Chapter 29 – Stirring Up Trouble

"Are you trying to poison me?!" a man shouted at the cashier, slamming his hand on the counter.

“W-what’s going on, sir? What do you mean?” Livia asked, startled and confused by the sudden outburst.

“Call your manager, now! Someone has to take responsibility!” he yelled, his bloodshot eyes glaring wildly.

He looked like a thug, and Livia was beginning to panic.

Swallowing hard, her face pale, Livia stammered, “O-okay, I’ll call her right away,” and she quickly turned around, almost running toward Jeslyn’s private office.

Meanwhile, the thug-like man kept yelling, drawing the attention of both customers and staff. Some guests looked uneasy, while others had already begun recording the scene on their phones.

It didn’t take long before Jeslyn appeared at the doorway with Jefran beside her, both wearing tense and questioning expressions. Seeing the commotion at the counter, Jeslyn rushed over.

The man, who had been watching Jeslyn under Leonel’s orders, finally saw both Jeslyn and Jefran emerge from the room. His mission was accomplished.

“What seems to be the problem here?” Jeslyn asked, her tone firm but polite as she met the man’s eyes.

“Problem? You put something in my drink! My throat’s burning and my head’s spinning! Do you think I’m stupid?!” the man shouted.

Jeslyn narrowed her eyes and turned to Livia. “What did he order?”

“Just a regular vanilla latte, Sis. Same as other customers. The barista made it, I only served it,” Livia answered, trembling.

Jeslyn stayed calm. “Alright. We’ll review the CCTV footage and check the remaining ingredients. If there’s any negligence on our part, we’ll take responsibility. But for now, please calm down.”

But the man wouldn’t stop. “Spare me the excuses! You're the café owner, right? Who sent you?!”

His gaze turned darker, filled with accusation.

Jefran stepped forward protectively. “Hey, you can’t just throw around accusations without proof. You're causing a scene in a public place.”

Suddenly, the man gave a faint smirk. His smile was cold. “Proof? Oh, you’ll get more than enough... soon.”

Jeslyn narrowed her eyes again. Her instincts flared up—something was off. Very off.

“Sir, please remain calm. We’ll resolve this matter properly. I believe this is just a misunderstanding,” Jeslyn said, trying to de-escalate.

“Fine, I’ll come with you,” the man suddenly agreed, sounding suspiciously cooperative.

Jeslyn nodded slowly, though unease gnawed at her. “Alright. Let’s head to the staff room. We have access to the CCTV and order records there.”

She motioned to Livia to continue serving the other guests and keep the atmosphere under control. Jeslyn then walked toward the back, followed by the man and Jefran, who had no intention of leaving her alone with someone so suspicious.

Once inside the staff room, Jeslyn immediately pulled up the CCTV footage.

“Look, sir. There’s nothing strange here. The barista followed procedure and didn’t put anything odd in the drink,” Jeslyn said, visibly annoyed.

“Then why do I feel dizzy and nauseous? Even my chest hurts,” the man complained, clutching his chest.

“Maybe you’re allergic to coffee,” Jefran said nonchalantly.

“Really? Could it be because of my acid reflux?” the man muttered.

This sudden change in demeanor raised red flags for Jeslyn. The man had gone from aggressive to victim, and now he seemed almost indifferent.

Jeslyn shot him a suspicious glance, her brows furrowing. His reactions were too quick, too calculated.

She looked at Jefran briefly, sending a silent signal with her eyes—something wasn’t right.

“In that case, sir, we recommend visiting the nearest clinic to make sure you’re not experiencing an allergic reaction or any other health issue. We can call an ambulance if needed,” Jeslyn offered, maintaining her professionalism.

The man chuckled softly. “No need. I can walk just fine. Besides… my business here is done.”

Jeslyn and Jefran exchanged looks. That statement… sounded like it carried a hidden meaning.

As the man turned to leave, Jeslyn stopped him.

“Wait. Before you go, may I have your name and contact number? For our internal report.”

The man looked back, his smile widening, still cold.

“My name… doesn’t matter. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

And with that, he walked out, leaving a tense silence behind.

As soon as the door shut, Jefran turned to Jeslyn. “He just wanted to cause a scene,” he muttered.

Jeslyn nodded. “Yeah.”

“I’ll head home now. Will you be staying long?” Jefran asked.

“Yes, until the café closes,” Jeslyn replied.

Jefran nodded again, concern still visible in his eyes. “Be careful then. Lock the back door. And make sure nothing weird happens after this.”

Jeslyn gave him a faint smile, trying to reassure him. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Besides, I’m not alone here.”

Jefran looked at her for a moment, then leaned in and kissed her temple. “Call me if anything happens.”

“I will,” Jeslyn said softly.

Once Jefran left the staff room, Jeslyn sat back down in front of the CCTV screen. Her uneasiness hadn’t faded.

“Liv, please write down every menu item that contains vanilla syrup from the past hour. And… starting now, stop selling all sweet drinks. Don’t give anyone the reason. Just say the ingredients are under inspection.”

Livia looked confused but nodded. “Okay, Sis.”

Outside, the thug snapped a photo of Jefran leaving the café and sent a message:

“BOSS, I got them out of the private room.”

Elsewhere, Leonel read the message with a smirk on his lips.

“Good work.”

Leonel then turned to Edric.

“How’s the shipment? Still no opening? How long is this inspection going to last?”

Edric, a burly man with a stern face and cropped hair, stood beside Leonel holding a tablet showing the port's cargo movement. His eyes narrowed as he studied the blinking red dot on the screen.

“Still not safe, Boss. Customs are tightening inspections after last week’s smuggling case. They’re checking every container one by one. If we force it tonight, it’s too risky,” Edric replied calmly, though clearly on high alert.

Leonel growled. “It’s taking too long. We can’t keep stalling. Our clients don’t like delays.”

“I understand, but if we get caught, everything could trace back to you. Including Jeslyn’s café,” Edric warned.

Leonel closed his eyes briefly, suppressing his anger.

“Is there an alternative route?” he asked coldly.

Edric hesitated. “There is one. A small northern port. But... we’ll need to bribe an insider.”

Leonel grinned. “If that’s the case, give them an offer they can’t refuse. Make sure the goods are moved tonight, Edric. Before dawn.”

Edric nodded and immediately picked up his phone to make the call.

“I’ll make you pay for this, Dmitri,” he muttered darkly.

***