At Frida's House

The smell of freshly cooked stew filled the small dining room. Frida moved quietly between the table and the counter, arranging dishes with care — rice, beans, and a small bowl of fried plantains.

Tulia and Cassy were already seated, waiting patiently but with that restless energy only daughters could have.

Frida placed the last plate down and smiled tiredly. "Alright, eat before it gets cold."

They ate quietly for a while, the sound of spoons clinking against plates echoing through the room.

Then Tulia broke the silence. "Mum, I saw a new Caffé opposite ours today. When did it open?"

Cassy lifted her head immediately. "Yes, Mum! I didn't even know there was a new Caffé across from ours!"

Frida sighed, her shoulders slumping. "We had new people move in there last week... and right after that, they opened their shop. Now all our customers are going there. We're losing business, girls — and fast."

Tulia and Cassy exchanged a sharp glance — the kind that meant they'd already decided something without words.

Tulia grinned. "Don't worry, Mum. Now that we're both here, we'll help you get every single one of your customers back."

Cassy slammed her spoon down playfully. "Exactly! Some newbies can't just come and steal our customers while we sit and watch!"

Tulia leaned forward. "But first, we need to upgrade our Caffé — make it better than theirs."

"Right," Cassy said, jumping up and rushing off to grab a notebook and pen. She flipped it open eagerly. "Okay, Mum. Tell me — what does their Caffé have?"

Frida blinked. "Why are you asking me all these questions?"

"Mum," Tulia said seriously, "we need to know what makes their Caffé special if we want to beat them at their own game."

Frida crossed her arms, thinking for a moment. "Oh, I see... then listen carefully."

Cassy nodded, pen ready.

"They sell coffee," Frida started.

Cassy jotted it down quickly. "Coffee… okay, next."

"Bread, pastries, donuts, bagels, cakes—"

Cassy froze mid-word. "Mum... you mean they have all that?"

Frida nodded grimly. "And that's not all. They also do home-to-home delivery."

Cassy dropped her pen, eyes wide. "That doesn't sound easy to beat. Those newbies did their homework before setting up shop. They've got everything in one place!"

Tulia leaned back in her chair, thoughtful. "If they can offer all that and handle delivery... then the key is manpower."

"Right," Cassy agreed. "Mum, how many workers do they have?"

Frida thought for a second. "I think... eight? Maybe nine. They're all one family."

Tulia smirked. "So they've got the manpower. But now that we're here—" she placed her hand on Cassy's shoulder "—we can surpass them."

Frida smiled faintly, a spark of hope flickering in her tired eyes. "I trust you both. That's why I called you home."

Cassy stood tall. "Don't worry, Mum. Leave everything to us. Those customers will come crawling back — begging to buy from us again."

---

At the Police Force

Cain walked out of Bob's office, shutting the door softly behind him. The hallway smelled faintly of coffee and old paper.

Leaning against the wall to his right was Adrian, arms crossed, while Tony stood a few feet away, smirking.

Both men straightened up as Cain approached.

Adrian patted his shoulder. "So, what's the plan now? You gonna challenge ACTS... or just let them seize your family's Caffé?"

Cain's jaw tightened. "It's not about challenging them. It's about proving that the Caffé doesn't deserve to be shut down."

Adrian gave a small chuckle. "You always say the reasonable thing."

Cain's eyes darkened slightly. "For now, I'll do it the human way. But if that fails..." he looked ahead coldly, "then I'll do it my way."

Tony raised a brow. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"

Cain shrugged. "Haven't thought that far yet. But first—" his gaze shifted "—do either of you know who Cecilia is? Or where I can find her?"

Adrian blinked. "Cecilia?"

Tony grinned. "Oh, come on. We'll show you."

The three men walked down the hallway until they stopped at a desk stacked high with files. A chubby woman sat behind it, typing lazily on an old keyboard.

Tony and Adrian both patted Cain on the shoulder. "Good luck, man."

Cain looked at them suspiciously before turning to face her.

Cecilia raised her head slowly, her eyes meeting his. "What do you want?"

Cain blinked. She's Cecilia? he thought. How did such a beautiful name end up with her?

Cecilia waved a hand. "Hello? You deaf?"

Cain snapped back. "Uh—yeah. Are you Cecilia?"

She smiled faintly. "You must be the new guy I've heard about. What was your name again... Cain, right?"

"That's right."

"Alright, Cain. So, what do you need from me?"

"The chief asked me to get all the case files of victims... like Mrs. Bose's case."

Cecilia narrowed her eyes. "Wait here. I'll confirm that."

She picked up her phone and called Bob. "Sorry to disturb you, Chief, but this guy — Cain — says you told him to take the case files of the ash victims?"

From the phone came Bob's gruff voice: "Yes."

Cecilia hung up and nodded. "Alright, wait here."

She rummaged through the cupboard, pulling out stacks of colored folders before handing them to him. "Here. Everything you need."

Cain took them carefully. "Thanks."

As he walked away, Cecilia watched him go, muttering under her breath, "Huh. The newbie's... kinda hardworking."

Cain dropped the files on his desk with a sigh. "Lexi should handle all this — not me."

He shoved the folders into his bag.

A few tables away, Mira peeked over the divider. Her eyes lingered on him, full of quiet curiosity.

Should I help him? she thought. Those files look heavy...

She shook her head violently. "No, no, no! That'd look weird!"

She lowered her head, fingers fidgeting. "But... what do I even say to him?"

When she looked up again, Cain was already walking toward the elevator.

Her heart skipped. He's leaving?!

She jumped from her seat and rushed after him.

Cain stood in front of the elevator, tapping the button impatiently.

BAM!

Something slammed into his back.

He turned around sharply — and saw Mira holding her head, wincing.

"Mira?" Cain blinked. "What's wrong? Did the chief send you? Is there something you want to say?"

Mira's face turned bright red. She kept her gaze down. "N-No... that's not it."

The elevator door chimed open. Cain stepped inside. "I should get going now."

"Wait!" Mira blurted out, grabbing a handful of his shirt.

Cain turned back, surprised. "What is it?"

Mira swallowed hard. "I... I just wanted to ask — are you leaving?"

"Yes," Cain said. "Heading home."

"But no one leaves at this hour! It's barely 2:30!"

"I wasn't keeping track," Cain said with a shrug. "Chief gave me permission."

"Oh..." Mira let go of his shirt slowly, eyes dimming. "I see."

She fidgeted, mumbling to herself, What do I say next? Come on, Mira, think—

But the elevator doors began to close.

Cain gave a small nod. "See you tomorrow."

The doors slid shut.

Mira raised her head — and froze. He was gone. "He... left."

She turned around to walk back — and nearly jumped out of her skin.

Tony and Adrian were standing right behind her, grinning like devils.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she yelped.

Tony chuckled. "Relax. We won't."

Adrian smirked. "So... how was your talk with Cain? You confess anything? Secrets? Feelings?"

Mira's face burned. "I—I don't know what you're talking about!"

Tony leaned closer. "Is that so?"

"Yes!" she snapped. "But—" her tone softened "—why was Cain leaving the office so early?"

Adrian crossed his arms. "Because he's trying to save his family's Caffé. ACTS is planning to seize it."

"What?" Mira gasped. "His Caffé is being seized? Why?"

Tony shrugged. "Who knows. The ACTS sent an official letter — the place gets seized tomorrow. So I guess he's out there looking for a way to stop it."

Mira's eyes darkened. "So that's why he left..." she whispered.

Then, more quietly, "What's the name of the Caffé?"

Adrian glanced at her. "Nena's Caffé."

"I see..." Mira said softly and walked away, lost in thought.

Outside, Cain stepped into one of the police cars, tossed his bag in the passenger seat, and slammed the door shut.

The engine roared to life — and he sped off into the city, his eyes hard and focused.

---

At Nena's Caffé

The late afternoon sun poured through the glass windows, casting golden streaks across the counter. The air was thick with the smell of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked donuts.

Nena wiped her hands on her apron and neatly arranged a tray of sugar-glazed donuts inside the display glass. When she closed it with a soft click, her voice trembled slightly.

"Azreal, we're running out of time," she said, turning toward him. "Do you think Cain will be able to stop the shop from being seized tomorrow?"

Azreal leaned against the counter, arms folded, his calm blue eyes tracing the busy café. "We just have to count on him, Nena."

Lyra crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "He better find a way. And if he doesn't, he's getting the beating of his life for telling us to calm down."

Nena sighed deeply, forcing a smile. "So we just wait and hear from him then."

"For now, that's all we can do," Azreal replied. "I believe he can use his connections in the police force to fix this. He's not useless."

Nena nodded slowly. "That's true. It was really wise of you, Azreal — making him get that job in the force."

Azreal's gaze drifted toward the customers sitting and chatting as Laisa and Aria moved gracefully between tables, serving plates with practiced smiles. He thought quietly, Let's wait and see what you pull off this time, Cain.

---

Meanwhile…

Cain's car hummed softly as it rolled down the quiet road, city lights flickering to life. His phone screen glowed on the dashboard — the map's robotic voice said, "Take a left turn."

He flicked on his indicator and turned left. The narrow street opened up to reveal a towering skyscraper, its glass walls gleaming under the fading sun.

At the very top, a massive sigil glared back at him — a serpent devouring its own tail, with bold silver letters in the center: A.C.T.S.

Cain smirked. "Mission Save the Caffé begins now."

He stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind him. A uniformed guard approached immediately.

"You can't park here, sir," the guard said curtly, pointing at the "NO PARKING" sign.

Cain tilted his head toward the line of luxury cars parked neatly under the shade. "Then what about those cars? Or are the rules selective here?"

The guard narrowed his eyes. "Move your car. Or it'll be seized." He turned and walked off.

Cain chuckled dryly. "What's with everyone and seizing things today? First the shop, now my car…"

He drove off and found another spot a block away, then walked back toward the entrance. The same guard opened the door silently this time, avoiding eye contact.

Cain stepped inside — and was instantly swallowed by the grandeur. The lobby looked like a palace of glass and gold, filled with the steady murmur of voices, the echo of heels, the hum of wealth and order.

He approached the front desk where a young woman in a neat suit looked up at him with a professional smile. Her name tag read Reina.

"What can I help you with, Mr…?" she asked.

"Cain," he replied smoothly.

"Mr. Cain," she said, her fingers gliding over the keyboard. "How can I help you today?"

Cain leaned on the counter slightly. "I'd like to meet with your boss, Miss…" he glanced at her tag again, "…Reina."

She blinked. "Are you here for a job application?"

Cain let out a short laugh and flashed his badge. "No. I'm a police officer."

Her demeanor shifted instantly. "Oh! My apologies, officer. So... do you have an appointment with him?"

"Appointment?" Cain frowned. "Do I need one to see him?"

Reina sighed. "If you don't, I can schedule one — but he's not in right now. I'll book your slot and you can return tomorrow."

"Wait—" Cain's voice rose slightly. "You're saying the boss isn't around?"

Reina raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure that's what I just said."

Cain's fist hit the counter — thud!

"Excuse me!" she snapped, startled.

Cain caught himself and exhaled sharply. "Sorry. But do you happen to know where he is? Or how I can find him?"

Reina's polite smile returned, colder this time. "Sorry, but I can't disclose that kind of information."

Cain's expression darkened. "I see… So we're going to do it the other way, huh?"

Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean by—"

Before she could finish, his eyes began to glow faintly — a hypnotic, unnatural gleam. "You'll understand soon enough," he murmured, touching her hand.

Her pupils dilated. Her body stiffened. Her mind went blank as her eyes turned a ghostly white.

Cain's eyes dimmed as he released her hand. Reina blinked, regaining focus.

"Let's start over," Cain said softly, his tone warm now. "Reina… where is your boss?"

Her voice came out calm, monotone. "I don't know. He didn't tell anyone before leaving. You can come tomorrow to see him."

Cain sighed, cupping her cheek gently. "Reina, my dear… I really need to see him. It's important."

A faint blush bloomed on her cheeks as her voice trembled. "I wish I knew where he was… truly, I would've told you." She pressed her face slightly into his palm.

Cain smiled faintly. "I know, Reina. I know you wouldn't lie to me."

"Yes…" she whispered.

He smirked. "How about you come to my house later? We'll have some coffee together."

Reina's lips curved into a dreamy smile. "Of course. Are we leaving now?"

Cain chuckled. "You're at work, remember? If you leave now, you'll be fired — and then how will you help me?"

"Oh—right," she said quickly. "Sorry, I didn't think."

He gently let go of her face. "Tell you what — when you're done here, come to my Caffé instead. We'll have coffee there. Sound good?"

"Sure," she said softly.

He handed her a folded note. "That's my number. Call me when you're off duty."

She took it carefully, eyes almost shy.

"And when your boss returns," Cain added, "you'll call me immediately."

"Yes," Reina said.

Cain turned and walked away.

Out by his car, he muttered, "The boss isn't around… great. What do I do now? We're running out of time."

His phone buzzed. An unknown number. Two messages:

Hi, it's Reina.

Drive safely.

Cain exhaled and smirked faintly. "Reina, huh…" He saved her number. "She could be useful. I'll keep her close — for now."

He slid into the driver's seat and drove off into the darkening city.

---

Later That Evening — At Home

The sky was dusky violet by the time Cain returned in a taxi. He stepped out, stretching his arms as the neon lights of Nena's Caffé flickered in the distance.

Inside, everyone was already gathered — sitting, waiting, silent.

Cain walked in with a small grin. "What's this? Are we celebrating something?"

Eric puffed out a cloud of smoke. "Cain. Cut the jokes and wipe that grin off your face."

Azreal leaned forward. "So, Cain. How did it go?"

Cain exhaled, setting his bag down. "Well… where do I even start?" He sat, rubbing his temples. "Actually, why don't we all relax and have some coffee while I explain?"

Lyra groaned. "He didn't do anything, did he? Alright, who's in favor of killing Cain?"

Laisa, Eric, and Shot instantly raised their hands.

Cain pointed at Fredrick. "You didn't raise yours. Touching. Nice to know someone still cares about me."

Fredrick's voice was calm. "Don't get the wrong idea. I want you dead too. But voting aimlessly won't solve anything."

Cain blinked. "You just had to ruin the sentimental moment, huh?"

Azreal spoke firmly. "Cain. Enough jokes. Tell us what happened today. Did you get anywhere?"

Nena's voice trembled slightly. "Did you manage to save the Caffé?"

Cain scratched the back of his neck. "Actually… I went to investigate ACTS. Found out it stands for Advanced Corporate and Technological Syndicate."

Silence.

He looked around. "What? No one's surprised?"

Aria sighed. "That's because we already figured that out."

Cain stared. "Oh. Well, I bet you didn't know ACTS is the backbone of the entire nation."

Lyra yawned. "Tell us something we don't know already."

Shot smirked. "You're not the only one doing research, Cain."

Cain frowned. "Wait—how did you guys figure that out?"

Azreal replied smoothly, "I had Sarah pull up every detail concerning ACTS."

A glowing blue hologram appeared beside him — Sarah's panel.

"Hello, Cain," the A.I. greeted.

Cain groaned. "Right. So Sarah did all the real work. Then what was the point of me going?"

Azreal smirked. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who said we should relax — that you would handle it."

Cain sighed. "Right, right… I did say that."

He straightened up. "But hey, I actually did something. I went to the ACTS headquarters to meet the boss — but unfortunately, he wasn't there."

Nena's eyes dimmed. "So the shop will still be seized tomorrow."

Cain looked down. "...Yeah. I'm sorry, Nena."

Azreal rubbed his chin. "We'll figure something out tomorrow. For now, let's get some rest."

Everyone stood quietly and began walking toward the hidden passage behind the counter.

---

Meanwhile — Somewhere Else

In a massive dark office high above the city, five figures in suits sat around an oval table shaped like a zero. Each had files and laptops in front of them, their faces half-hidden in the gloom.

At the far end of the room, a heavy-set man stood by the window, cigarette glowing between his fingers. He inhaled slowly, the ember flaring like a red eye, and exhaled a cloud of smoke that drifted into the neon light outside.

One of the seated men dropped a file on the table. "The shop still hasn't been closed."

A woman's voice cut through the silence. "It seems they didn't heed our warning."

Another man sighed. "And to think we even sent them a letter. Some people just don't respect patience."

A third spoke quietly. "So what do you suggest we do, boss?"

The man by the window turned, smoke curling from his lips. His eyes were cold.

"The shop will be seized tomorrow," he said. "After all—" his gaze hardened, "—the ACTS always keeps its word."

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