81. Cowardly man, cause of fragility

Emery and Benitto, who had just arrived at the shop, had questioning looks on their faces when they saw the three female waitresses trying to calm the crying Amelie.

Emery immediately approached them, concerned that Amelie had been harassed by men since working at her father's shop.

"What happened to her?" asked Emery with a questioning and worried look.

Benitto's arrival behind his daughter drew Julie and Anne's attention to give a reckoning to the shopkeeper, who had made their friend cry.

"Mr. Jonathan Hayes has made her this way, sir," Julie said without Benitto asking.

The man looked around with a frown on his forehead. Was it true that the son of a prominent Auckland figure who had recently become an informant on his wife's death had come to his humble shop?

Benitto's gaze stopped as he caught sight of the figure the waitress had told him about.

"You should try asking him what he's up to, Father; I'm worried about him bothering Amelie." A look of panic was evident on the f