CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE – THE SCHEMER

As the day progressed, Jasmine kept a close eye on Tony. She noticed him moving between the two groups, whispering in people's ears, always seeming to leave a wake of agitation behind him. During the dinner rush, Jasmine managed to position herself near Tony's station. She pretended to be focused on plating a complex dish while straining to hear his conversations. "Did you hear what Maria said about Antonio's sauce technique?" Tony murmured to one of Antonio's loyal chefs. "She called it 'outdated and bland.' Can you believe the disrespect?" The chef's face darkened with anger, and he shot a glare across the kitchen at Maria. Later, Jasmine overheard Tony speaking to one of Maria's supporters. "Antonio's planning to axe half the new menu items next week. Says they're 'too experimental.' Looks like all your hard work is going to waste." With each interaction, Jasmine saw Tony stoking the flames of discord, playing both sides against each other with practiced ease. As the night wor