| September 28, 2023 - 10:00 AM
Lin stood in the middle of her bedroom, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
The open duffel bag on her bed wasn't just luggage. It was the line between her old life and her new one.
She wouldn't be coming back.
Not to this apartment. Not to this city. Not to the person she used to be.
Everything she packed had to matter. Everything else? Dead weight.
She exhaled slowly. No hesitation. No second chances.
| September 28, 2023 - 10:15 AM
She moved with practiced precision, each item folded, stacked, and secured like a soldier.
✔ Clothes – Not for show, not for comfort. Practical. Durable. Made for work. The kind of clothes that wouldn't rip the first time she climbed a fence or fixed a generator.
✔ Laptop & Hard Drives – Every financial record, every business file. The blueprint of her survival.
✔ Gold Coins – Tucked into a hidden compartment inside the bag. Banks couldn't be trusted. This? This was real wealth.
✔ Weapons & Ammo – Her handgun, extra magazines, and the new firearms she'd purchased under an alias. Because in the world she was heading toward, hope was useless—preparedness wasn't.
She checked and double-checked each item. Accessibility mattered. Weight distribution mattered.
Her old self would've packed things like books, keepsakes, maybe a childhood memento.
Her new self had no space for things that wouldn't keep her alive.
| September 28, 2023 - 10:45 AM
She zipped the duffel shut and hoisted it over her shoulder.
The room felt… hollow now.
Not empty—just stripped of anything that meant something to her.
Her bed, the cheap nightstand, the bookshelf with novels she never had time to finish—they all felt like they belonged to someone else.
She ran her fingers along the dresser one last time. No sentimentality. No weakness.
She wasn't leaving home.
She was going home.
| September 28, 2023 - 11:00 AM
Lin grabbed her keys, stepped out, and locked the door behind her.
There was no pause. No final glance over her shoulder.
| September 28, 2023 - 11:15 AM
She tossed the duffel onto the passenger seat of her truck, the weight landing solid, real.
Engine on. Foot on the gas.
She pulled out of the parking lot, merging into traffic without a single glance in the rearview mirror.
The city was loud. Crowded. Suffocating.
But with every mile she put between herself and that life, the buildings thinned, the roads stretched longer, and the sky opened up.
Lin rolled down the window. The air was crisp, sharp against her skin.
This wasn't just a drive.
It was a one-way trip.
| September 28, 2023 - 1:00 PM
Lin walked into Maggie Liu's real estate office, the scent of fresh coffee and printer ink filling the air.
The office was small but professional, lined with filing cabinets and framed photos of past successful property sales.
Behind the desk, Maggie stood up with a bright smile, smoothing out her blazer.
"Lin! Right on time."
Lin nodded, calm and focused. "Let's get this done."
| September 28, 2023 - 1:05 PM
Maggie gestured to the older man sitting across from her desk—the current owner of the hotel, Mr. Robert Langford.
Lin studied him.
Mid-60s, silver hair, tired eyes.
Dressed neatly, but his hands showed signs of manual labor.
Expression unreadable—but there was something behind his eyes. Relief? Regret?
Maggie gestured between them. "Lin Zhang, this is Mr. Langford. He inherited the hotel from his brother but hasn't been able to maintain it."
Langford gave Lin a measuring look.
"You're young," he said, voice gruff. "And you paid cash. Most people would think that's strange."
Lin smirked slightly. "Most people aren't me."
Langford huffed a quiet chuckle, shaking his head.
"Don't know what you plan to do with that old place," he muttered, pulling out a stack of paperwork, "but it's yours now."
| September 28, 2023 - 1:15 PM
They went through the formalities.
Title transfer documents.
Property tax records.
Legal disclaimers regarding the hotel's history.
Langford signed, Lin signed, Maggie notarized.
With one final stroke of the pen—
It was done.
| September 28, 2023 - 1:30 PM
Langford stood up, stretching. "Guess this is it, then."
Lin watched him carefully. "You don't sound like you'll miss it."
Langford exhaled. "That place has ghosts—figurative ones. My brother put everything into that hotel, and it still failed. Maybe you'll have better luck."
Lin smiled, unshaken. "I don't rely on luck."
Langford studied her for a moment longer—then nodded.
"Well. Hope you make something out of it."
He turned, walking out the door, leaving the past behind.
| September 28, 2023 - 1:45 PM
Maggie grinned, handing Lin the finalized deed.
"Congratulations," she said. "You officially own a hotel."
Lin ran her fingers over the paper, her name now printed where Langford's used to be.
She smirked.
"Let's get to work."
| September 28, 2023 - 2:00 PM
She pulled up to the county records office, walked inside, and handed over the last of the paperwork.
The clerk typed in her details, double-checking the system.
Then—
A final stamp on the deed.
"Congratulations," the clerk said, sliding the papers back to her. "The land is officially yours."
Lin ran her fingers over the freshly inked signature, her name sealed on the document.
The clerk scanned her documents, flipping through the legal forms.
"Everything looks good," the woman said, stamping the final approval. "The property will be officially under your name within the next 24 hours."
Lin smirked slightly.
"Perfect."
| September 28, 2023 - 2:15 PM
Walking out of the building, Lin pulled out her phone and fired off a group text to her parents.
[Lin – 9:16 AM]It's done. The farm is officially ours.
Helen responded first.
[Mom – 9:18 AM]…No turning back now.
Richard's reply came right after.
[Dad – 9:19 AM]Damn right. When are we moving in?
Lin grinned.
| September 28, 2023 - 2:17 PM
Lin pushed open the door to Porter's Café, the familiar jingle of the bell ringing out as she stepped inside.
The café was small but lived-in, filled with mismatched chairs, faded floral tablecloths, and the ever-present scent of fresh coffee and warm pastries. The kind of place where secrets weren't whispered—they were served alongside the daily special.
Behind the counter, Mrs. Ellen Porter—with her signature red-framed glasses perched on the bridge of her nose and salt-and-pepper hair tied back in a messy but deliberate bun—looked up immediately.
And grinned.
"Well, if it isn't our new landowner." She wiped her hands on her apron, eyes sharp with interest.
Lin smirked, already expecting this. "Word travels fast."
Mrs. Porter snorted. "Faster than the internet in this town, sweetheart."
She leaned over the counter, lowering her voice like she was about to share classified intel. "Heard you bought that big old property on the east side. The one with the haunted hotel."
Lin arched an eyebrow. "Didn't realize ghosts were included in the sale."
Mrs. Porter waved a hand, completely serious. "Oh, don't you joke, Lin Zhang. That place has seen some things. Businesses come and go, and none of them last. Some say it's cursed. Some say it's bad luck. Me? I say it's bad management."
Lin chuckled, but Mrs. Porter wasn't done.
"You renovating?"
Lin nodded. "That's the plan."
Mrs. Porter hummed, tapping her fingers against the counter. "Well, well, well… Guess we'll see if you break the cycle."
Lin just smirked. "I like a challenge."
Mrs. Porter's grin widened. "Oh, honey, I figured that out the second you walked in here."
| September 28, 2023 - 2:25 PM
Lin had barely settled into a corner booth before Mrs. Porter materialized at her side with a steaming cup of coffee and a blueberry scone so fresh it was still warm.
"On the house," Mrs. Porter winked, sliding the plate in front of her.
Lin eyed her, amused. "Generosity or bribery?"
Mrs. Porter settled across from her with zero shame. "A little of both. Now, tell me—what exactly are you planning for that old hotel?"
Lin took a slow sip of coffee, letting the warmth settle before she answered. "Renovate it. Turn part of the land into a glamping site for families and tourists."
Mrs. Porter's eyebrows shot up so fast they nearly left her forehead. "Well, that's new. People come here to camp the old-fashioned way. Dirt, mosquitoes, and bad decisions. You're telling me they'll pay extra for fancy tents?"
Lin smirked. "They'll pay for the experience. The privacy. The curated 'escape from city life' without the actual suffering."
Mrs. Porter whistled. "Well, that's something different. Might bring in more business for the whole town."
Lin leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table. "Any tips? Or gossip I should know about?"
Mrs. Porter grinned like a woman who had been waiting her entire life for this question.
"Oh, honey. Where do I start?"
| September 28, 2023 - 2:35 PM
Mrs. Porter glanced around like she was ensuring they weren't being eavesdropped on. Then, lowering her voice, she began.
"First off, don't let Mr. Harris at the farm supply store sucker you. He'll try to sell you the most expensive stuff first. He's harmless, but he likes his commissions."
Lin smirked. "Noted."
Mrs. Porter tapped the table for emphasis. "And if you need local workers? Talk to the Johnson twins. They're rough around the edges, but they know how to handle land. Hardworking farm boys, no nonsense."
Lin filed that away. "Appreciate it."
Mrs. Porter leaned back, eyes twinkling. "You know, this town's been waiting for something new. And you? I have a feeling you're gonna shake things up, Lin Zhang."
Lin stirred her coffee, a slow, knowing smile curling at the edges of her lips.
"That's the plan."