Chapter 10 - By Dawn, A New Empire
The bell above the door of Gallo & Sons chimed softly at 6:00 a.m. on a crisp, golden Wednesday.
The morning light poured through the clean glass windows, illuminating the gleaming stainless steel counters, the towering pyramids of fresh sfogliatella, and the neat, hand-lettered menu board hanging behind the register.
There were no black SUVs parked at the curb. No armed guards standing watch in the shadows.
Just the sweet, rich aroma of warm vanilla and baking dough drifting out into the awakening street, welcoming the regular customers, the neighborhood children walking to school, and the steady, unstoppable pulse of a city that belonged to the living.
Giana stood behind the counter, tying her apron with a sharp, practiced knot. She looked out the window at the bright Florida sun rising above the palm trees, painting the morning sky in shades of gold and fire.
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She had survived the ash. She had outsmarted the syndicate. She had rewritten the ledger.
And as the first customer pushed open the door with a bright, cheerful morning greeting, Giana smiled—not the hidden smile of a woman playing a part, but the radiant, absolute smile of a queen who had finally built a kingdom that could never be burned down.
