The morning light in the apartment was unfamiliar. It wasn’t the harsh, slanting rays through her old, dusty window. This light was clean, diffuse, and it fell across a bedroom that was… empty. In a good way. Empty of her past. Empty of fear.

The walls were a soft, neutral gray. The queen-sized bed was made with crisp white sheets she’d found in the linen closet. A sleek dresser held nothing but the few toiletries a taciturn Ms. Chen had left for her the night before.