Grace had curled up inside the villa long ago, lost in a mixture of exhaustion and confusion after the strange events of the night. 

The warmth of the house stood in sharp contrast to the fierce cold outside, but in her heart, unease stirred. Why had the temperature dropped so drastically? What was the meaning of the strange countdown on her arm?

All these questions swirled in her mind, and yet she had no answers.

Grace glanced over at Renault, who was busy tending the coal furnace, casually keeping the house warm while she struggled with the burden of all that had happened. What kind of person was Renault, really?

How could he remain so calm in the face of all this chaos?

The warmth inside the house contrasted sharply with the icy cold outside. Grace shivered just thinking about it. Her brother—was he out there, freezing? What if he couldn’t make it to safety?

She remembered her brother, Mark, who had told her he would go out to finish some business earlier that day. He had promised he’d return by nightfall, but where was he now?

"Renault," Grace called out, her voice filled with worry. "Do you think the storm outside is part of what you were talking about earlier? About the apocalypse?"

Renault looked up from his work and gazed at her with calm eyes. Should he tell her the full truth? Was it too much for her to handle?

"It’s real," he said slowly, not wanting to overwhelm her but also unwilling to lie. "The storm, the cold—it’s all part of what’s happening. It’s the beginning of the end."

Grace’s face paled. "The end?"

Renault nodded. "The temperature is going to keep dropping. This cold front will turn the world into a frozen wasteland. And that's only the start. Soon, earthquakes will tear the land apart, and volcanoes will erupt. This world will become unrecognizable. After that, the heat will come, and we’ll all burn. If the cold doesn’t get us first, the heat surely will."

Grace's lips trembled as she processed his words. Could this really be happening? It all sounded too terrible to believe, but something about the calm way Renault said it made her trust him.

Her mind flashed to her brother. Mark had gone out this afternoon, and he hadn’t come back yet. Where was he now? Was he safe?

"Renault, please, can you help me find my brother?" Grace asked desperately. 

Renault pulled out his phone and dialed Mark’s number, but there was no signal. The call couldn’t go through.

Grace’s heart sank. "What do we do? What if he’s stuck out there?"

Renault waved a hand dismissively. "Don’t worry. He’s probably just holed up somewhere warm, waiting out the storm. Maybe his phone’s dead or he’s in a place with no reception."

Grace shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "But he promised he’d be back! I should have gone with him. What if something happened to him?"

Renault paused, glancing at her sympathetically. "If he was heading for one of the bathhouses in town to relax, he’ll be fine. Those places stay warm, no matter how cold it gets outside. He’ll wait it out there and come back when the storm clears."

Grace’s heart clenched. "You think so? What if he didn’t make it? What if he’s out there, freezing?"

Renault sighed, pulling off his coat and tossing it on a nearby chair. "Grace, trust me. If your brother was smart enough to find shelter, he’ll be fine. The bathhouses are probably the safest places to be right now. Plenty of heat, hot water—they’re like little fortresses against the cold."

"But what if he didn’t?" she whispered, still unconvinced.

"Then he’ll freeze," Renault said bluntly, turning back to the coal furnace. "But I wouldn’t worry about that. He’s probably just enjoying the steam and warmth, waiting for the storm to pass."

Grace stared at Renault, biting her lip, unsure whether to be comforted or even more terrified by his casual tone.

Renault, noticing her thin clothes, stood up. "Why don’t you get cleaned up? I’ll grab you something warmer to wear. After that, we’ll make a plan. Maybe I’ll even take a trip to look for him, but first, you need to be comfortable."

Grace nodded, still shaken but starting to trust Renault’s instincts. He seemed to have everything under control, even if the world outside was spiraling into chaos.

Renault went upstairs to grab some warmer clothes for her, tossing a few more lumps of coal into the furnace on the way. He returned with a thick, soft nightgown, handing it to her. "Here. Take a hot shower and change into this."

Grace hesitated but accepted the clothes, retreating to the bathroom to freshen up. Meanwhile, Renault busied himself in the kitchen, pulling out some vegetables and meat from the fridge. He laid out snacks and drinks on the table—enough to last them through the night.

As he set the table, Renault lit a few candles, their warm glow casting a soft light around the room. 

It was peaceful, despite the tension lingering in the air. After everything that had happened tonight, Renault was glad for the quiet moment. He had taken care of Owen and Wang Jian for now, but he knew the real danger was still out there—the storm and the apocalypse that was only beginning.

He would enjoy this moment while he could. Peace wouldn’t last forever.

Renault was just finishing setting the table when Grace reappeared, fresh from her shower. She looked different, dressed in the soft nightgown he had given her, her hair still damp and her face flushed from the heat.

For a moment, Renault was struck by how beautiful she looked. The tension of the night had melted away, leaving her looking softer, more vulnerable.

Grace noticed Renault staring and blushed. "What? Is something wrong?"

Renault shook his head quickly, laughing. "No, nothing. You look great. Just surprised me, that’s all."

Grace rolled her eyes, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Come on, let’s eat. I’m starving."

They sat down at the table, surrounded by the warm light of the candles and the cozy atmosphere of the villa. The food wasn’t anything fancy, but it was comforting—simple snacks and drinks to tide them over until morning.

Grace smiled as she picked up a slice of fruit. "You know, I didn’t expect this. You seem so prepared for everything. Did you have all this stocked up just for a night like this?"

Renault leaned back in his chair, smirking. "What can I say? I’m a planner. You never know when you’ll need a stash of supplies."

Grace laughed softly, her fear easing as they talked. Despite the strange and terrifying things happening outside, here, with Renault, she felt safe.

"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice filled with sincerity. "For everything."

Renault smiled. "Don’t mention it."

---

Meanwhile, out in the storm, Owen and Wang Jian sped down the road, their car struggling to navigate the icy streets. Owen’s leg throbbed painfully, but his mind was focused on one thing—revenge.

"Renault won’t get away with this," Owen snarled, his face twisted in anger. "I’ll make sure of it."

Wang Jian, sitting beside him, nodded grimly. "We’ll have our chance. But we need to be smart about it."

The temperature continued to drop, the world outside turning into a frozen wasteland. But Owen didn’t care about the storm. He cared about making Renault pay for what he had done.