CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT – TONY’S CONFESSION

A heavy silence fell over the room as the weight of Tony's confession sank in. Jasmine took a deep breath, straightening up and squaring her shoulders. "Tony," she said, her voice steady and firm, "you're fired. Effective immediately. I want you to clean out your locker and leave the premises. If you ever set foot in this restaurant again, I'll have you arrested for trespassing." Tony's eyes widened. "You can't do that! I'll... I'll go to the press! I'll tell everyone about this!" Marco stepped forward, his voice low and menacing. "No, you won't. Because if you do, we'll make sure every restaurant in this city knows exactly what kind of person you are. A saboteur, a traitor. You'll never work in a kitchen again." Tony deflated, the fight going out of him. Without another word, he stood and walked out of the office, the door closing softly behind him. Jasmine let out a long, shaky breath. "Well, that's one problem solved. But I have a feeling we're not out of the woods yet." Marco