The bell above the café door chimed for the last time that night.
CrĂšme & Ash finally exhaled.
The rush had died down to two customers at the window, one couple whispering over a shared slice of cake, and the espresso machine hissing like it was tired of pretending to be alive.
West wiped the counter for the third time in the same spot.
He hadnât realized he was doing it until Jax leaned over and knocked his knuckles against the wood.
"Brother," Jax said, grinning, "if you scrub that any harder, the counterâs gonna file a restraining order."
West blinked. "Huh?"
"Exactly," Jax replied. "Gone. Spiritually absent. Manâs soul is on airplane mode."
West forced a weak smile and straightened up. His apron felt heavier than usual, like it was dragging him down.
Jax tossed him a rag. "Take five. Minaâs pretending not to notice youâve been moving like a haunted NPC all shift."
West hesitated. "Iâm fine."
"Yeah, and Iâm Tier 3," Jax said. "Go sit."
West didnât argue.
He slid into the corner seat near the back, staring at the menu board without reading it. The café lights reflected faintly on the glass, turning his own face into a ghost staring back.
Jax joined him a moment later, carrying two paper cups.
"Hot chocolate," he said, pushing one across the table. "The emergency kind. Extra sugar."
West wrapped his hands around it automatically.
Silence sat between them for a few seconds.
Then Jax sighed, dramatically.
"So," he said. "Cafeteria drama. Tier 1 Awakening. Your girl sitting on another manâs lap like she paid rent there."
West winced.
"Too soon?" Jax asked.
"Always," West muttered.
Jax leaned back. "Okay, okay. Iâll behave."
He didnât.
"But seriously," Jax continued, shifting his tone just a little, "I heard about it before you even clocked in. Half the school already saw the clip."
Westâs expression dropped. "Figures."
"Hey," Jax said quickly, "for what itâs worth? Calebâs still a walking ego with legs. Awakening didnât fix his personalityâit just made it louder."
West stared into his cup. "She didnât even hesitate."
Jax shrugged. "People donât hesitate when they think theyâre upgrading."
That stung but it felt honest.
Jax leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Look. Iâm gonna tease you because thatâs my job. But Iâm also gonna say this once and not repeat it."
West glanced up.
"Iâm here," Jax said. "Breakups suck. Public breakups suck more. Public breakups where your ex sits on a newly awakened guyâs lap like a trophy?" He shook his head. "Thatâs brutal."
West let out a slow breath.
"I keep replaying it," he admitted. "Like if I look at it from another angle, itâll make sense."
Jax snorted softly. "Yeah. Donât do that. That road only ends with you blaming yourself for someone elseâs choices."
West didnât respond.
Because a part of him already was.
The rest of the shift passed quietly. West worked on autopilot, muscle memory carrying him through orders and cleanup. Mina gave him a concerned look once but didnât press.
When they finally closed, Jax slung an arm over his shoulder as they stepped outside.
"You heading straight home?" Jax asked.
"Yeah."
"Good. Eat something. Sleep. Donât stalk anyoneâs social feed."
West huffed. "You assume I have the energy."
Jax grinned. "Fair. Tomorrowâs another day."
West nodded.
Another day.
He wasnât sure what that meant anymore.
---
Home was quiet.
Too quiet.
West dropped his shoes by the door and stepped into the dim living room. The lights were off and only the glow of the city was leaking in through the windows. His fatherâs jacket wasnât on the chair.
Not surprising.
His dad worked long hoursâlonger since the separation. When he was home, he was exhausted. When he wasnât, the house felt like an unfinished thought.
West went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, then closed it again.
No appetite.
He headed to his room instead.
The door clicked shut behind him, sealing him in.
Only then did he let his shoulders slump.
He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor.
[ Tier 0. Dormant. ]
The words echoed in his mind.
Slowly, cautiously, he focused.
> [Cuckhold System â Standby]
The translucent blue interface flickered into existence in front of him.
West sucked in a breath.
It was still there.
"Okay," he whispered. "So Iâm not crazy."
The screen hovered steadily.
> [Host Status]
Name: West Einstein
Age: 18
Tier: 0 (Unawakened)
Affinity: 0
Cuck Points: 0
He swallowed. "Affinity with what?"
The system didnât answer.
Insteadâ
> [Active Quest: Locked]
Complete preliminary interaction to unlock.
West frowned. "Thatâs it?"
No dramatic instructions.
No explanation.
He leaned back against the bed with his hands braced behind him.
The ceiling fan spun lazily overhead, letting out a whirring sound. West stared up at it with unfocused eyes and thoughts grinding against each other like dull blades.
His phone buzzed once on the nightstand. A notification he didnât check. He already knew what it would be. Another clip. Another comment. Another reminder.
West exhaled slowly through his nose.
Then his gaze drifted.
The faint blue glow was still there.
Hovering just above his knees.
> [Cuckhold System â Standby]
The word sat there, ugly and undeniable.
"Cuckhold," West murmured aloud.
Saying it felt strange. Heavy. Like admitting something shameful.
He frowned.
"I know what that word means," he said to the empty room. "Iâm not an idiot."
No response.
West straightened slightly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Itâs when someone... gets cheated on. Replaced. Made to watch while someone elseâ"
He stopped.
The cafeteria flashed in his mind.
Lena on Calebâs lap.
The sound of that slap.
The laughter.
The phones raised like weapons.
Westâs fingers curled into the mattress.
"...takes whatâs yours," he finished quietly.
The blue screen flickered.
> [Cognitive Alignment Detected]
Westâs heart skipped.
"So thatâs it," he said slowly. "Youâre saying... this is about that."
The system panel emitted a brighter glow.
> [Affirmative.]
West let out a humorless laugh. "You picked the worst possible name."
> [Accuracy prioritized over comfort.]
His eyes narrowed.
"So what," he continued. "You activated because I got humiliated?"