Chapter 20 – The Reason (Part 3)
For the next few days, I helped my mother at the café.
Serving customers.
Carrying trays.
Cleaning tables.
Life felt… steady.
I also noticed something.
It had been months since I last saw Elias with his family together.
Sometimes, only his wife would come.
Other times, just Ryndon.
Across from our café—
A few blocks away—
A new shop opened.
A fast-food place.
Fried drumsticks.
Fries.
Cold drinks.
Simple.
Cheap.
At first—
People were curious.
A few customers came.
Then days passed.
Weeks.
Months.
But even after all that—
It was still quiet.
Too quiet.
Only a handful of customers would go in.
Sometimes none at all.
The owner was a woman in her mid-thirties.
Melissa.
Black hair. Sharp eyes.
Strict.
Very different from my mother.
Where my mother was warm and gentle—
Melissa was cold and controlled.
Rumors spread quickly inside the café.
"They say she came from another city…"
"Her business failed there…"
"So she moved here to start over…"
I didn't pay much attention.
At first—
She seemed like a good person.
She would visit our café often.
Buying large boxes of cake.
Talking with my mother.
Smiling.
But something felt… off.
My mother never fully opened up to her.
She was polite—
But distant.
Avoiding her.
I didn't understand why.
Sometimes—
I would see Melissa outside.
Talking to men.
Rough-looking.
Their movements—
Like thugs.
But their clothes?
Expensive. Clean.
Like they didn't belong to the streets.
And yet—
Despite her shop being empty…
She never looked worried.
Not even once.
I ignored it.
Life went on.
Until one day—
Everything changed.
I saw them arguing.
My mother.
And Melissa.
Their voices—
Sharp.
Tense.
"…Recipe…"
"…Partnership…"
"…Joint business…"
Melissa wanted something.
A deal.
My mother shook her head.
"No."
Her voice was calm—
But firm.
"I built this place on my own."
A pause.
"I won't hand it over… or mix it with something I don't trust."
Silence.
Melissa smiled.
But it didn't reach her eyes.
"…You're making a mistake," she said quietly.
My mother didn't back down.
"Maybe."
"…But it's my decision."
The air turned cold.
That was the moment—
Something shifted.
After that—
Things started to change.
Slowly.
Subtly.
Customers began to complain.
"The cake tastes different…"
"It's not as good as before…"
Some would "accidentally" spill drinks.
Others caused scenes.
Then—
Some nobles stopped coming.
No explanation.
Just… gone.
But we endured.
My mother stayed strong.
"It's fine," she would say.
"We still have customers."
And she was right.
We were still standing.
Until—
We weren't.
The contract ended.
No extension.
No warning.
Just—
"Your lease is over."
We were forced out.
Just like that.
My mother smiled.
Forced.
"It's okay," she said.
"We'll start again."
We moved to the Outskirts.
Less people.
Less protection.
But it was ours.
We built everything again—
From nothing.
At first—
No customers.
Then slowly—
People came back.
Not like before.
But enough.
We were surviving.
Then—
It happened.
It was Sunday.
Almost closing time.
Only three of us.
Me.
My mother.
Joel.
The café was quiet.
Then—
The door opened.
Three men walked in.
Adventurers.
Their presence alone—
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Then—
CRASH.
A plate shattered.
BANG.
They started destroying everything.
Tables.
Shelves.
Cakes.
Glasses.
"Stop—please!" my mother cried.
Joel stepped forward.
"Please—stop—!"
They didn't listen.
They laughed.
And kept breaking everything.
My mother grabbed me.
"Leo—inside. Now!"
She pushed me toward the back.
I stumbled—
Then ran inside.
But even there—
I could hear her.
Her voice—
Shaking.
Breaking.
"Please… this is everything we have…"
"This is all our savings…"
"Please… stop…"
She was crying.
I froze.
My hands trembled.
My chest tightened—
Like I couldn't breathe.
I tried to stay still.
Tried to listen.
Tried to obey.
But I couldn't.
Her voice—
The way she begged—
The way she cried—
I couldn't take it anymore.
"…Stop…"
I whispered.
No one heard.
Something inside me—
Snapped.
I ran out.
My vision blurred.
My hands shaking—
I grabbed a glass—
And threw it.
CRACK.
It hit one of them.
Silence.
Slowly—
He turned.
His eyes—
Cold.
Angry.
SLAP.
Pain exploded across my face.
My vision spun.
Blood rushed from my nose.
Then—
Darkness.
Before the three adventurers left,
after destroying the café—
They made a call.
"Our job is done," one of them said.
Then they walked out.
A few minutes later—
A man rushed in.
A long scar ran from the edge of his jaw down to his neck.
He looked around—
At the broken tables.
The shattered glass.
"…Damn it…" he muttered.
"…I'm too late."
Some time later—
When I woke up—
White.
The ceiling.
The smell of medicine.
"…Leo?"
"…Joel?"
He told me everything.
They destroyed the café.
He tried to stop them.
He couldn't.
"…They were too strong."
My mother—
Still unconscious.
Then—
"…There's something else," Joel said.
"…They say something."
My chest tightened.
"What did they say?"
Joel looked at me.
"…They told her—"
"Don't ever open a café again."
A pause.
"…Or…"
"…they'll kill you."
"…or your children."
Silence.
"…I see."
My voice felt distant.
My fists clenched.
Something inside me—
Changed.
Not fear.
Not just anger.
Something deeper.
Colder.
Time passed.
My mother stayed in the hospital for months.
We were all…
Broken.
She sold the land.
Closed the café.
And never opened one again.
After that—
Something inside me
never went back.