The End Of The Beginning

Noble Magnolia Cafe 

Within the bustling city, the Noble Magnolia Cafe stood proudly and elegantly, much like the majestic tree that it was named after. The cafe was adorned with intricately designed woodwork and large windows that allowed passersby to peer inside the establishment. As patrons entered through the doors, they were first greeted by a symphony of delectable smells, the fragrant smell of freshly baked pastries perfectly combined with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The interior was tastefully decorated with plush armchairs, polished white granite tables, and soft lighting that created a cozy atmosphere. 

On one of the many plush armchairs sat a frail-looking young man with unnaturally pale skin and dark circles under his brown eyes. The contrast between his sickly grotesque appearance and the pristine white chair was palpable. While he sat in the chair, his right foot anxiously tapped against the wooden floor. 

The young man furtively glanced at the patrons before he sighed.

'I don't belong here.' He thought disparagingly.

*Ding Ding* 

Hearing the melodic chime of the bell whenever a patron entered or exited the cafe, the young man's eyes jolted with anticipation to the door only to be disappointed when the patron who entered was not the person who had asked him to be here. 

The patron who entered was a middle-aged man clothed in a well-fitted designer suit. He was handsome despite his age. However, the young man, Austin, did not feel jealous of him. With just a single glance, Austin could perceive that the middle-aged man was self-centered and arrogant. 

The eyes were the windows to the Soul. When the middle-aged man entered through the doors, Austin had seen the disdainful, condescending gaze he had swept the patrons with.

People like the middle-aged man were the reasons why the world was so full of darkness. 

Austin prided himself on not judging others based solely on their appearances - well, perhaps he was guilty of it occasionally, but that was neither here nor there. However, his initial impression of the middle-aged man seemed to be confirmed when he overheard the disdainful remark upon the man's entrance: 

As the handsome middle-aged man, clad in a finely tailored designer suit, swept his gaze across the cafe, his arrogance was palpable. "Why is a slum rat allowed into this establishment?" he exclaimed, his voice dripped with disgust as he cast another disdainful glance at the figure he deemed unworthy. 

The disdainful gaze and words prompted Austin to gaze at his reflection in the window, causing him to smile bitterly.

His body was so unhealthy that the whiteness from his bones could be seen with the naked eye. 

The skin of his entire body had sunken inwards, allowing the veins that bodybuilders worked so hard to obtain to be spotted easily. 

If not for the fact that he obtained those highly sought-after veiny arms from starvation, it could have been an achievement of a lifetime. 

While he was gazing at his body, a woman's grating voice entered his ears, prompting him to turn his face in her direction.

 "Hohoho~ Dear husband, you shouldn't say such words. They are unbecoming of someone with your status." A tall, black-haired woman who entered the cafe a step behind the middle-aged man admonished; however, the words that soon followed were far from pleasant. Showing the true nature of the woman. While she pinched her nose in disgust at the sewage smell that wafted off the slum rat, she said, "Perhaps the cafe's owner is being charitable by allowing his filthy presence where only high-class citizens like us are allowed." 

The middle-aged man laughed, agreeing with his wife. If it were not because of charity, how could someone from the slums be allowed to enter where only people of their social standing were permitted? 

'I definitely don't belong here.' Words that were similar to before repeated in Austin's mind. He knew of his status compared to the rich high-class citizens. They need not say such words out loud. 

Despite their disdainful glances and criticisms, Austin wouldn't succumb to their shallow judgment of him. 

Emotional distress from their words and gazes, sure... but fully succumbing? He had and would never entertain the thought.

It wasn't because he was a coward.

Trust... he had never lied in his life.

"Here you go, dear customer." A short brown-haired woman in a classic French maid outfit placed a cup of what Austin presumed to be coffee on the table. Austin was confused, he had clearly not ordered anything ever since arriving at this establishment. Just as he parted his lips to speak, the woman preemptively spoke, dispelling his doubts. 

"Young Master Jacob instructed us to provide our best hospitality, should his younger brother arrive before him." The waitress said respectfully while her head remained lowered. 

"Uh... thank you." Austin replied, feeling somewhat bashful. He wasn't used to the 180-degree change in his life. 

If it had been a month ago, he wouldn't have dared to even enter this establishment. 

Austin wasn't the type to dine and dash, even if he had the guts or the ability to escape the authorities.

The hardships he suffered only further improved his qualities. 

As someone who was once an orphan… he knew his place in the world. 

The orphanage he was abandoned at since birth was quite poor. 

As the oldest among the kids, Austin took it upon himself to only eat when necessary. 

He wanted the newborns and the other children to have at least one more bite. 

Thus, his emaciated and sickly-looking body. 

During his formative years in the orphanage, Austin had watched his friends be adopted one after the other. 

He wasn't jealous or hated them. 

He was happy for them, but deep inside, he always wished someone would adopt him. 

Sadly, he knew with his short life span he would never be adopted. 

He was born with an incurable disease… who would want to adopt a random kid like him? 

Why would someone want to pay outrageous hospital bills for a stranger? 

After twelve years, he had given up all hope of ever being adopted. 

However… a month ago, precisely twenty-eight days ago, a family of three adopted him. 

He didn't know why, but he didn't care. 

At last, someone adopted him. 

"Please enjoy." The waitress bowed and then left. 

Sigh... 

Austin visibly sighed. The waitress had spoken respectfully; however, her eyes told a different story. The eyes were a gateway to a person's Soul. Her respect was for his brother, not for him. Just before she left, he saw a brief look of disdain in her eyes. It was understandable, he didn't blame her. She, like everyone else in this high-class cafe, could not wait for him to leave. His presence probably polluted the atmosphere or whatever... Austin wasn't rich to understand their way of thinking. 

"Austin!" 

"Austin!" 

*Slap* 

"Ouch!" Austin grimaced, massaging his aching head as he looked up at the person who hit him, momentarily taken aback. 

He was mere moments away from lashing out but stopped when he saw the person who hit him. If it had been anyone else, Austin would have called the police, even a 'slum rat' like him had rights... right? 

At some point in time, while Austin was preoccupied with his thoughts, a man and woman arrived at the cafe and sat down at the same table as Austin. 

The man was tall, around six feet in height. He looked handsome with his blonde curly hair and slim yet muscular physique. The woman was beautiful, a tad bit shorter than the man. Her black hair extended down to her waist. She looked like a supermodel. A perfect match for the equally handsome man next to her. 

"What was that for?" Austin smiled slightly; however, because of his ghastly appearance, his smile looked revolting. "When did you guys arrive?" 

"Just now, but you were too busy thinking about useless things." Jacob reprimanded and then added, "Drink your coffee before it gets cold!" 

"Jacob, you didn't have to hit him." Natalie said, worriedly. 

Jacob ignored his girlfriend and kept staring at Austin. 

Normally, he wouldn't ignore his girlfriend, but this adopted brother of his had a habit of constantly thinking about his past rather than the present. 

Jacob and his…no, their parents hoped that Austin could finally start accepting them as his family. 

Yet, even after a month, he hadn't accepted them. 

He understood why, but he hoped he could at least show a bit of progress. 

After not receiving a reply from her boyfriend, Natalie pouted and turned her face toward Austin, and asked with genuine concern, "Are you okay Austin?" 

Austin smiled wryly; he wasn't scared or mad at being hit. 

The slap to his head didn't hurt, it was more playful than anything. 

"Big sis, don't worry it didn't hurt, and to be fair, I deserved it." Austin said before taking a whiff of the expensive coffee. 

The smell was fragrant and luxurious, completely different from the musky, disease-filled water he drank back in the orphanage. 

Back in the orphanage Austin, the children, and the caretakers who took care of all the orphans had no choice but to drink the gloopy brown water to survive. 

Tentatively, Austin took a small sip… and immediately he was hit with a complex flavor profile, it was smooth, earthy, and sweet with a hint of chocolate. 

"Ah! So good!" Austin said involuntarily while licking his lips. 

"It's Kopi Luwak coffee. If lil bro didn't like it, I would have given you another chop." Jacob said as he gestured in a chopping motion. 

Though Jacob said it as a joke, he wasn't entirely joking when he said he would give Austin a chop. 

A single cup of Kopi Luwak coffee costs $100. 

No matter how rich their parents were, they still weren't rich enough to waste $100 on a cup of coffee. 

Today was a special occasion, and that was why Jacob bought three cups of the most expensive coffee in the world. 

Fortunately, Austin was unaware, or else he would never have dared to take a whiff of the coffee, let alone a sip. 

After thoroughly savoring the first sip, Austin lifted the cup… 

Austin was about to continue drinking his coffee but was hit with a blinding light to his right eye.

Startled, Austin turned his gaze in the direction of the source of the blinding light, only to be met with a shocking sight. 

'What the… a knife? Why would a cafe waiter have that? Why is it concealed…?' Many questions raced through Austin's mind. At first, Austin didn't know why the waiter had a concealed knife, but after looking at the murderous expression on the waiter's face, he understood. 

"J-Jacob, t-that waiter has a knife." Austin's voice trembled with horror as he shouted. Austin didn't mean to shout, but he was too horrified to think properly. 

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Jacob asked, confused. 

"A knife?" 

The patrons who were peacefully dining and the employees of the cafe were alarmed by the shout as they looked over to the source of the voice only to become annoyed. 

A few of the more arrogant patrons parted their lips to curse the slum rat only to be shocked by a sudden turn of events. 

The waiter who had been quietly approaching the table that occupied Austin, Jacob, and Natalie clicked his tongue in annoyance at being caught. Momentarily he hesitated whether he should go through with the assassination, after all, he could still lie; however, after remembering the sum of money he could earn, his determination strengthened. 

After the waiter's determination strengthened, he quickened his pace into a sprint, determined to finish the job. 

Noticing that his shout alerted the waiter into running towards them… no, more precisely toward Jacob, Austin sprang into action and shoved Jacob out of harm's way, just in time as the waiter lunged. 

"AAAAARGGGGHHHH! IT HURTS! TAKE IT OUT!" Austin's agonized screams pierced the air, full of pain and desperation. Like a crumbled ball, Austin fell to the ground. His body contorted from the pain. 

"AUSTIN!" 

"AUSTIN!" 

"CALL THE POLICE!" 

Jacob and Natalie, who were momentarily shocked by the assassination attempt, shouted in worry. The patrons who mocked and belittled the slum rat shook in fright as they scrambled out of the cafe. 

The commotion caused by Jacob, Natalie, and the patrons fell on deaf ears. 

Austin was in no shape to hear or care about others. 

Austin felt a scorching heat from his chest with every labored breath, excruciating pain pulsed in waves throughout his body. 

It was the worst pain Austin had ever felt in his entire life. 

As Austin's vision blurred, his gaze fell on the foot-long kitchen knife lodged in his chest. 

'Damn, am I going to die? I finally found a family… I don't want to die.' Tears welled in Austin's eyes. He finally found a loving family. Today was supposed to be a happy occasion. His brother was finally about to propose to Natalie. Yet, in a cruel twist of fate, he was being torn away from them before he could reciprocate his family's love. He cursed his miserable fate. He cursed whoever was responsible for his ordeal. 

With the last of his remaining consciousness, Austin choked out a final plea, "Jacob… my computer! After… After I die, take my computer and destroy it, okay!? Make sure the hard drive is completely shattered!"