The robbery

LIANA

Rain tapped softly against the front windows of Hayes Jewelry as I wiped the glass counters for the third time that night. The tiny shop smelled like silver polish and old wood, the same comforting smell I had grown up with my entire life. It was almost nine, and the streets outside were already quiet except for the sound of distant cars splashing through puddles.

My mother stood behind the register with her glasses low on her nose, flipping through receipts with a tired sigh.

“We made three hundred and twenty dollars today,” she muttered. “That’s barely enough to cover the rent.”

I leaned against the counter and gave her a small smile. “Mom, stop worrying so much. Tomorrow could be better.”

“That’s what you said yesterday.”

“Well… maybe tomorrow tomorrow.”

She laughed softly at that, shaking her head. Even exhausted, my mother still looked beautiful to me. Evelyn Hayes had been through too much in her life, but somehow she still carried herself with quiet strength. Since Dad died five years ago, she had done everything alone. She worked herself sick just to keep this tiny jewelry shop alive while I finished college.

Sometimes I felt guilty for still dreaming about my future when she sacrificed everything for mine.

“You should go home,” she said gently. “You have classes tomorrow.”

“And leave you here alone?” I scoffed. “Not happening.”

“I raised a stubborn daughter.”

“You raised yourself.”

That made her smile again, but it faded quickly. Lately, she smiled less.

I noticed her rubbing her forehead as she stared down at the unpaid bills sitting beside the register. The landlord had already threatened us twice this month. The shop barely survived anymore. Most days, people only came inside to look around before leaving without buying anything.

I swallowed the knot in my throat and walked toward her. “Mom… if things get worse, I can pause school for a while and work full time.”

Her head snapped up immediately. “No.”

“Mom—”

“No, Liana.” Her voice became firmer. “You are finishing college. I didn’t work myself to death for you to give up now.”

“You’re not working yourself to death,” I said quietly.

But even I didn’t believe it.

The dark circles under her eyes said otherwise.

Before she could answer, the bell above the shop door suddenly jingled.

Both of us looked up at the same time.

Three men walked inside wearing dark hoodies and black masks over their faces.

At first, I thought maybe they were customers trying to hide from the rain, but then I noticed the way the tallest one locked the front door behind him.

My stomach tightened instantly.

Mom slowly straightened behind the counter. “We’re closed,” she said carefully.

The tall man pulled a gun from inside his jacket.

Everything inside me froze.

“Open the cases,” he said coldly.

For a second, nobody moved.

I could hear my heartbeat pounding so loudly that it almost drowned out the rain outside.

Mom grabbed my wrist tightly. “Please,” she whispered shakily. “Take whatever you want.”

The second man shoved a black bag onto the counter. “The diamonds first.”

My hands started trembling.

This wasn’t real.

This couldn’t be real.

The tallest robber suddenly slammed his gun against the glass display case, making me jump violently. “Move!”

Mom quickly rushed to unlock the jewelry cases while I stood frozen beside her. My chest hurt so badly I could barely breathe.

The men started grabbing trays of necklaces, bracelets, rings—everything my mother had spent years building.

One of them pushed me hard against the counter when I hesitated.

“Don’t look at my face,” he snapped.

“I-I’m not—”

“Shut up.”

Mom immediately stepped in front of me. “Please don’t touch her.”

The man laughed cruelly. “Then tell your daughter to stop staring.”

My mother’s hands shook as she continued emptying the cases. I had never seen her look so terrified before. Not even at Dad’s funeral.

The third robber walked deeper into the shop, glancing around slowly like he was searching for something specific.

That felt wrong.

Very wrong.

Most robbers would grab valuables and leave quickly.

But these men were taking their time.

The third man suddenly looked toward my mother. “Where is the safe?”

Mom froze.

“We don’t have one,” she whispered.

The tall robber grabbed her violently by the arm and pointed the gun directly at her head.

I screamed before I could stop myself. “Don’t touch her!”

“Liana, no!” Mom cried.

The robber tightened his grip on her. “I asked where the safe is.”

“There’s no safe,” Mom said again, tears filling her eyes. “Please… please, we barely make enough money to survive.”

He stared at her silently for a moment.

Then something strange happened.

His eyes narrowed slightly behind the mask like he recognized her.

The tension in the room suddenly changed.

The third robber slowly turned toward my mother too.

For one horrible second, nobody moved.

Then the tall robber leaned closer to her and said quietly, “Still here after all these years, huh?”

My blood ran cold.

Mom’s face lost all color.

“What?” I whispered, looking between them. “Mom?”

“Please,” she begged suddenly. “Please just leave.”

The man stared at her for another long second before shoving her backward hard enough that she hit the counter.

I rushed toward her instantly, but another robber grabbed my arm painfully.

“Let me go!” I cried.

His fingers dug into my skin as he forced me against the glass display. “Be quiet unless you want your mother dead.”

Mom let out a broken sob. “Please don’t hurt her.”

The tallest robber looked around the shop one last time before nodding toward the door. “We got enough. Let’s go.”

But before leaving, he looked directly at my mother again.

“You should’ve disappeared when you had the chance.”

Then they walked out into the rain.

Just like that.

The shop became silent except for Mom’s crying and my own shaking breaths.

For a few seconds, I couldn’t move.

I just stared at the empty jewelry cases around us.

Years of work.

Gone.

I rushed to help Mom sit down behind the counter. Her entire body trembled violently.

“Mom…” My voice cracked. “Did you know them?”

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

She grabbed my hands desperately. “Liana, listen to me. We need to call the police.”

“But they knew you.”

“No they didn’t.”

“They literally spoke to you like they knew you!”

“Liana!” she snapped suddenly.

I flinched.

Tears filled her eyes immediately afterward. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

I stared at her, my chest tightening painfully.

Something was very wrong.

Before I could speak again, headlights suddenly flashed through the front windows of the shop.

A black car had pulled up outside.

My mother’s fingers tightened around mine instantly.

The driver’s door slowly opened.

A tall man stepped out into the rain wearing a dark coat, his expression calm and unreadable.

I stopped breathing for a second.

He was handsome in a dangerous kind of way. Dark hair. Sharp jawline. Expensive clothes. The kind of man who looked completely out of place near our tiny broken shop.

But what unsettled me most was how calm he looked.

Like none of this surprised him.

His eyes slowly moved over the shattered display cases before settling on me.

Then he walked toward the door.

My mother suddenly looked terrified all over again.

“Mom…” I whispered.

Her voice came out barely audible.

“Oh God,” she said weakly. “Kane Mercer”