Rachel Carter: she is over 50, but her eyes still hold the sharp, piercing gleam of a 25-year-old.
The Carter Dine and Grill, a restaurant located on one of the busiest streets in Chicago, is now her identity. Exactly ten years ago today, when her husband prematurely left this world in a car accident, everything went dark for Rachel. From her relatives to many in society, people told her, "You are a single woman. How will you manage such a large business? Sell it."But Rachel didn't give up. She was an independent woman who believed in her own capabilities. Not only did she keep her husband's dream restaurant alive, but through her tireless hard work, she turned it into one of the premier restaurants in the city.Her only inspiration in this fight was her daughter, Chloe Carter. Chloe was only twelve years old back then. Clutching that little girl to her chest, Rachel had sworn that she would not let either her husband's dream or her daughter's future be ruined.Today, ten years later, 22-year-old Chloe has not only graduated, but today marks her very first day of posting after completing her training.It was the busy afternoon rush; the restaurant was quite crowded. Rachel was sitting at the cash register, tallying the accounts and thinking about her daughter. Chloe's results and her final posting letter were supposed to arrive today.Suddenly, there was a deafening crash at the restaurant door. With the heavy thud of boots, Sergeant Arthur Vance of the local precinct walked in.Even the criminals in the area trembled in fear at his name—not out of respect, but out of pure terror. Through corruption, extortion, and the abuse of power, Arthur was the embodiment of a living nightmare.Arthur walked straight over and sat at an empty table. He propped his feet up on the chair in front of him. A waiter named Tommy walked up and stood before him, trembling."What will you have, officer?""What I eat every day. And listen, get me the special steak. Make it fast," Arthur snapped.Tommy hesitated a little and said, "Officer, uh... the bill for the last three months... madam was saying—"Before he could even finish his sentence, Arthur grabbed the glass of water from the table and hurled it violently into Tommy's face. The glass shattered, and blood began to pour from Tommy's forehead.