The manager's refusal to retreat from his position left Victoria visibly unsettled. She had expected the mention of the recording to be a minor inconvenience, something she could explain away by claiming that the employee had provoked her. Instead, Nathan had confirmed that the footage showed both the argument and the physical contact.
She turned toward the officers.
VICTORIA STERLING: "I want it recorded that I was provoked. She was disrespectful, and I was extremely upset."
OFFICER DANIEL REED: "We will record your account and give you an opportunity to explain what happened. We also need to document the actions visible on the recording and the statements from the witnesses."
VICTORIA STERLING: "I have already explained what happened."
OFFICER DANIEL REED: "We may need to ask some additional questions to clarify your account."
Victoria exhaled sharply and looked away. She had not expected to spend her afternoon answering questions about a handbag. She had expected to purchase the item, leave the store, and forget about the employee who had refused her request.
Instead, the disagreement was becoming an official matter, and every attempt to redirect the conversation toward Amara's supposed attitude seemed to bring the focus back to Victoria's own actions.
Officer Turner began speaking with the witnesses individually. The woman who had been browsing near the accessories counter introduced herself as Eleanor Price. She explained that she had been looking at a wallet when she heard Victoria raising her voice.
ELEANOR PRICE: "I did not hear every word at the beginning, but the employee sounded polite. She kept offering to check another location. The customer became angrier, and then she slapped the employee."
OFFICER MICHAEL TURNER: "Did you see what happened immediately afterward?"
ELEANOR PRICE: "Yes. The employee tried to move away, and the customer pushed her. She fell onto the floor. The employee did not strike her back."
OFFICER MICHAEL TURNER: "Would you be willing to provide a formal statement?"
ELEANOR PRICE: "Yes. I would not want someone to be blamed for something they did not do."
Another customer, a young man named Daniel Foster, had been standing near the entrance when the confrontation escalated. He had seen Victoria enter the boutique with the officers and had initially assumed that they were there for an unrelated reason. When he heard the slap, he turned and watched the rest of the incident unfold.
DANIEL FOSTER: "The employee was behind the counter when the argument started. The customer was the one who moved toward her. I saw the slap clearly."
OFFICER MICHAEL TURNER: "Did you see the employee make any physical contact before that?"
DANIEL FOSTER: "No. She was explaining something about the handbag. She looked uncomfortable, but she did not threaten the customer."
OFFICER MICHAEL TURNER: "Thank you. We will record your account."
The witnesses were not asked to speculate about Victoria's personality, her family, or her reasons for behaving as she had. The officers wanted to know what each person had actually seen and heard. Their statements would be considered alongside the recording and the accounts from Victoria, Amara, and the store staff.
As the interviews continued, Victoria became increasingly restless. She walked a few steps toward the entrance, then returned to the display area when Officer Reed reminded her that they were still documenting the incident.
VICTORIA STERLING: "This is becoming absurd. There are people waiting for me."
OFFICER DANIEL REED: "We understand that you have other commitments. We still need to complete the necessary steps."
VICTORIA STERLING: "My family will hear about this."
OFFICER DANIEL REED: "You are entitled to contact your family. That does not change our responsibility to document what happened."
Victoria took out her phone and walked a short distance away. She scrolled through her contacts until she found her father's number. Richard Sterling was a successful businessman whose name was familiar in the city's commercial circles. He had spent decades building a reputation for careful negotiations and disciplined decision-making, and he was accustomed to receiving calls from people who wanted his attention.
Victoria expected him to be angry on her behalf.
She expected him to call the boutique, speak to the manager, and make it clear that the Sterling family would not tolerate what she considered mistreatment. In the past, her father's involvement had helped resolve difficult situations, and she had come to believe that his influence could make almost any problem disappear.
When he answered, she began speaking before he could ask why she had called.
VICTORIA STERLING: "Dad, I need you to help me with something. I am at Maison Aurelle, and the manager is treating me terribly."