Ethan put the cup down slowly.The drawing on the glass was no larger than the palm of a hand. The lines were drawn in a single swipe of a finger, still wet in some places. The condensation around it hadn't had time to dry yet, indicating that the symbol had been made not long ago.He turned to look outside.The sidewalk was starting to empty out. Streetlights cast a yellowish glow onto the still-damp asphalt. A food delivery rider sped past on a motorcycle without slowing down. Across the street at the bus stop, two passengers were waiting for the night bus.No one was paying attention to the café."Ethan."Megan's voice came from the direction of the register."Have the chairs on the terrace been brought inside?""Not yet.""Then please clear those first. I'm going to close the cash register.""Alright."Ethan pulled his gaze away from the window.He pushed the front door open and went out, carrying the two folding chairs usually placed on the terrace. The night air felt colder afte

Uncle Ethan was still standing in the doorway.A light drizzle was starting to fall again. The droplets fell from the edge of the roof and shattered against the courtyard stones. Ethan waited for an answer, but the man only stared at the black button in his hand."Come inside," he said finally."I want answers.""Inside.""I've gone too long without anything except silence."Uncle Ethan rubbed his face. "If you want to hear everything, don't stand outside like that."He turned around.Ethan followed.As soon as the back door closed, the cold air from the courtyard was cut off. His uncle took a chair from the dining table and sat down. The old photograph was still in his hand.Ethan stood across the table."Where do I start?"His uncle stared at the photograph."From the night your father left you in my care."Ethan didn't move."He came alone?""No.""Who was with him?"Uncle Ethan shook his head."I never saw the face of the person who brought you."That answer made Ethan pull out a

Elena unlocked the narrow door beneath the stairs.The hinges groaned softly as the wooden panel shifted, revealing a set of stone steps descending into darkness. There were no lights—only the smell of damp earth and the cold air rising from below."Go down," Elena whispered.Ethan stared at the staircase."And you?""Right behind you."The sound of a vehicle reached them from outside the building.The front door opened.Someone stepped inside.Ethan didn't argue further. He slipped the old key into his pocket and started down. Elena followed right behind, pulling the door shut without a sound.They descended about twenty steps before reaching a narrow corridor.To their right, old pipes ran along the wall, partially rusted, while the stone floor was covered in a thin layer of puddles. Elena walked without hesitation, as if she knew the place by heart."How long have you known about this spot?""Since I was a child.""Were you ever here with my father?"Elena stopped.She turned her h