When he called her into his study, she expected him to say that he had spoken to the company and arranged a resolution.
Instead, Richard placed his phone on the desk and asked her to sit down.
RICHARD: "I spoke with the manager."
MONICA: "Good. What did he say?"
RICHARD: "He described the incident, and his account matches what you told me yesterday."
MONICA: "Then you understand that it was an unfortunate argument."
RICHARD: "I understand that you struck an employee who was following store policy."
MONICA: "Dad, I already admitted that I lost my temper."
RICHARD: "Losing your temper explains what you felt. It does not excuse what you did."
MONICA: "Everyone is treating me as if I am a terrible person."
RICHARD: "You are not being asked to prove that you are a terrible person. You are being asked to take responsibility for a terrible decision."
Monica looked away.
RICHARD: "You told me that the employee embarrassed you because she would not release a reserved handbag. You said you hit her because you were angry. What part of that story do you believe makes you the victim?"
MONICA: "She should have been more respectful."
RICHARD: "Perhaps you did not like her tone. Perhaps you felt embarrassed. You could have complained, asked for a manager, or walked out. Instead, you slapped her and pulled her hair."
MONICA: "I know what I did."
RICHARD: "Then stop speaking as though everyone else caused it."
Monica's eyes filled with frustrated tears, but Richard did not change his tone.
RICHARD: "I will not use my business relationships to pressure the store. I will not ask anyone to interfere with the investigation. If you want to repair this situation, you must begin by accepting that the employee had a right to do her job without being attacked."
MONICA: "So you are not going to help me?"
RICHARD: "I am helping you understand what responsibility means. I will support you in making better decisions. I will not protect you from every consequence."
For once, Monica had no immediate response.
She left the study feeling angry, embarrassed, and strangely uncertain. Her father had always been strict about business, but she had assumed that family would be different. She had expected him to protect her reputation before considering the experience of a stranger.
Instead, he had made it clear that the family name would not be used as a shield.
At Maison Aurelle, Jasmine returned to work two days later. Her cheek had healed, although she still felt uncomfortable when she remembered the slap. Robert checked on her privately and confirmed that she could adjust her duties if she needed more time away from the sales floor.
JASMINE: "I want to return to my normal work. I do not want to feel afraid every time a customer becomes unhappy."
ROBERT: "You should not have to. We have reviewed our procedures, and the team now has clearer guidance on how to handle aggressive behavior. If a customer becomes threatening, call for support immediately."
JASMINE: "I will."
ROBERT: "And remember, following a policy is not a failure of customer service."
That reassurance mattered to Jasmine. She had spent years believing that professionalism meant absorbing other people's anger without showing how much it affected her. Now she understood that staying calm did not mean accepting abuse.
The company also responded to Monica's formal complaint. It acknowledged that she had been dissatisfied with the shopping experience but explained that the reserved handbag could not be released to another customer. The review found no evidence that Jasmine had physically threatened Monica or violated the store's reservation policy.
The company did not agree to demand an apology from Jasmine.
Instead, it confirmed that the incident had been documented and that the employee's safety was a priority.
When Monica read the response, she felt the last of her confidence begin to weaken. She had expected a private apology and perhaps an invitation to return for a special appointment. Instead, the company had responded politely while refusing to rewrite the facts.
She considered calling the regional director again, but she remembered her father's warning. Another angry complaint would not change what the footage showed.
After several days, Monica drafted a message to Jasmine through the company's formal contact channel. Her first attempt included explanations about stress, embarrassment, and the employee's attitude. She deleted it because she realized it sounded like another accusation.
She tried again.
MONICA'S MESSAGE: "Jasmine, I am writing to apologize for slapping you and pulling your hair at the boutique. You were following the store's reservation policy, and I had no right to hurt you because I was angry. My behavior was unacceptable. I understand that I made you feel unsafe at work, and I am sorry for the distress I caused. I do not expect you to forgive me or respond. I wanted to acknowledge what I did without making excuses."
She sent the message and put her phone away.
Jasmine received it the following afternoon. She read it carefully, then sat quietly for a moment.
Claire noticed her expression.
CLAIRE: "Is everything all right?"
JASMINE: "Monica sent an apology."
CLAIRE: "How do you feel about that?"