Aliana’s POV

The sun hung high in the sky, its golden light pouring through the restaurant’s large windows, illuminating the chaos that surrounded us. Boxes were stacked in corners, half-assembled furniture stood like unfinished sculptures, and the scent of fresh paint still clung to the air.

It was almost past noon, yet we were far from done arranging everything that had arrived that morning. After heading home yesterday, I had spent hours finalizing orders for all the kitchen equipment, furniture, and decor I needed. And today, the delivery trucks had arrived one after another, flooding the space with crates and packages.

Freddy, Mercy, and I had been working tirelessly, unpacking,...