Lin Jinju returned to her cleaning. She scrubbed the countertop again even though it already gleamed. The repetitive motion helped. It blurred the thoughts constantly circling in her mind, dulling them into silence—at least for a while.
She moved to the sink, wiping it down thoroughly, then to the windowsill, brushing away dust with methodical care. But just as she was reaching for the rag again, her stomach growled—loudly.
She paused, hand hovering over the cloth.
Right. She hadn't eaten all day.
With a sigh, she set the rag aside and made her way down to the basement. The light flickered once as she flicked it on, revealing shelves upon shelves of food—canned goods, dried staples, neatly packed bags stacked up high and low.
Her footsteps slowed as she reached the bottom. She looked around, dazed. The basement had been turned into a storage unit—every inch organized with care.
Her son had done this.
