The ringing phone dragged me from sleep like a fishing hook pulling up a reluctant fish. I fumbled for it blindly, knocking over something on my nightstand in the process.
"Hello?" My voice came out rough, gravelly.
"Mr. Sinclair? This is the gate security. We have several trucks here for deliveries. Should we let them through?"
I blinked at the ceiling, my brain slowly coming online. Trucks. Deliveries. Right. The wholesale orders.
"Yeah, let them through. Thanks."
I ended the call and dragged myself out of bed. My whole body ached from yesterday's shopping marathon. Every muscle protested as I shuffled toward the bathroom.
No time for a proper shower. I splashed water on my face, ran my fingers through my hair, and stumbled downstairs just as the doorbell rang.
Opening the door, I found myself facing a delivery crew and a truck loaded with fabric rolls.
"Premier Textiles delivery for Mr. Sinclair," the lead guy said, checking his clipboard.
"Right, yes. Bring everything to the basement." I opened the door wide, gesturing them inside.
They started unloading, carrying massive rolls of fabric down the basement stairs. Silk, chiffon, and embellished pieces. The amount was staggering even though I'd been the one to order it.
They were about halfway through when another truck pulled up. Then another. Then another.
Within minutes, my villa had transformed into a chaotic marketplace. Delivery people everywhere, moving boxes and crates and rolls of fabric. The mirrors arrived in specially padded crates. The accessories came in dozens of boxes. The stationery filled an entire truck on its own.
I stood in the middle of my foyer, watching the organized chaos, feeling completely overwhelmed.
The basement filled up quickly. Then the living room. The gym. The spare bedrooms. Everywhere I looked, there were boxes and crates and merchandise.
My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten. And judging by the looks on the delivery crews' faces, they'd been at this for hours across multiple stops.
I pulled out my phone and ordered from a restaurant that did catering. Fruit juices, pancakes, waffles, and breakfast sandwiches. Enough to feed an army.
Forty minutes later, the food arrived just as the last truck was being unloaded.
"Hey, everyone!" I called out. "Food's here. Take a break and eat before you go."
The delivery guys looked surprised but grateful. We cleared space in the dining room, setting out the food on my table and kitchen counter. Those who couldn't find chairs sat on boxes or stood, but everyone ate with genuine appreciation.
"This is really generous of you, Mr. Sinclair," one of the truck drivers said between bites of a breakfast sandwich.
"You've all been working hard. Least I could do."
After everyone finished eating, I pulled out my wallet and distributed generous tips. Cash worked better than digital transfers for this kind of thing, more personal.
"Thank you so much!"
"Really appreciate it, sir."
"Call us if you need anything delivered again."
I led them all to the door, thanking each one as they left. Finally, the last truck pulled away, and my villa fell silent.
I stood in my foyer, surrounded by merchandise, and took a deep breath.
Time to clear all this out.
I reached for the mental connection. "Chen Xuan."
The response was immediate. "My lord! This humble servant awaits your blessing!"
"I send you the goods I promised. Receive them now."
I activated the transfer function, watching as rolls of fabric began glowing and vanishing. Boxes of accessories disappeared. Mirrors, stationery, cosmetics, all of it transferring across dimensions to Chen Xuan's location.
"My lord, these treasures…."
"Sell them well, Chen Xuan. We will speak again soon once you have sold everything."
I ended the connection quickly. I was too tired for prolonged divine merchant roleplay this morning.
As the last box vanished, I stood in my suddenly empty villa and felt the exhaustion hit me again. But I couldn't rest yet. I had things to do today.
Upstairs, I finally took a proper shower, letting the hot water work some of the soreness from my muscles. Changed into clean clothes, jeans, and a nice shirt. Checked my phone while getting dressed.
An unknown number had texted me while I'd been dealing with deliveries.
Hi Mr. Sinclair, this is Jared Knowles. Anna Chen passed along your contact. I specialize in commercial real estate. I understand you're looking for warehouse space? I'd be happy to discuss your needs. Let me know when you're available for a call.
Perfect timing.
I texted back. Hi Jared. Yes, looking for a large warehouse and a high-end retail space. Available for a call now if you are.
The response came within seconds. My phone rang immediately.
"Mr. Sinclair? Jared Knowles. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly."
"No problem. What do you need to know?"
"Let's start with the warehouse. What kind of products are you storing? Do you need refrigeration, climate control, or any special facilities?"
"No, nothing like that. Just general storage. The goods won't be there long, so I just need space."
"Okay, great. That opens up options. How big are we talking?"
I threw out a number. "Twenty thousand square feet?"
"That's substantial. Any location preferences?"
"Needs to be close to my home. I'm in Riverside Estates."
"Got it. And you mentioned retail space too?"
"Yeah, I'm opening an antique store. High-end, rare pieces. Need something in a luxury shopping area."
There was a pause. I could practically hear Jared's mind working. "Antiques. Okay, I have some ideas. There's a shopping district that might be perfect. It's where you'll find the major auction houses, Christie's, Sotheby's, at that level. Very exclusive clientele."
"Sounds perfect."
"Great. When can you meet? I can show you some options."
I checked the time. Almost noon. "How about 3 PM at your office?"
"Perfect. I'll have some properties pulled up for you to review. See you then, Mr. Sinclair."
After he hung up, I realized I had about three hours to kill. And I still hadn't bought a car.
Time to fix that.
I called a cab and googled the nearest luxury car dealership. Might as well go all in.