhouse, leaving Barbara standing there with more questions than answers.

Not wanting to be late, Barbara turned on her heel and made her way toward the building the man had directed her to the same building she noticed earlier. After a short walk, she reached the door and pushed it open. What she saw inside made her eyes widen in disbelief.

"Wow! If it's true, you're so lucky! I wish I could be the one working for them. The closest I've ever been was when Miss Evelyn sent me to get late-night food for her," she said with a dramatic groan.

Barbara couldn't help but laugh at Cindy's over-the-top expression. Her energy is contagious, she thought, a smile spreading across her face.

Cindy, still brimming with excitement, stopped in front of a door and turned toward Barbara.

"Okay, we're here," she said, suddenly bringing Barbara's attention back to the present.

Barbara blinked, looking around, still taking in the luxury of the place.

"Wait here," Cindy added quickly. Before Barbara could react, Cindy flashed her a grin and continued, "I want to get you a bottle of water before you meet the boss."

Barbara hesitated for a moment, then said, "No, don't worry about it, I'm fine."

Cindy, however, was insistent.

"Oh, trust me, you're going to meet the master now. It's better for you to drink something before you do," she said with a reassuring smile, turning around and heading toward a glass wall.

Barbara blinked, about to ask, "How can you get water through that?" but her words caught in her throat when she saw something that completely caught her off guard.

Cindy placed her hand on the glass, and to Barbara's astonishment, an interface appeared on the surface, almost like something straight out of a futuristic movie. Cindy moved with ease, like a tech wizard, manipulating the interface with precision. Barbara stood frozen, watching in awe. After a few moments, Cindy turned back with a satisfied smile.

"The water will be here soon," she said nonchalantly.

Barbara was still staring, her mind trying to process what she had just seen. The shock on her face was unmistakable.

"What was that?" she blurted out, though she wasn't really expecting an answer.

As someone who prided herself on knowing the finest things in life, she knew high-tech gadgets, luxury items, and exclusive innovations were part of the world she inhabited, the test she felt she did the most allowing her to secure this job would have been the high-tech part of it. But what Cindy had just done was beyond anything Barbara had encountered. She recognized it immediately—a Self-Adapting Smart Glass Window.

It was something she had read about in the past, and according to the reports, the technology was not supposed to be available until 2030. Yet, here it was, in front of her, operating as if it were just another part of the building's normal features.

Cindy glanced at Barbara, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "It's the smart windows," she said casually.

Barbara, still processing what she'd seen, replied, "Of course I know that. But what I mean is, what's it doing here? When did it get here? Isn't it supposed to be at least six years out?"

Cindy chuckled, clearly amused by Barbara's reaction. "Mrs. Longbottom, I'd advise you to get used to things like this. I get it; my first time here was just as overwhelming. But the easiest way to accept it is to think of it like this: when you step onto this island, you've entered a little piece of the future This island is at least a couple of years ahead of the rest of the world."

Barbara, still shocked, shook her head slowly. "Seems I'll need that water after all."

Cindy's laughter rang out, light and carefree, as she handed Barbara the water, and the two continued their walk through the grand hallways. They passed breathtaking rooms and greeted a string of maids, Cindy clearly well-liked by everyone they encountered.

As they approached a large door, Cindy's demeanor shifted. The bright smile she'd worn earlier was replaced by a more serious expression. "This is the place. It was lovely meeting you, Mrs. Longbottom," she said.

Barbara was momentarily taken aback by the change in tone but smiled, adjusting to the shift. "Thank you, Cindy, and you can call me Barbara."

Cindy smiled and knocked on the door. After a moment, a woman's voice came through, calm yet authoritative. "Come in."

Barbara's nerves, already fragile, spiked as the door creaked open. She should have been more focused on what was happening, on the weight of the moment, but her mind was elsewhere, racing.

'I should've known,' she thought. 'The way the money was spent, the logo, the private island... Everything screamed luxury. It could only be.'

Her thoughts were interrupted the second she stepped inside. Her eyes locked on HIM

"Hey everyone! ????‍♂️ I know, I know, this chapter might be a bit on the boring side, and for that, I'm sorry! But hey, sometimes a book needs those nitty-gritty chapters to set the stage for all the exciting stuff to come, right? ???? Think of it like the veggies before dessert—necessary, but we'll get to the good part soon enough. ???? Thanks for sticking with me through it! I promise the next one will make it all worth it. ????"

"Hey TW_MIRAGE and VisineAnt! ????

First off, I just wanna say a HUGE thank you for the incredible gifts! TW_MIRAGE, you outdid yourself with not one, not two, but THREE gifts! Are you secretly trying to bribe me into being your best friend forever? Because it's working. ???? And VisineAnt, you didn't just stop at one gift—oh no—you went ahead and threw in a golden ticket like it's Willy Wonka's factory. I'm over here feeling like I've hit the jackpot. ????

You two really know how to make someone's day. If there was a prize for best gift-givers, I'd be sending it straight to you two. Thank you so much for the kindness and generosity! You've definitely earned a spot in my Hall of Awesome People. ????

Sending you both endless virtual hugs Thank you both so much

If you'd like to support me, donations in the form of power stones, golden tickets, and gifts are always welcome. They really help me out. Thank you so much, and I hope you all have a great day!