As Christmas approached day by day, the streets began to exude a festive atmosphere. Even after living here for several years, Laila still couldn't quite warm up to the idea of the big Christmas turkey, but she certainly welcomed the gifts under the Christmas tree.
Lately, in addition to work, she would occasionally visit a cafe dedicated to two-dimensional and Comic. The coffee there was excellent, and the atmosphere in the cafe was comfortable. Except on special event days, the cafe was rarely crowded, making it the perfect place for her to contemplate. The lack of patrons was probably due to the winter weather, as most comic enthusiasts might prefer staying at home to read comics.
Laila had even asked the cafe owner, Aiden, if he had considered expanding his business. In her opinion, the cafe had a brilliant concept, and some of the homemade items, like the superhero-themed coffee mugs, were things she'd like to collect herself. But if he wanted to mass-produce them, he'd need to secure the rights.
However, Aiden gave her an unexpected response: he wanted to keep the cafe just as it was because his deceased son had been a huge fan of comics. It was here that he felt closest to his son as if he had never left.
Laila learned that this cafe used to be an ordinary coffee shop until Aiden's son, who loved comics, tragically passed away in a car accident a few years ago. It was then that Aiden transformed it into its current state.
Aiden himself didn't have a significant interest in comics, but when he heard young people sitting together, passionately debating which superhero was more powerful, he felt happiness because those were the topics his son used to discuss with him the most.
It was an irrefutable reason, and even though Laila found it somewhat regrettable, she applauded the genuine emotions he invested in this place.
However, today, as she entered the cafe called "Hero's House," she saw the humanoid advertising board outside the shop shattered into pieces, and even Batman's head had flown off to who knows where.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly rushed inside the cafe.
"Aiden, what happened?" The interior of the cafe was in chaos as well. Posters hanging on the walls were torn, and the collectibles displayed in the cabinets were strewn all over the place. It looked like a hurricane had swept through, leaving everything in disarray.
Owen was also in the cafe, along with a few regular customers, helping with the cleanup. When he saw Laila enter, he angrily exclaimed, "It's a robbery! A bunch of robbers! They forced Aiden to sell this place so they can build that damn skyscraper! Aiden refused, and this is what happened!"
Laila furrowed her brow. "Why didn't you call the police?"
"What good would that do?" Owen scoffed. "Even if they catch them, they won't be locked up for long, and there's no evidence that these people were sent by them."
Laila nodded in understanding. It was true that in some ways, the American police were too lenient. With a good lawyer, even charges as serious as murder could be argued down to a not-guilty verdict, let alone a case involving property damage to a cafe.
Honestly, it wasn't surprising that someone coveted this cafe's location. In her eyes, the location was excellent. The bookstore where she had crossed paths with Owen was situated in a very lively area, and it was only a short walk from here. It was clear that this area was close to the bustling part of town.
Moreover, apart from the cafe, the surrounding buildings were rather old, making them affordable to purchase. Whether they intended to build high-end residential apartments or commercial properties, there was a substantial profit to be made.
Aiden's refusal to sell was simple—he wanted to preserve the memories of his deceased son. But with such a conviction, he could face any battle thrown his way.
Laila picked up a fallen cup from the floor and silently placed it back on the counter. She watched Aiden, who was sitting behind the counter, lost in thought. She couldn't help but feel sorry for his predicament.
"This is America, Aiden," she said gently, moving closer to him. "If you don't have enough money, you can't withstand the pressure of wealthier individuals. And for the sake of money, there will always be a slew of people coming to bother you. They targeted your cafe today, but they might do even more in the future. How many customers do you think will be willing to come here if such incidents keep happening?"
Aiden knew that what she was saying was the harsh reality and that it might become a reality very soon. Without the comic enthusiasts who used to come here to discuss superheroes, he wouldn't know if he could make a profit, and the things he cherished might disappear along with them.
Would some people love this cafe so much that they would overlook the danger and come here? Maybe once or twice, but what about every day?
"If worse comes to worst, I'll close the cafe and leave this city so they can't get anything!" Aiden clenched his teeth.
Laila chuckled softly. "Is that the solution? Even if you do that, you'll still lose what you want."
Aiden ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Then what else can I do? Should I hope that the police will guard this place all the time?"
That was obviously a joke, and no police department would assign officers to guard a vandalized coffee shop.
Laila gave him another answer. "Then sell the cafe to me."
"You?" Aiden widened his eyes. He couldn't help but be surprised. The girl in front of him looked like she was in her early twenties at most, and his cafe, even if it wasn't worth much, wasn't something a child could easily buy. He sighed. "Never mind, I don't want to trouble your parents."
In his view, even if Laila wasn't joking, she would only seek help from her family. Thus, his troubles would merely be transferred to her family. He couldn't do something that harmed others!
"It has nothing to do with my family," Laila assured him. "I genuinely love this place, and I have no intention of changing anything here. After I buy it, you can still make the best coffee for everyone, and people can still discuss comics here. If you don't trust me, we can put this in the contract. If I violate this clause, I will compensate you a hundredfold."
Laila looked at him earnestly. She truly loved this place, as well as the uncomplicated comic enthusiasts who frequented it. During her time here, she also encountered quite a few talented comic artists who created their own superheroes and comics through discussions. She had seen some of their work, and despite her lack of understanding of this genre, she could tell that some of it was quite impressive.