The restaurant was in shambles, with shredded remnants of broken furniture littering the space. Plates, glasses, and various other items were haphazardly strewn about, creating a scene of chaotic destruction.
The ruthless loan sharks left no piece of furniture unscathed. Every corner of the place was engulfed in absolute chaos, and the ordeal was far from being resolved.
The loan shark loomed threateningly over the trembling old lady. She didn't budge. She couldn't.
The old lady was forced to endure all the discomfort in her body while being pinned down to one spot.
Then...
"Pak! Pak!"
Two reverberating slaps hit the old lady's face, messing up her carefully combed grey hair.
Then, as if that wasn't enough, the burly man mercilessly punched her straight in the stomach. Sending unbearable pain and discomfort in her body.
The old lady tried her might to plead to her perpetrator.
"P-please… this old body can't sustain it anymore." The old lady said while holding her abdomen from the strain.
"I already told you I have no money. Would you mind letting me go? I'll try to pay you back as soon as I can."
She said, hoping and praying that the man would show her an ounce of pity.
When the burly man didn't say a word or move, she thought it was finally over.
But she was wrong.
Just as the pain slowly subsided, the elderly woman attempted to muster the remaining strength to stand up. Suddenly, an unexpected blow once again pierced her stomach.
"Thud!"
The force propelled her frail body into the corner of the room, where she collided with the wall, banging her head.
"Bang!"
Her fragile neck had snapped. Instantly killed her on the spot.
That's how the young girl discovered her beloved grandmother's cold, lifeless body on the floor of their dilapidated restaurant...
***
The young girl was deeply sorrowful as her beloved grandmother, who had raised her, was brutally killed by the loan shark.
She is still in shock from discovering her beloved grandmother's lifeless body inside their dilapidated restaurant on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada.
The little family had worked hard to build everything they had, only to see it destroyed. The most devastating part of it all was the cold-blooded murder of her grandmother.
The woman experienced intense suffering in her final moments, yet the perpetrators evaded capture by the authorities.
She could barely handle the burial process because she was overwhelmed with grief. The most heartbreaking part was that her best friend and her family members were the only ones who supported her during and after the funeral.
"Are you sure you will be alright?" Her best friend asked, doing her best to comfort the grieving young girl.
"If you want to, you could always move in with us, you know. My parents always treated you like their own, and now that the twins are off to military training, there's just me left to trouble them."
"Thank you. I appreciate your offer, but I'll be fine. I just need to find a decent job and go to school at night. I know I can do it; I just want you to stay by my side and be my friend forever," she said as she cried on her best friend's shoulder.
"Shhh, stop crying...'' Her friend gently wrapped her arms around the tearful girl, offering a warm embrace and a soothing presence to comfort her.
As she tried to lighten the heavy atmosphere, she looked her friend in the eyes and declared solemnly, "I am never going to leave your side. You and I are in this for the long haul. We're going to be best friends forever, come what may, until the end of time."
Then she let out a burst of laughter, saying, "Hahaha! It almost sounds like we're getting married."
The young girl's tear-streaked face broke into a faint smile as she continued to cry into her best friend's shoulder.
At that moment, she felt the weight of being all alone in the world settle in her heart.
She was left feeling a profound absence after the passing of her grandmother, the one who had poured all of her love and effort into raising her.
As she sought solace from her closest friend, her thoughts were scattered and turbulent.
What options does she have now that she finds herself completely isolated? Throughout her life, she never had the opportunity to meet any of her paternal ancestors or contact her maternal relatives.
What steps can she take to connect with her extended family or find a sense of belonging?
Fortunately, she had recently celebrated her 18th birthday, marking the legal transition to adulthood.
Unlike many other orphaned children, reaching this milestone meant that she could now live independently without the need for placement in a foster home.
After the funeral concludes, she plans to carefully consider her next steps in life.
However, in the meantime, her primary focus is to mourn the passing of her beloved grandmother, who was the most significant person in her world.
***
As she sat on the worn-out couch in her small apartment, the young girl felt a wave of despair washing over her. She couldn't see any way out of her miserable situation.
Each passing day only seemed to confirm her worst fears, and she found herself mentally preparing for the possibility of becoming homeless.
As she gazed up at the night sky, she felt a profound yearning for divine intervention. She fervently hoped that in the vast expanse of the heavens, God was attuned to the raw, unspoken pleas echoing within her soul.
With a deep sense of desperation, she poured out her heart in prayer, clinging to the belief that her words would reach across the cosmic expanse.
Struggling with a lack of funds and burdened with several outstanding debts, she found herself in a dire situation.
Adding to her worries, she recently received a notice from her landlord, stipulating that she would have to leave her home if she failed to settle the overdue rent within the next month.
She felt overwhelmed by the constant stress of financial burden. Every time she turned a corner, the issue of money arose.
It felt like an oppressive force, lurking behind every breath she took. She couldn't shake the feeling that money was the source of all her troubles.
She started to feel overwhelmed by a deep sense of despair as she grappled with the daunting task of finding the funds.
The idea of turning to her closest friend crossed her mind, but she hesitated as she was already in debt to her.
Despite her friend's generosity, she was determined not to exploit their kindness now and in the future.
She sat on the cold, hard floor, feeling the weight of desperation settle in. Her mind raced as she desperately tried to devise a solution for acquiring the much-needed funds.
Despite the challenges she faced, she held on to the hope that if she could find a way to participate in a singing competition, she might have a small opportunity to win.
Winning would mean solving all the problems that burdened her, and she longed for that chance.
As the young girl struggled with the problem, she could be heard muttering to herself, "Think! Think hard and use your brain. Aren't you smart?" She scolded herself, determined to find the solution.
In a sudden moment of reflection, she found herself thinking about her biological mother, the woman who had made the difficult decision to relinquish her at birth.
Her grandmother had shared a fascinating piece of information with her - that her mother had gone on to become a renowned entertainer in Asia, earning the prestigious title of a 'Diva.'
What's more, she recently married one of the region's most affluent individuals, solidifying her status as part of high society.
She considered the possibility of traveling to Asia in search of her mother, but the daunting challenge lay in not knowing her mother's whereabouts.
Her mother, an ambitious woman, had left her newborn child and elderly mother in a foreign land with no one to provide them with support.
That cold-hearted woman showed no concern back then and surely wouldn't show any concern now that her neglected child has grown up and is on the verge of facing homelessness...