Chapter Ninety Nine - Unexpected Outcomes

Alessandro appeared at her side, slipping an arm around her waist. "You did it, amore," he said softly. "Look at all these people. They came for you, for your bakery." Amelia leaned into him, allowing herself to feel, for the first time in weeks, a glimmer of real hope. "We did it," she corrected him. "I couldn't have done this without you, without all of them." She gestured to her staff, who were still bustling about, chatting with lingering customers and cleaning up. As the last customer left and they began to close up shop, Amelia gathered her team around her. The day's success had lifted everyone's spirits, but she knew they weren't out of the woods yet. "I can't thank you all enough for today," Amelia began, her voice thick with emotion. "What you've done... it's nothing short of miraculous. But I need to be honest with you all. Today was amazing, but we're still in a precarious position." She took a deep breath before continuing. "The next few weeks are going to be crucial. W