"That. It's unacceptable."
Nia looked closely.
"The stitching appears consistent with the manufacturer's specifications, but I can ask our product specialist to inspect it if you'd like."
Victoria's expression changed.
"Are you telling me I don't know what I'm looking at?"
"No, ma'am. I'm offering to have the product checked."
"I don't need your permission to recognize poor craftsmanship."
Elijah watched silently.
The younger man beside him leaned closer.
"Should I call the regional director?" Daniel whispered.
"Not yet," Elijah replied.
Daniel frowned.
"She's being openly abusive."
"I can see that."
"And you're just going to stand here?"
Elijah kept his eyes on the counter.
"Sometimes, Daniel, the most useful thing you can do is allow people to show you exactly who they are."
Victoria suddenly picked up the handbag and held it toward Nia.
"Here. Put this away."
Nia accepted it carefully.
"Certainly."
"And don't scratch it. I would hate to have to explain to management why an employee damaged merchandise while trying to prove a point."
Nia placed the bag back in the display.
"I'll be careful."
Victoria leaned across the counter.
"You know what your problem is?"
Nia remained silent.
"You think being polite means you're good at your job. It doesn't. This is a luxury business, not a charity. People come here because they expect excellence, and I certainly don't see much of that today."
The words struck harder than Victoria probably realized.
Nia had spent years working to help support her younger brother, Marcus, who was studying engineering at a state university. Their mother had died when Nia was twenty-two, leaving the family with medical bills, an aging car, and a small apartment that needed constant repairs.
Nia had learned to stretch every paycheck.
She worked extra shifts during holidays, saved money whenever possible, and sent a portion of her earnings to Marcus each month.
The job at Maison Laurent was not glamorous to her. It was a means of building a stable life.
But she took pride in doing it well.
She had received excellent performance reviews and frequently helped new employees learn the inventory system. Several regular customers specifically requested her assistance because they trusted her recommendations.
Yet none of that mattered to Victoria.
To Victoria, Nia was simply someone she believed she could humiliate without consequences.
Nia lifted her chin slightly.
"I understand that you expect excellent service, Ms. Hale. I'm doing my best to provide it."
Victoria stared at her.
"Your best isn't good enough."
A murmur passed through the nearby shoppers.
One woman whispered to her companion, "That poor girl hasn't done anything wrong."
Victoria heard her.
She turned sharply.
"If you have a problem with how I shop, perhaps you should mind your own business."
The woman looked away, embarrassed.
Victoria smiled triumphantly and turned back to Nia.
"Now, I want the manager. Immediately."
"Of course," Nia said.
She reached for the telephone again.
Before she could dial, a voice came from the entrance to the boutique's private office.
"Is there a problem here?"
The store manager, Richard Coleman, emerged from the back hallway.
Richard was in his early forties, wore expensive suits, and had built his reputation by keeping the boutique's most profitable customers satisfied. He was ambitious, calculating, and deeply concerned about his quarterly sales figures.
When he saw Victoria, his expression immediately brightened.
"Ms. Hale! What a pleasure to see you."
Victoria pointed toward Nia.
"Your employee has been incredibly disrespectful."
Richard's smile disappeared.
"What happened?"
"She failed to reserve an item I specifically requested, wasted my time offering alternatives, and then decided that another customer deserved more attention than I did."
Richard looked at Nia.
"Is this true?"
Nia took a breath.
"I checked the reservation system and couldn't find a confirmed hold. I offered to contact our other locations. I was helping another customer while waiting for the inventory response."
Victoria interrupted.
"She was ignoring me."
"That isn't what happened," Nia said quietly.
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"Excuse me?"
Nia immediately recognized the danger in his tone.
"I was only explaining the sequence of events, sir."
Richard glanced toward Victoria.
"Ms. Hale is one of our most valued customers. You should have made sure her needs were handled first."
"I was trying to do that."
"Then why is she standing here dissatisfied?"
Nia opened her mouth, then closed it again.