CHAPTER SIXTY NINE – THE NEW GIRL

As she entered the main area, she immediately sensed the thick tension in the air. Mark was aggressively wiping down tables, his jaw clenched, while Greg was behind the counter, shooting daggers at Mark with his eyes. "Morning, everyone," Rebecca said, trying to inject some cheerfulness into her voice. "How are we doing today?" Mark grunted in response, while Greg merely nodded. Rebecca's forced smile faltered slightly. "Okay, then. Let's have a good day, shall we?" she said, moving to the espresso machine. As she began preparing the morning's first batch of coffee, Emily walked in, her blonde ponytail swinging. Rebecca couldn't help but notice how both Mark and Greg immediately perked up, their postures straightening. "Hi, Emily," they said in unison, then glared at each other. Emily, seemingly oblivious to the tension, smiled brightly. "Morning, guys! It's such a beautiful day, isn't it?" Rebecca watched as Mark quickly moved to help Emily with her apron, while Greg rushed to