CHAPTER FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX – WATCHING CLOSELY

As they stood there, surrounded by their makeshift outdoor restaurant, Jasmine felt a sense of resolve settle over her. Whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. Little did they know, across town, Thomas Reeves was not taking their defiance lightly. In a dimly lit office, he pored over documents and made phone calls. "I don't care what it takes," he snarled into the phone. "I want that Bistro. And I want the Cesaro family out of the picture. Permanently." As he hung up, he stared out the window at the city lights. The battle for Cesaro's Bistro was far from over. In fact, it was just beginning. The early morning sun streamed through the newly repaired windows of Cesaro's Bistro as Jasmine unlocked the front door. She was about to step inside when her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number: "Watch your back. There's a snake in your kitchen." Jasmine frowned, her heart racing. She quickly dialed Marco. "Hey, what's up?" Marco answered, his voice still