Waking Up Rich

| September 27, 2023 - 6:00 AM

Lin blinked awake to the sound of her phone buzzing.

Still half-asleep, she reached for it, squinting at the screen.

[Bank Notification: Incoming Deposit – $15,000,000.00]

Lin stared.

Then sat up.

Then stared again.

| September 27, 2023 - 6:02 AM

Her fingers moved on instinct, opening her banking app.

She scrolled to the balance history.

The last time she checked—before she started making big moves—her account looked like this:

[Previous Balance – September 26, 2023]

✔ Starting Amount: $750,000.00

✔ Land Purchase (Farm): -$165,000.00

✔ Truck Purchase: -$35,000.00

✔ Motorbike Purchase: -$5,000.00

✔ Solar Panels & Backup Power: -$150,000.00

✔ Heavy Machinery (Tractors, Excavator, ATVs, etc.): -$245,000.00

[Balance Left: $150,000.00]

Now?

Lin refreshed the page, and the numbers shifted.

[Current Balance – September 27, 2023]

✔ Lottery Winnings: +$15,000,000.00

[Total Balance: $15,150,000.00]

Lin set the phone down, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.

She was rich.

No, not just rich—she was untouchable.

| September 27, 2023 - 8:30 AM

Lin walked into the office, coffee in one hand, unreadable expression in place, posture easy and relaxed.

Like it was just another Wednesday.

Like she hadn't woken up a multi-millionaire.

Like she wasn't secretly preparing for the end of the world.

She moved through the office like usual, her steps measured, her gaze calm. Years of survival had taught her one thing: Never look different. Never act different.

Not when the real work was happening beneath the surface.

| September 27, 2023 - 8:35 AM

Lin sat at her desk, opened her laptop, and started answering emails like nothing had changed.

✔ Rescheduled meetings for William Zhao.

✔ Reviewed corporate documents for next week's presentation.

✔ Deleted office gossip emails from Lily.

Normal. Routine. A mask.

| September 27, 2023 - 9:00 AM

Lucas strolled past her desk, then stopped.

Backtracked.

He squinted at her, arms crossed. "You seem… weirdly chill today."

Lin took a slow sip of her coffee, unbothered. "I'm always chill."

Lucas didn't buy it for a second. "No, you're usually pretending to be chill while secretly plotting something."

Lin smirked, tilting her head. "Maybe I'm just having a good morning."

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "You're up to something."

Lin just smiled. Let him wonder.

| September 27, 2023 - 9:30 AM

Her inbox pinged. New email.

[Subject: Business Trip – Japan]

Lin clicked it open, already guessing what it was.

Lin,

I'll be in Japan for two weeks. Leaving tomorrow.

Handle all correspondence remotely.

No issues while I'm gone.

- William Zhao

Lin smirked. Two whole weeks without him breathing down her neck?

Perfect.

| September 27, 2023 - 9:35 AM

Lucas strolled by again, still suspicious.

Lin leaned back in her chair, stretching. "Zhao's leaving for Japan tomorrow."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Lin smiled. "And I'm not clocking in."

Lucas let out a sharp laugh. "You're really just gonna disappear?"

Lin shrugged, setting her coffee down. "He said 'handle it remotely.' I'll handle it… from my farm."

Lucas shook his head, a small smirk forming. "You really don't waste opportunities, huh?"

Lin lifted her coffee cup in mock toast. "Never."

| September 27, 2023 - 10:00 AM

Lin cracked her knuckles and pulled up Zhao's itinerary.

If she was going to disappear for two weeks, everything needed to run so smoothly that no one would even think to look for her.

| September 27, 2023 - 10:15 AM

✔ Meetings: Rescheduled, prepped, or assigned to someone else.

✔ Reports: Reviewed, finalized, and auto-scheduled for delivery.

✔ Email filters: Set to auto-reply with "I'll get back to you soon" while she definitely wouldn't.

✔ Financial approvals: Pre-signed and sent ahead.

| September 27, 2023 - 11:30 AM

By the time she was done, William Zhao's business would function on autopilot.

For the next two weeks?

She wouldn't just be "working remotely."

She'd be gone.

| September 27, 2023 - 12:00 PM

Lin exhaled, closing her corporate emails. Enough of that nonsense.

Time for the real work.

She pulled up her contact list and drafted a detailed email to a construction firm specializing in rural developments.

| Email Sent – 12:10 PM

Subject: Project Proposal – Land Division & Structural Renovation

Dear Mr. Grant,

I'm looking to contract your team for a large-scale development on my property. The project includes:

Retaining Walls: Define property boundaries spilt into two sections.

Old Hotel Restoration: Full structural repairs and new facilities.

New Glamping Site: Designated luxury camping area with its own entrance, branding, and signage.

Let me know your availability for an on-site visit and quote.

Best,

Lin Zhang

| September 27, 2023 - 12:20 PM

Lin sat back, fingers tapping against the desk.

If done right?

She'd have two businesses in one.

The Hotel Farm—private, functional, and self-sustaining luxurious location.

The glamping resort & petting zoo—a public, polished destination for tourists.

She smirked.

By the time William Zhao got back from Japan?

She'd be long gone—and in full control of her new farming empire.

| September 27, 2023 - 5:00 PM

Lin stepped into William Zhao's office, her expression neutral, her posture relaxed.

He was already closing his laptop, preparing to leave. His suit jacket was off, sleeves rolled up—rare for him.

She smirked slightly. "Leaving early?"

Zhao glanced up, unconcerned. "Going home to pack."

Lin nodded, setting a neatly organized folder on his desk. "Everything's prepped for the next two weeks. You won't even notice I'm not in the office."

Zhao flipped through the documents briefly, scanning her work.

| September 27, 2023 - 5:05 PM

He leaned back, studying her for a second. "You seem… eager for me to leave."

Lin tilted her head. "Wouldn't you be?"

Zhao chuckled. "Fair point."

He grabbed his keys, standing up. "If anything urgent comes up—"

"I'll handle it." Lin's tone was confident, smooth, final.

Zhao nodded once, seemingly satisfied.

And just like that—

Her leash to the corporate world loosened.

| September 27, 2023 - 5:10 PM

Lin watched as her boss walked out of the office, completely unaware that by the time he returned?

She'd be long gone.

And he'd never see it coming.

| September 27, 2023 - 5:15 PM

Lin watched Zhao leave, the sound of his footsteps fading down the hall.

Then, she leaned against his desk, exhaling slowly.

It was done.

She had prepped everything.

Covered her tracks.

Set things in motion.

By the time anyone realized she wasn't coming back?

She'd be deep in the countryside, building her future.

| September 27, 2023 - 5:30 PM

She grabbed her bag, shut down her laptop, and walked out of the office for the last time.

No dramatic goodbyes.

No fake promises to "catch up."

No looking back.

She stepped into the elevator, calm, collected, the hum of the city buzzing behind her.

Tomorrow?

She wouldn't wake up as Lin Zhang, corporate secretary.

She'd wake up as Lin Zhang, the woman who owned everything she needed to survive.

And that?

Was worth more than any paycheck.