The Heart System

Chapter 666: Chapter 666

Like Sophia had said, Emilia was behind the bar, sitting on a stool while looking at her phone. Isabella, the girl Melvin was so desperate to impress, sat on the opposite side where the customers usually perched. She was also on her phone, but she was idly spinning a drumstick between her fingers while she scrolled. I still had not gotten used to her. What was her name again? Isabella, right?

I walked over slowly.

Emilia looked up first and set her phone down on the counter. "Oh. Evan. Welcome. Bit early for partying, no?"

"Not here for that," I replied with a small smile.

"Hi," Isabella added, slipping her phone into her pocket. "Good to see you here... and without that weird man."

"Weird man?" I raised an eyebrow. "You mean Melvin?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Ah, he’s a good one," I said. "Best friend I’ve got."

That was obviously not true, but whatever. He was at least less strange than some of the people I knew. If I had to rank the weirdest people in my life, the competition would be brutal. Cora and Penelope would both be up there for sure, and if I was being honest, Mana would probably take first place without even trying. That woman was completely unhinged.

I drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "So, how’s Eleanor doing?"

"Eleanor?" Emilia repeated, glancing toward me. "Why don’t you just ask her yourself?"

"She doesn’t really like talking about personal stuff," I said. "I thought I might get a better picture from you two."

Isabella shrugged lightly. "She was crying yesterday. In the toilet."

"We agreed not to tell anyone," Emilia snapped, turning toward her. "God, Isabella."

"Hey, it’s obvious Evan cares about her as much as we do," Isabella shot back. "So why hide it?"

"I can’t believe you."

"Crying?" I repeated, frowning. "Hmm."

Isabella leaned her elbow on the counter. "This Brok guy, or Brock, or whatever his name is, is really getting into her head."

"How so?"

"It’s obvious on her face," she replied. "I don’t know how she acts around you, but she’s not okay. Not even close."

"And her brother isn’t helping," Emilia added, her tone sharp. "He keeps calling her and asking for money."

"All the time," Isabella said. "You’d think a grown man would at least have some spine. Some pride. Not this one, apparently."

I exhaled through my nose and looked down at the counter for a second.

Yeah. That lined up.

I already knew Mark was a useless bastard, but hearing it from other people only made it worse. Eleanor had enough on her plate without her brother dragging her further down. And if Brok was really pushing her that hard, then this thing was about to get ugly fast.

I leaned on the bar and looked at both of them.

"Anything else?" I asked. "Anything weird, anything out of place, anything she might have mentioned?"

Emilia and Isabella exchanged a glance.

Then Isabella looked back at me. "She’s scared, Evan. That’s the only thing I can tell you for sure."

I nodded slowly.

Yeah. That much was obvious.

I grabbed my phone from my pocket and checked the time. Just a few more minutes, and the pawnshop would be open. I just hoped Brok would actually be there. If he was not, then I would have to blackmail Dakota without his boss nearby, which would make everything a lot messier than I wanted.

My plan was simple enough. If Brok was inside, I would speak to Dakota privately and tell him I had photos he definitely would not want his boss to see. In exchange, I would ask for the safe code. If he refused, then I would go straight for Brok and bluff my way through it. From everything I had learned over the years working as a gas station clerk, people like that could not stand a bluff if you pushed them the right way.

"Where’s Eleanor?" I asked.

Emilia jerked her head toward the back. "In the back, changing into her uniform."

"Hmm." I nodded. "Alright, I should not hang around too long. And you really do look healthy, Emilia."

She chuckled lightly. "It has been weeks, of course. Charlotte may hate you, but I tolerate you, Evan."

"That is enough for me." I smiled. "Have a good one, both of you."

"You are not waiting for Eleanor?" Emilia asked.

"Nah, I have business to take care of." I replied. "But tell her I said goodbye, okay?"

Now... the next stop.

Brok’s pawnshop.

⟁ ⟁ ⟁

I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Brok was not behind the counter, only Dakota. Maybe the boss was in the back office. It did not matter. I was not about to leave just because that bastard was not out front. This had to end today, one way or another.

"Hello." I smiled.

"Hello... oh." Dakota looked up at me. "The laptop cooler guy. Welcome. Is there a problem with it?"

"Yeah." I said, taking out my phone. "I actually took a photo of it."

"Alright, let’s see."

I opened the gallery and went to the folder where I had stored the photos. Then I turned the phone toward him. He froze the second he saw the image. His eyes stayed locked on the screen for a long moment while I just stood there and waited for the reaction.

After about thirty seconds, the screen dimmed on its own, and he slowly looked up at me, swallowing hard.

"Who are you?"

"I want to make a deal," I said simply. "You tell me the code for the safe, and I delete this photo right now."

"I do not know the code."

"Bullshit." I shook my head. "You know it. And if you do not tell me, then I show Brok everything. The photos, the bar, all of it."

"I’ll kill you," he hissed. "I swear I’ll fucking kill you."

"If you can do that before your boss does, sure." I shrugged. "Last chance. What is the code?"

At that moment, Brok stepped out from the back office.

There he was. Cigar between his lips, half-lidded eyes fixed on me. For a second, he looked like he did not even recognize me, and then it clicked. His finger lifted, pointed right at me, and his expression twisted into a sneer.

He reeked of alcohol. He was probably drunk too.

"You."

"Yes, me." I said. "What about it?"

"Have you finally decided to pay the two million?" He chuckled. "Or are we making another agreement? One that involves that chick, Eleanor."

"Maybe." I said.

He shook his head and laughed. "You have half an hour, kid. Either bring me my two million, or that whore is mine."

"But—"

"No buts." He spat. "Now fuck off."