Chapter Four: The Obnoxious Visitor

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strength. When you go through hardships and not surrender, that is strength.”

- Mahatma Ghandi

“Sebastian what do you think about these designs?” I ask Sebastian showing him three different designs of uniforms for the café. He stares at them. “They’re not bad, I’m guessing Pollyanna drew this, am I right?” He says. She nods enthusiastically. “She really good with arts, if this continues, I might grant her a scholarship.”

Sebastian’s eyes widen at her remark. “Are you sure?” He says, flabbergasted. She smiles. “Of course. I am not the person I was before. I am simply Althea Brianbrair, the owner of The Soul of Cake café. Besides, it’s different from just giving a simple check to a certain cause. I get to help them personally. I think that is something noteworthy.” She says, placing the drawings on the table. “But enough of that now, which do you think is better? Thus, I could actually get some tailors to make them.” I tell him. He focuses on the drawings. “I think the second one is better, plus the gold trimmings make it look more sophisticated, yet warm. This is for the girls, right? Where are the matching uniforms for the boys then?” She settles the designs for the boys’ uniform beside the design for the girls’ uniform. He studies the matching design that he chose. “It’s not bad, but are you sure? I think it would be nice as an event, but for it to make a permanent uniform, are you planning to make it a costume café?”

“Now that you mention it, that is my plan. This uniform is just for an event. I’m trying to put some gimmicks so I can attract more customers, and I believe with these, we might get new patrons.” She says, giving him a thumbs-up. “Sharp as ever, Sebastian.” He shrugs. “I have to be, I can’t compete with your genius brain after all.” Ignacio strides into the kitchen, seeing them hunched over and discussing about the designs, he makes his way over.

“Are these the new designs for your event?” He asks Althea. She nods, and he smiles. “These are good, but you better look for a tailor that would take bulk orders, and don’t forget, not too fancy.” He says, reminding her. “Yes, Tio Cio.” She says, listening to his sound advice. “So that would be nine maid dresses and butler costumes.” She says affirming with the three.

Ignacio objects. “Make it ten maid dresses and eight butler costumes.” Althea looks at him queerly. “But why?” She asks him, confused. He laughs jovially. “Because I’ll be dressing as one! ¡Ah, me veré maravilloso en eso! (Oh, I'll look wonderful in that!)” Althea laughs and Sebastian pales up. “Are you sure Ignacio?” He asks, his voice quaking. “That would look horrendous on you, especially your build and all.” Ignacio looks at him seriously. “Got a problem, el mocoso? (punk)” He says intimidatingly. Sebastian raises his hands up. “None, monsieur. (sir)” Althea laughs. “That would be good, I like your idea, I’ll also go ask Louis to come over, I’m sure all his stress will melt away if he sees you in a maid outfit Tio Cio!” And she goes back to her room to get her phone. Ignacio looks at Sebastian. “We have a problem.” He tells him, as he sits on the counter. “Someone destroyed the tombstone of their mother. I asked around, but no one saw who did it. The stones are made with a Van Gogh granite marble, that won’t be easily obtained nowadays. With it’s rarity, we have a better chance of finding one in the black market. And I’m sure they would notice it, because it will differ in design. Those siblings are far too observative for their own good.” Ignacio says, sighing. “Althea is finally happy. I don’t want to see her get so down again. Worse, if she sees it, she might crumple down.” Ignacio gnashes his teeth in anger. Sebastian calms him down. “We’ll let’s hope we can find one in the black market. I’ll contact Gallius and Desmond secretly, they’ve dealt with the black market once or twice already, they will know it better than we do.” Ignacio sighs. “Althea might be in trouble. Should we inform Louis?” Sebastian looks at the slightly opened door of Althea’s room, and in there, the girl is laughing while talking to her brother. “Not now, let’s see first what we can do about it. We are her servants after all, it is time we fulfill our purpose.” Ignacio nods, and soon enough Althea skips back into the room.

“Louis says he’ll try to come at the event! I told him a special surprise is waiting for him, I can’t wait for the event day to come!” She says squealing in excitement. Then she notices the serious expression on their faces. “Why the long face? Aren’t you excited?” Ignacio smiles immediately. “Of course, we are! I just realized, I was running out of ‘fertilizer’ for the orchard.” She squints her eyes at them. “Sure? You’re not hiding anything from me?” She says poking Sebastian’s cheeks. “I advise you to stop that. Or I’ll go back to formal mode.” He says seriously. “Oh, you mean, stick in the mud mode?” She says jokingly. Then she glances at her wristwatch. “Oh no! Sebastian, Tio Cio! We are late! I had so much fun chatting with Louis I didn’t notice the time! We should have left minutes ago! Once we arrive, I’m sure our staff would be waiting outside.” She drags the both of them and when she sees Isabella she drags her off to the car as well. Once seated, she leans over to Sebastian, who’s on the driver seat. “You better step on the gas Sebastian.” He grins. “Whatever you say, Mistress.” And he starts the engine and he immediately sets for the road, and he indeed follows her orders and he steps on the gas.

Upon arriving at the café, Althea could barely walk. Every step she makes, a surge of nausea comes back to her. Isabella couldn’t take it anymore, and she heaves out on the nearby tree’s roots. Sebastian crinkles his nose. “Ah, pauvre toi. (Ah, poor you.)” Isabella looks up and before she speaks, another wave of nausea overcomes her and she heaves out again. Ignacio laughs and grabs a wheelchair for Althea. He upon setting it on the path, he then pats Isabella’s back. “You okay, muchacha? (lass)” Sebastian then helps Althea sit on the wheelchair, grinning triumphantly. “I’ll get you for this Sebastian.” Then she smiles after realizing something. “Or maybe not. You’re not that deep of a stick in the mud.” He smirks. “Thank you for your compliment.”

Isabella stops heaving after and with Ignacio’s help, she marches towards Sebastian and she hits his shoulder with a punch. Sebastian looks at her shocked, in a not so good way. He then looks at her with annoyance. “What was that for, femme laide? (ugly woman)” She hits him again, and this time he catches it. He then feels a sudden spark, that he couldn’t explain. He gazes on her hazel brown eyes, and he felt like he’s being drawn to them. She fumes out. “That was far too fast! I thought I died!” Sebastian snaps back, and he smirks at her. “I just merely fulfilled the wishes of my mistress.” Isabella had more to say, when she felt another wave of nausea. She then raises a finger, then dashes to the nearby tree to retch.

Sebastian laughs and he pushes Althea to the café frontier where a lot of their staff is waiting plus their early morning patrons. Upon seeing her in that condition, they crowded over her. “Are you okay miss?” A staff asked. “What happened?” asked a female patron who frequently comes over for their coffee. She smiles at them warmly, placating them all. “I’m alright. Just a bit under the weather.” She then struggles to stand up, but her dizziness got the better out of her. A staff comes forward. “Miss, I’ll open it instead, please rest. We don’t want you to compromise your health.” The people around them also agree. Sebastian smirks at Althea. “You heard your staff and your customers. They want you to take it easy.” He says, with a hint of teasing in his voice. Her junior patisserie walks toward her. “I-I’ll t-take o-over y-your st-station, m-miss.” She says, stuttering and blushing beet-red. Althea pats her head. “I’ll take over it once I feel better. Thank you.” She smiles at everyone again. “Thank you for your concern everyone.”

Once the door was opened, everyone went in and soon the whole morning shift ended accordingly. Soon enough, she’s wearing her cooking garb. She enters the kitchen and helps the afternoon shift prepare meals. Afterwards, she heads over to the barista counter and she helps the baristas make the drinks of the customers. It was a very busy afternoon. Just as she was about to go in the kitchen, a group of men enter her premises. The make way for a man clad in a gorgeous suit and tie. He looks around. A waitress approaches him. “Sir, would you like to sit down?” He looks at her condescendingly. “A paltry waitress. I don’t want to talk to you. Go fetch your manager. She’ll be a better conversant than some vermin like you.” Althea raises her eyebrow and she removes her apron and she undoes her bun, making her hair fall down in soft waves.

She then walks towards the man. “I am the manager here. My name is Althea Brianbrair.” He then shushes her. He examines her from head to toe, nodding to himself. “You look wonderful miss manager. But please don’t talk to me like that again. Clearly, we are of different worlds and backgrounds you see.” Althea simply smiles. “I understand sir.” She says respectfully.

He then smiles. “That’s it, at least you know how to make reparations. I won’t sit down on your cheap upholstery, I’m afraid, I might ruin my suit. It’s a very expensive suit after all. I’ll discuss it here.” He looks at his men and they start to shove the customers out. They all scream in panic and confusion. Althea shocked, she pulls the men away from the customers but it was to no avail. They shove her down immediately. Sebastian comes over and helps her up. “What is the meaning of this?” The man laughs. “Oh, fine, then I’ll announce it here then. I want to buy your café. Name your price.” Althea looks at him angrily. “I will not sell my café! Not in a million years!” He laughs at her reply. “Oh, a tough one eh.” He says arrogantly. “I have my ways to make you give up this place. I suggest you take my money instead of making me do underhanded ways to make you give it up. You wouldn’t want to lose all your assets don’t you think?” Ignacio comes out from the kitchen and faces them. “Get out.” He says, his body bursting with a murderous aura. The man shrinks away, and he motions for his men to surround him. “Using force on me will do you nothing. In fact, I can put you to jail right now.” Ignacio then runs quickly, to the point that he even blurs out. He closes the distance between them, even knocking over some of the men who was covering the arrogant man. “I said, leave.” He says, his savage aura dominating him. The man could feel himself quaking, but he decides to stand firm. “I will not be threatened by you. Men, teach this guy a lesson.” The hired men then face Ignacio, who has a grim expression on his face. “Do I have your permission, Amante (Mistress)?” Althea nods. “Teach them a lesson as well.” Ignacio then, with a wild glint in his eye, confronts them with a ferocious expression, like a tiger baring his claws. “Come at me then!”

The first guy throws a punch at him and he immediately dodges it and grabs the arm of the man. With a pull, he dislocates the man’s shoulder and he twists his arm, breaking the man’s wrists as well. He pushes the man on the ground and two men now charge at him, revealing knives and a nunchaku. They strike at him, but he evades their attacks and instead, he reaches for both of their heads, and smashes it at each other with an inhuman force. A sound of a small crackle can be heard as the two men crumple down, their foreheads bleeding. The other men start to quake in their shoes as Ignacio slowly walks at them, like an Asura whose thirsty for blood. “Anyone else?” He says, with a menacing smile. The men gulp and they start to back away.

The arrogant man then pushes them forward. “Attack him you wankers! Have I been paying you less to do such a shabby job! I’ll fire you all at once, and I’ll make sure you all would go back to the dumps where you all belong!” The men exchanged glances with each other, and they all revealed their weapons. They attacked at him all at once. He managed to successfully dodge them all. Some of the men stares at Althea who’s watching the unfolding scene. With an unspoken agreement, half of them began to run after Althea. Sebastian knocks them out completely, except one, who manages to brandish his knife towards Althea’s throat. “You better stop, or I’ll slit her throat, right here and then!” The arrogant man smiles and he claps. “Wonderful, I’ll double your pay!” Ignacio then stops fighting, and the men easily over power him. They kick him on his sides, but he doesn’t even flinch. Althea looks at Ignacio with worry. “Uncle Cio!” The man presses the blade deeper to Althea’s throat, drawing blood.

“I suggest you not make a move missy.” He says. “I wouldn’t want to rip your pretty little throat.” Sebastian face dims over. Ignacio then stands up, and he grabs the man nearest to him and he pushes him away with an inhuman strength to the wall. The man hits it, and crumples down. The other men stab him but instead, he kicks their hands, and smashes the bones in their arms. Sebastian on the other hand, walks closer to the man who got Althea hostage. “D-don’t move any closer! I’ll kill her!” He says, his arms trembling.

“You’ve made a wrong move mister.” Althea says, her voice serious. She then takes advantage of the trembling of the man and she immediately step on his foot with her pointed heels and she spins around to kick the man’s groin. He then couches down, and Althea takes this time to jam her elbow at the man’s throat choking him. Sebastian them immediately takes her, and he lifts the man’s collar with one hand. “You dare to threaten our mistress? You lowlife scum?” he then twists the man’s body and he pops the man’s neck on his elbow. “I’ll end your measly life here. You are not even worthy to touch a single spot of her skin, or a speck of her hair. You’ll pay for your atrocities.” He then squeezes hard, and the man, loses his breath, and his face turns a shade of purple. Ignacio by then, has broken the men’s bones. Around him were the men the arrogant man had hired, either groaning and crying in pain or unconscious. Despite his injures, he walks over to the man and grabs him by the throat. He squeezes the arrogant man’s throat, his face changes from pale white, to blue, to purple.

“Ignacio, Louis, stand down.” They both reluctantly let them go. The arrogant man gasps for his breath. “I’ll sue you! I’ll make sure you lose! You’ll all rot in jail!” He says hysterically. The door open and Carson comes in. “Oh sir, I don’t think so. Because…” he says pointing towards all the cameras in the café, plus the customers who were hiding in the corners, and underneath the tables who were holding their cellphones, either filming everything, or calling the police. “Despite your money, for what you did, let me think, this is harassment, plus, you threatened that girl’s life so it would be attempted murder. I can prattle on and on about the cases that I can pile up on your name, and I can tell you, I never lost a case, ever. Even if I fought against moneybags like you.” He says. “I suggest you prepare. We’ll be sending a subpoena soon.” The man points at Carson, but seeing Ignacio’s terrifying glance, he immediately retreated. Althea then collapsed down, from too much stress. Carson then catches her. He looks at everyone around. “Call the paramedics!” Ignacio crouches down to Althea. “Sir, you have to get your wounds treated.” Carson tells Ignacio. He ignores him. “I’ll take her back, thank you for your worries.” Sebastian nods in agreement. “She’s safe in our hands.” He says, hard-headedly. Carson looks at them. “You both are injured. What use will you two be if you collapsed? Even if you arrived back into your homes, imagine what her expression would be if she sees you injured like this.” Ignacio sighs, and they all wait for the paramedics to come. Sebastian excuses himself and walks away. He then dials a number. “Desmond, I need you help. I want you to use your influence in the hospital we are going. We want you to erase our records there. And don’t inform Louis. He’s…” he trails off. “He’s having his own problems right now.”

Carson stayed beside Althea, as the paramedics arrive and take her away, they also take Ignacio and Sebastian to address and suture their wounds if needed. They also have to undergo ultrasound to see if their organs were badly bruised or whatnot. Sebastian then tells the doctor of Althea’s history of disease and current ones. Carson could barely hear them, as he was fixated on the woman before him. Despite her fragility, she never hesitated to help the customers who were being harassed. She showed her cunningness when she managed to overthrow her assailant. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “You really are something, Althea.” He then watches over her as the doctors attend to her.