CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE –FIXING THE BISTRO

Early one morning, Jasmine stood in the center of the dining room, surveying the work to be done. The space still bore the scars of Ricci's attacks – scuff marks on the floors, patches of new plaster on the walls where bullets had struck. But there was also a sense of renewal in the air, a feeling of hope that had been missing for far too long. Marco entered, carrying two steaming cups of coffee. He handed one to Jasmine, then stood beside her, their shoulders touching. "Where should we start?" he asked, his voice still rough with sleep. Jasmine took a sip of her coffee, considering. "The dining room, I think. It's the heart of the bistro. If we can get this space feeling warm and welcoming again, everything else will fall into place." Marco nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "I like the way you think. But first, we need to talk about security." Over the next few hours, they walked through the bistro with a security consultant, identifying weak points and discussing upgrad