Chapter 323: Please, Keep It Safe

"I’m already here, Gray."Mara arrived at the cafe where they agreed to meet up. It was just a small cafe at a good neighborhood in the city.

When she entered, she chose a table near the window, just like what she had planned. She sat down and placed her phone on the table.

"Alright."

A few minutes later, the door opened again, and Gray walked in. The two of them were currently in a call with one another, using their wireless earphones.

He did not look around much. He went straight to the counter and ordered a coffee before taking a seat two tables away from Mara. The table was just at the right distance.

From where he sat, he could see her clearly through the reflection on the window, and he could also see the entrance just in case something happened.

Gray sat like a normal customer. He was even wearing normal clothes, and he even bought his laptop as if he were in a cafe to work. If anyone looked at him, he looked like just another customer killing time.

Mara glanced at him after awhile. She couldn’t help but secretly chuckle. Gray’s acting looked a little too realistic.

"Is she close already?"

"Yup," Mara answered after a second. She looked through her phone and saw a message.

"Actually, it seems like she’s here already."

"Good, put away your mic and leave it to the side. Keep it open so I can still hear the conversation clearly. I’ll record it."

"Noted." Mara quickly took off the earphones in her ears and set them just aside. She placed them under her handkerchief.

"Can I still be heard?" Mara asked, unsurely, trying to test it.

Gray glanced at her and gave her a brief nod.

"Good..." Mara took a deep breath and swallowed. She looked at herself in the reflection and made herself calm.

After a few minutes, the door opened again. This time, a woman stepped inside slowly.

The woman looked to be in her early thirties. Her hair was tied loosely on her back, with a few strands falling around her face. She wore simple clothes. Her eyes moved around the cafe cautiously, as if checking every corner before taking another step.

Gray noticed her immediately.

The woman slightly hesitated near the door, fingers tightening around the strap of her bag. When her eyes finally landed on Mara, she paused, then slowly walked toward her.

"You’re Mara?" the woman asked quietly.

"Yes," Mara replied gently, standing up slightly. "You must be Anne."

The woman nodded. "Thank you for agreeing to meet me."

"No. I should be the one telling you that. Thank you for coming, Anne," Mara said. "Please, sit."

Anne sat down, but it was obvious how careful she was being careful with her movements. She also kept glancing around before leaning forward, "I really can’t stay long."

"That’s alright," Mara said calmly. "I really appreciate this already."

Gray watched the interaction from the reflection of the window. She increased the volume of his earphones as the two started with small talk. He also prepared to record it.

To lighten the mood, Mara asked for a few casual things. They talked about the weather, about Anne’s commute, and what their favorites were in the cafe.

Throughout, Mara’s tone was casual and friendly. It was easy for her as she had always known how to talk to people and how to make them feel at ease without pushing too hard. Because of it, Anne eventually relaxed. Her shoulders dropped just a little.

After a few minutes, they were already talking like they were old friends.

"Before we continue, I just want to say that I didn’t get your contact randomly."

Anne tilted her head and chuckled. "I already knew that."

"A friend of mine mentioned another friend, who mentioned someone else. Eventually, your name came up. They said you used to work with the foundation."

"Yeah," Anne slowly nodded. "I did."

"I know that it might be hard for you to share," Mara said softly. "So just share what you’re comfortable with."

"Yeah, don’t worry." Anne smiled.

"Initially, I didn’t plan to talk," she continued. "For a long time, I convinced myself to forget everything. But when I heard about what you said, I couldn’t sleep anymore."

Mara stayed quiet, letting her continue.

"I worked there for almost three years," Anne said. "I was assigned to documentation at first. I handled paperwork. Then later, I was asked to assist with supervision."

"At first, I thought everything was normal," Anne continued. "Of course, kids crying are normal." Her hands curled slowly into fists.

"But then I started noticing patterns."

Mara leaned forward slightly. "What kind of patterns?"

Anne swallowed. She could remember those days. "Sometimes, I would see bruises and kids flinching when certain staff walked by. There was even one boy who refused to eat for days after being called into the back office."

Gray frowned at it.

"Of course, I’m just a person. I would ask questions when I get curious," Anne said. "At first, they told me not to overthink things and that the children are just being children."

Her lips trembled at a hazy memory. "Then I saw it..."

Mara’s breathing caught when she realized what Anne was about to say.

"I walked in too early one morning," Anne said. "I heard crying sound of a kid, and it’s not any normal crying. I froze. I didn’t know what to do. When I opened the door, one of the senior workers was there." She closed her eyes tightly.

"He looked at me like I was the problem for disturbing them."

Gray’s chest burned as he heard those story.

"I reported it to the head,," Anne continued. "I thought someone would help."

Mara already knew what came next.

"But they didn’t," Anne said bitterly. "They called me in instead. Told me I was just mistaken and asked me if I wanted to keep my job, I should learn when to stay quiet."

"What the..." Gray leaned back, forcing his face to remain calm.

"And when I didn’t listen," Anne said, her voice dropping, "they started threatening me."

Mara’s hands clenched under the table.

"They said they knew where I lived," Anne whispered. "They said accidents happen. That losing a job would be the least of my worries." Her eyes glistened with tears.

"I was scared... I resigned a week later," Anne said. "They marked it as voluntary as long as I vow to keep it a secret."

"Did you ever try to go to the police?" Mara asked carefully.

"No..." Anne shook her head. "Honestly... I was afraid."

"That’s understandable." Mara nodded slowly and smiled at her.

Anne stayed quiet for a moment after that

"That’s... that’s all I can really say," Anne finally spoke. Her voice was soft and almost tired. "I’ve carried it for a long time, so I’m relieved I already spoke of it."

Mara nodded slowly. "Thank you for telling me," she said honestly. "I know it wasn’t easy."

"Even if it’s late, I want to give you this." She reached into her bag slowly.

Anne pulled out a thin brown envelope from her bag. It looked worn as if it was from years ago.

"I wasn’t sure if I should bring this," Anne said. "I almost didn’t."

Mara’s eyes fell on the envelope.

"What is it?" Her expression changed, growing serious.

Anne placed the envelope on the table but did not let go right away.

"I took these when I was still working there," she said quietly. "I used my old phone. I was scared they would find out, so I never uploaded them anywhere."

Gray’s heart started pounding harder.

"They’re not... everything," Anne continued. "But it’s what I could get." She swallowed. "Photos of bruises of the kids and a few shots of senior staff members hitting the kids."

Mara felt her throat tighten. "Are you sure?" she asked softly. "Once you hand this over, it can’t be undone."

Anne nodded. "I’m sure. I kept it all this time for a reason. I just didn’t know who to give it to."

"I only have one copy," Anne said. "This is it. Please... keep it safe." Her voice broke on the last word.