The hiss of the espresso machine should have been comforting, like a steady heartbeat anchoring the café in its familiar rhythm. Cups clinked, chairs scraped, and the low hum of chatter drifted from the tables. For a fleeting moment, Celine could almost believe everything was normal again. The walls wore the same warm tones, the lamps cast the same mellow light, and the air carried the same earthy bitterness of roasted beans.

And yet, the soundscape didn’t quite settle right. Laughter cut ...