She arrived early at work that day. To her, it was a normal day, but an uneasiness lingered something she hadn't quite understood, a feeling she had been experiencing since last night. She had left her sister at Anne's and then took the bus to her cafe.

"Amelia I've been waiting for you." Dean walked towards her with an envelope in his hand.

"Hii there! What's up Dean?"

"Remember the guys from yesterday? They liked your performance so much that they left you a generous tip and asked me to hand it over to you personally." he winked and gave her a strained smile.

"That's strange since when did we start getting tipped by our customers and that too so generously?" She took the envelop nervously.
The envelope contained $5000. What's wrong with these people this is much more then what I get paid to work for a month. She was astonished.

After finishing her work, she called her friend Stacy to meet her outside cafe. Stacy had been her friend from their first grade. She was very outgoing and spontaneous and she talks a lot, doesn't know when to stop but all in all more than her friend, she was her sister.

After finishing her tasks, she messaged her friend Stacy to meet her outside the cafe. Stacy, her childhood friend since first grade, was lively and spontaneous. She was talkative and often didn't know when to stop, but overall, she was more than just a friend, she was like a sister to her.

"Hey, darling! How are you?" Stacy embraced her warmly, partially screaming with excitement.
"I'm doing well, actually-I'm on cloud nine," Amelia replied, her face glowing with happiness.
"Aha, I'm all ears. Spill the tea already." Stacy squeaked eagerly.

Amelia told her everything about the guy's last night, the strange stares, the scroll and the happiest part the tip.

"Looks like someone got filthy rich admirers here ." she elbowed her teasingly.

"I don't know about admirers but what I am sure about is, that this money can help me publish my book...and finally, my dream could come true! I could be a writer.... And who knows maybe a famous one as well." Her eyes gleamed with hopes for her dreams and future.

"Heh... I hope you do, Amen to that. Message me when you plan on publishing, I know a guy who could help us in that." she gave Amelia a tight squeeze and left for her work.

Amelia walked towards Anne's home to pick up Cindy. She felt as if someone was following her. She turned back to look but saw no one.

Strange. She thought.

"Cindy.... Anne." she called out from outside.

Cindy walked sadly towards her with Anne who was particularly fuming with anger.

"What's wrong? Why do you guys seem upset?" Amelia picked Cindy up.

Cindy dejectedly said "Dad was here."

"WHAT.... For what." She looked at Anne.
"He wanted money and since Cindy didn't have any, and how could she? He went on to ask me and didn't leave until I gave it to him." Anne shouted, she was furious.

"I am so sorry on his behalf Anne; I am so embarrassed at his horrendous behaviour. Here take it." Amelia handed her some money. "Next time don't let him in please... and definitely no where near Cindy." She looked at Cindy who was visibly scared.

"I don't understand why you guys put up with him. Just report him to the police and break ties." Anne complained.

Amelia looked down, seemingly lost elsewhere "There are no more ties left." She said and walked Cindy back to home.

"You remember what I told you when you see him right." she asked Cindy.

"Mhm... fear is acceptance of defeat, fight back until the last breath. No one gets to defeat you in your own story." Cindy repeated from her memory. Amelia's eye filled with admiration for her little sister.

" Good, hence no matter what when you see danger you will not be scared and fight it.... Okay?"

"Yes, Amy." Cindy hugged her.

When they reached home her father was already there, waiting for them.

"Cindy, hide behind me." Amelia told her. She knew her dad was drunk and he could be a threat.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice trembling with anger at his actions.

"What do you mean? I came back to meet my daughters, is that a crime." he spit back barely able to stand straight.

"Oh, please dad cut the caring act and tell me why you're her because I've seen enough to know you don't give a damn about your daughters or their well-being." She spat back at him raged by his audacity.

"YOU-Filthy women how dare you talk to me like that... you are just like your mother; you do not respect me because I don't have money." He shouted and grabbed Amelia by her hair.

"You don't have a heart either." Amelia scoffed.

"Oh yes I don't have a heart for daughters of whore." he snatched her bag and took out the envelope with money. "Looks like the fruit doesn't fall off far from the tree huh? Where does all this come from." He shouts at her face.

"Give that back to me, it's my hard-earned money." Amelia yelled, she was trying hard to fight back but her dad was a strong built and not easy to push away.

"Selling yourself now aren't you.... hah of course it's hard earned and you father deserves to have it after your mom kicked you out and I stayed for-"

"You stayed for nothing. You're the worst father; you wanted to sell us for money, and now you're stealing my money, which you have no right to do. NO RIGHT OVER US OR MY MONEY. GIVE IT BACK!"She screamed at him.

A loud gunshot shattered their argument, and two masked men stepped forward.
"Hands behind your back," they yelled at them.
She quickly grabbed Cindy and pressed her between the wall and herself trying to hide her away.

The men observed her, then looked at her dad.
"You-sit down on your knees," one of them commanded.

He panicked, started to back away, and frantically shouted, "Who are you?" He tried to escape, but one of the men shot his leg. The scene unfolding was so loud, scary and bloody that Cindy started trembling.
she screamed loudly and lost consciousness.

"Cindy, sweetheart, open your eyes!" Amelia pleaded urgently.

They hurried and dragged her father into the car he desperately shouted for help, "Amelia, look at me! Help me! I'm your father!" His voice was frantic.

However, Amelia's attention was solely on Cindy; she turned her back to her father, ignoring his pleas.

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END OF CHAPTER 2