Early Morning Visitors

| October 1, 2023 – 7:00 AM

Lin dragged herself out of bed, hair a mess, brain still fogged from too little sleep. The weight of the 2 AM call still lingered, but nothing a strong cup of coffee wouldn't fix.

She shuffled out of her room, stretching, expecting quiet.

Instead—low voices, the scent of coffee, and the unmistakable sound of two men chatting in the kitchen.

Lin frowned, rubbing her eyes as she stepped in.

Richard sat at the kitchen table, coffee in hand, grinning. Across from him? Ethan Grant.

Lin blinked. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Ethan glanced up, completely unbothered. "Good morning to you too."

Richard chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Ethan stopped by early to check on the progress. Figured I'd offer him some coffee."

Lin crossed her arms, giving Ethan a skeptical look. "You don't strike me as the kind of guy who just 'stops by.'"

Ethan smirked, taking a slow sip. "Nope. I'm the kind of guy who collects payments and makes sure jobs are running smooth." He set his mug down. "And since we're ahead of schedule, I thought I'd check in before my guys get here."

Lin yawned, pulling a mug from the cabinet. "You want money, you could've called."

Ethan leaned back, amused. "You don't like early mornings, do you?"

Lin glared at him over the rim of her mug. "I don't like unexpected guests."

Richard huffed a laugh. "Relax, kid. We were just talking shop."

Lin took a slow sip, feeling caffeine slowly bring her back to life. "Fine. Since you're here, tell me—what's left on the build?"

Ethan tilted his head. "Perimeter fencing is done. Retaining walls are solid. The hotel reno is starting this week. But…" He tapped a finger against the table. "You still haven't decided what you're doing with the stable."

Lin raised an eyebrow. "You mean the old one?"

Ethan nodded. "Yeah. It's structurally sound, but it's sitting there empty. Waste of space if you don't use it."

Richard sipped his coffee, glancing at Lin. "Might be worth restoring. Could be useful."

Lin hummed, thinking. The stable had been an afterthought, but Ethan had a point.

She set her mug down. "Alright. Walk me through the options."

Ethan grinned. "Now you're speaking my language."

Chapter 56 – Plans for the Stable

| October 1, 2023 – 7:15 AM

Lin stepped outside, coffee in hand, the cool morning air waking her up faster than caffeine. Ethan and Richard followed, boots crunching against the gravel as they made their way toward the old stable.

It stood at the edge of the property, weathered but solid—large double doors, thick wooden beams, and a roof that looked like it had seen better days but hadn't completely given up.

Ethan ran a hand along the exterior. "You weren't lying when you said this place had good bones. It's old, but it was built right. A little work, and you could use it for just about anything."

Lin crossed her arms, scanning the structure. "Alright, give me options."

Ethan tapped the wood thoughtfully. "Option one—you restore it as a working stable. Get some horses, maybe board a few for extra income."

Richard snorted. "She doesn't have time to play cowboy."

Lin smirked. "Correct."

Ethan grinned. "Alright, option two—convert it into a workshop. Your dad's already setting up the garage, but this could be extra space for equipment storage, repairs, maybe even a blacksmith setup if you're feeling old-school."

Richard perked up. "Not a bad idea. More space means bigger projects."

Lin considered that. Useful, but not what she needed most. "Next."

Ethan tilted his head. "Option three—turn it into a warehouse. You're stockpiling supplies, right? This could be your long-term storage facility. Keep it off-books, out of sight."

Lin's brows lifted slightly. That one had potential.

Ethan leaned against the stable door, smirking. "Or… option four. Something totally different. Guest cabins. Rental units. A private bar. Hell, a bunker if you're feeling paranoid."

Lin took another slow sip of coffee, mind already working through the possibilities.

Richard rubbed his chin. "The storage idea makes sense. You're already bringing in medical equipment, food stores, who knows what else."

Ethan nodded. "Reinforce the walls, add climate control, maybe a secondary lock system? No one will think twice about an old stable, but you could keep a hell of a stockpile in here."

Lin smirked, tapping her mug. "I like that."

Ethan grinned. "Figured you would."

Richard stretched, giving the stable one last look. "So when do you want to start?"

Lin took one final sip, then set her mug down.

"Today."

Ethan let out a low whistle. "No hesitation, huh?"

Lin smirked. "Never."

| October 1, 2023 – 8:00 AM

Lin was still outside, running through material lists with Ethan and Richard when her phone buzzed in her pocket.

Incoming Call: Lucas Fang.

She wiped her hands on her jeans before answering. "You're up early."

Lucas's voice was flat, unreadable. "Didn't sleep much."

Lin smirked. "Gee, wonder why."

Lucas ignored that. "Vivian called me this morning."

Lin's smirk faded instantly. "Already?"

"Yeah. Wanted to 'apologize' for last night. Said she had a little too much to drink and 'wasn't thinking clearly.'"

Lin rolled her eyes. "Classic damage control. She's trying to see if you're still an option."

Lucas exhaled sharply. "She's wasting her time."

Lin leaned against the stable door. "Did she ask about the underwear?"

Lucas let out a low, irritated laugh. "Not directly. But she did ask if I 'found what she left behind.'"

Lin hummed. "And?"

"Told her I threw it out."

Lin grinned. "Perfect. Bet that pissed her off."

Lucas was silent for a second. Then—"She got real quiet. Then said she'd see me soon."

Lin's fingers tightened around her phone. "That's a threat."

Lucas was quiet again. "I know."

Lin ran a hand through her hair, thinking fast. "Alright. She's accelerating. That means she's desperate or she's planning something."

Lucas's voice lowered. "What would you do if you were me?"

Lin didn't hesitate. "Get ahead of her. Make her feel like she's already lost."

Lucas chuckled, low and humorless. "You make it sound easy."

Lin smirked. "It is. She's playing games. You just have to flip the board."

Lucas exhaled. "Alright. Walk me through it."

Lin paced the length of the stable, phone pressed to her ear, already building the next ten moves in her head.

"First thing's first—you need to make it clear you're untouchable. Vivian thinks you're a slow burn, someone she can wear down over time. You need to kill that idea now."

Lucas exhaled. "And how exactly do I do that?"

Lin smirked. "Simple. You get ahead of her. Make her feel like she's already lost."

Lucas let out a low, humorless chuckle. "Right. Again, how?"

Lin stopped pacing, leaning against a wooden beam. "She thrives on secrecy. The fact that you haven't told anyone about what she's doing? That's power to her. Take that away."

Lucas was silent for a second. Then—"You're saying I should tell my boss?"

Lin tilted her head. "No. You don't tell him. You let him find out."

Lucas frowned. "What's the difference?"

Lin smirked. "One makes you look like a snitch. The other makes you look like the victim of his wife's little obsession."

Lucas let out a slow breath. "Alright. Keep talking."

Lin crossed her arms. "Here's what you do. You don't call him directly. You don't even hint that there's a problem. Instead, you make sure other people see what's going on. People who talk. People who report back to him."

Lucas exhaled. "So you want me to… what? Leave breadcrumbs?"

Lin grinned. "Exactly. Next time she texts you? Reply vaguely. Just enough to make her keep talking. Make sure you're in a room where someone can overhear the conversation."

Lucas huffed a laugh. "And if she tries to meet in person?"

Lin shrugged. "Then you make sure someone sees it. Public place. Security cameras. Hell, let her try something with her husband's employees watching."

Lucas was quiet for a long moment. "You really don't hesitate, huh?"

Lin smirked. "Never."

Lucas sighed. "Alright. I'll handle it."

Lin's fingers drummed against the beam. "And Lucas?"

"Yeah?"

Lin's voice dropped slightly, her tone serious. "She's not playing fair. Neither should you."

Lucas let out a low chuckle. "Noted."

The line clicked dead.

Lin slipped her phone back into her pocket, turning to find Richard and Ethan staring at her from the stable doorway.

Richard raised an eyebrow. "That sounded… intense."

Ethan smirked. "You always handle problems like that?"

Lin picked up her coffee, calm as ever. "I handle problems before they become problems."

Ethan let out a low whistle. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Lin took a sip, smirking. "Smart man."

Chapter 59 – Business Never Stops

| October 1, 2023 – 8:30 AM

Lin slipped her phone back into her pocket, still thinking through the next steps for Lucas's situation, when Ethan clapped his hands together.

"Alright, boss. Now that you're done handling someone else's mess, let's talk money."

Lin turned, raising an eyebrow. "You always this smooth with negotiations?"

Ethan smirked. "I get results, don't I?"

Richard chuckled, leaning against the stable door. "Alright, what's the damage?"

Ethan pulled a folded sheet of paper from his back pocket, flicking it open.

"So, since you've decided to turn this old stable into a storage facility, here's what you're looking at." He tapped the list with one calloused finger.

✔ Structural reinforcements – $12,000

✔ Climate control installation – $8,500

✔ Secondary lock system (industrial-grade) – $3,000

✔ Concrete flooring upgrade – $6,000

✔ Electrical rewiring for full power usage – $4,200

He handed Lin the sheet. "That's the base quote. If you want security cameras and an alarm system? That's another $5,000."

Lin glanced over the numbers, unfazed. "Timeline?"

Ethan crossed his arms. "If I get the crew on it tomorrow? Two weeks, maybe less."

Richard let out a low whistle. "Fast work."

Ethan shrugged. "Depends on how much you wanna pay for priority."

Lin smirked. "You know I don't hesitate on investments."

Ethan grinned. "Then you're my favorite kind of client."

Lin grabbed a pen from behind her ear, scribbled a few notes on the paper, then handed it back. "Do it. And add the security."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Not even gonna negotiate?"

Lin smiled, smooth and confident. "No need. I already know I'm overpaying—so I expect perfection."

Ethan let out a low, appreciative chuckle. "Fair enough."

Richard shook his head, amused. "You just made his day."

Ethan folded the paper and tucked it back into his pocket. "You damn right she did. Expect my guys first thing tomorrow."

Lin smirked. "I'll have coffee ready. Now get out of my stable."

Ethan chuckled as he turned to leave, already dialing his crew.

Richard watched him go before grinning at Lin. "You enjoy throwing money around, don't you?"

Lin stretched, completely unbothered. "It's not throwing money. It's an investment."