Chapter 49 Celeste Vs Stone

• The construction site was tense. Smoke from overturned barrels curled into the evening sky, mingling with dust and the shouts of frantic workers. Celeste and Richard stood side by side, taking in the scene of destruction.
• The scarred man—Stone, as the workers whispered—stepped forward, cracking his knuckles as if he owned the ground beneath him. “So, you’re the so-called boss,” he sneered, a mocking grin stretching across his face. “Tell me, lady, who gave you the right to tear down these homes? Do you have papers? Permits? Or are you just playing at being powerful?”
• Celeste lifted her chin, voice steady despite the growing roar behind her. “The Urban Redevelopment Project has all necessary legal approvals. The residents here were notified months ago. If anyone has an issue, they know exactly where to go—the local authorities, the city council, the proper channels. Not threats, not intimidation, and certainly not violence.”