Cercei’s POV


    Unlike every other day, Lucian was noticeably absent from the café today. It’s hard to put into words, but there’s a real sense of something missing. I grudgingly admit that the café feels so much more vibrant when he upies his usual spot in the corner, indulging in his pancake garnished with cream and sprinkles, pretending to peruse a magazine.


    My motivation has taken a nosedive today; all my smiles have been mere facades. ire must have sensed my dismay, but she refrained from teasing me about it. I’ve somehow grown ustomed to Lucian’s presence, and now I can’t help but feel an emptiness when he’s not around. Could ire actually be right? Could it be that I actually have feelings for him?


    But I despised him, or at least I thought I did. I let out yet another sigh; this is the millionth time today. I was abruptly jolted when the bells chimed, causing my head to snap in that direction. My heart sank when I realised it wasn’t him. It was my Aunt Mnie.


    I mustered up a forced smile as she approached the counter.


    “How’s the café faring, girls?” she inquired. She had been scarce at the café in recent months, preupied with her tailor shop on the upper floor.


    “Great! Our customers are always delighted and content,” ire chimed in, giving Aunt Mnie a yful wink. She chuckled and then turned her gaze to me when she noticed myck of a smile.


    “I wonder if the servers are as happy,” she yfully raised an eyebrow at me.


    “I am happy, just a bit weary,” I replied.


    “John, fill in for Cercei today,” she called out to John, the janitor. John saluted her and went about his duties.


    “I suppose the café will cope without her watchful eyes,” Aunt Meanie remarked, ncing at ire. ire beamed and gave a thumbs-up in response.


    I couldn’t help but feel torn. While I didn’t want to exploit my connection with Aunt Mnie, I desperately needed a break today. The café had been exceptionally busy, leaving me with little time to rest. Moreover, my spirits were low, and I knew the reason behind it.


    I made my way to my locker to set aside my apron when Aunt Mnie suddenly appeared beside me. Leaning against the locker, she casually smoked her cigarette.


    “Family meeting, ding!” she announced in a sing-song voice.


    “Is something wrong?” I asked, a mix of worry and nervousness creeping into my voice. A family meeting? That sounded rather serious.


    “Hopefully not,” I added, my words clipped and brief.


    “Come on,” she urged, and without hesitation, I closed my locker and followed her upstairs.


    As I opened the door to the penthouse, I found my mother standing, her gaze fixed on what appeared to be a whiteboard covered in maps and interconnected red strings.


    “What’s happening?” I asked cautiously as I stepped further into the room.


    Aunt Mnie popped open a bottle of wine and poured herself a full ss. “The café’s CCTV has been hacked,” she stated calmly, taking a sip. I nced at my mother, who rubbed her chin contemtively while studying the board before her.


    “How did you find out?” I asked. If the CCTV had been hacked, I was certain that a skilled hacker wouldn’t leave an obvious trace.


    “I’m a bit of a techie,” Aunt Mnie winked at me. My mother reached for the wine ss in Aunt Mnie’s hand and took a sip herself. I looked at them both in disbelief. Were they serious? Why did they seem so calm about this situation? And what was with the borate board? It resembled a n to rob a bank rather than dealing with a hacked CCTV.


    “Could someone please enlighten me on what is happening here?” I demanded, my frustration seeping into my words. My mother returned the ss to Aunt Mnie, who graciously epted it.


    “Men are encircling the city,” Aunt Mnie repeated her statement, her tone filled with an air of intrigue.


    Confusion knitted my brow.


    “What?” I asked, still struggling to grasp their implications.


    “Men, and they’re not from the Remus,” Mamà casually mentioned.


    “So?” I inquired once more, not fullyprehending what she was insinuating.


    “They could be another enemy,” Aunt Mnie interjected.


    “Or an ally,” I countered. If there were indeed men surrounding the city who didn’t belong to the Crescents, why should we worry? After all, we didn’t really have enemies. There was only one enemy we were trying to escape.


    Aunt Mnieughed as if my statement was utterly ridiculous while my mother remained serious.


    “There’s no such thing as an ally, my dear sweet niece,” she remarked. My mother and I locked eyes. She had never raised me to be distrustful of others; in fact, she always encouraged me to give people the benefit of the doubt, regardless of what I heard or knew about them. But looking at her expression now, I could tell she agreed with Aunt Mnie’s perspective.


    “So, what do we do?” I asked them, a tinge of anxietycing my voice.


    “Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst,” my mother responded.


    “If they wanted something from us, they would have taken it by now. I’ve been observing them; quite a few are in the city. Some evene to my café for coffee,” Aunt Mnie stated casually, settling onto the couch as she spoke.


    Wait, does that mean some of the customers I’ve been serving are spies? I hadn’t noticed anyone suspicious, but perhaps my preupation with Lucian had clouded my judgement. God! And here I thought I was being cautious.


    “We don’t know their intentions, but we must be ready if things go south.”


    My mother discussed our escape n in case the odds weren’t in our favour. As I listened, a lump formed in my throat. This city already held a significant part of my life. It was where I found freedom, where most of my first experiences took ce, and where I had gotten to know him better.


    I didn’t want to leave. I hoped we wouldn’t have to. It had only been a month, but it felt like a lifetime, and yet it still wasn’t enough.


    Exhausted from our “family meeting,” my mother and Aunt Mnie dozed off on the couch. I fetched a nket and tenderly covered them. Smiling, I observed their slumbering forms. They truly were sisters, and witnessing their relentless support for one another was heartwarming, especially during times like this. Despite the years of separation andck ofmunication, their bond remained steadfast, pure, and brimming with love.


    I had always dreamed of having a sibling, but whenever I tried to make that wish every night, memories of the horrors I endured in that mansion flooded back. All the pain I had endured, all that I had been through. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, especially not on my siblings.


    Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket, causing my heart to race. I retrieved it and read the message, a smile breaking out on my face like I was floating in a cloud.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    “Meet me outside – Pancake.”


    I snatched my jacket and slipped out as quietly and discreetly as possible.