THUD!
With a dramatic, theatrical groan, Karen threw herself backward, flopping onto the floor right in the middle of the ruined cake and fake-sobbing hysterically.
"HELP! POLICE! ASSAULT!" Karen bellowed at the top of her lungs, her ear-splitting wails echoing off the bakery walls. "THIS CRAZED CASHIER ATTACKED ME! SHE THREW A HEAVY CAKE DIRECTLY AT MY FACE AND VIOLENTLY SMASHED MY HEAD INTO THE GLASS COUNTER! CALL AN AMBULANCE! ARREST THIS MONSTER RIGHT NOW!"
Behind the high glass counter, Milly stood frozen in utter disbelief at the unhinged performance unfolding before her. Karen lay on the floor, wailing and writhing around, completely convinced that the glass counter blocked everyone's view and that her fake injury would guarantee Milly's arrest and a massive payout from the store.
Karen continued to writhe on the floor, letting out loud, theatrical groans while looking around the shop. "Is anyone going to help me?!" she sobbed hysterically. "Someone call the police! She assaulted me! I have witnesses!"
The middle-aged customer in simple attire—the man Karen had rudely shoved aside in Part 1—slowly stepped forward. He didn't pull out a phone or panic. Instead, he reached into his jacket's inner pocket and retrieved a heavy, polished metal badge.
"I am Lieutenant Miller from the 4th Police Precinct," the man said calmly, his voice echoing with absolute authority across the silent bakery. "And you can stop the performance right now, ma'am."
Karen's dramatic sob froze in her throat. Her eyes went wide with shock as she stared at the glowing gold badge.
"L-Lieutenant?" Karen stammered, scrambling back an inch on the floor. "You... you have to arrest that cashier! Look at what she did to my face!"