VICTORIA: "You will not believe what happened to me today."
FRIEND: "What happened?"
VICTORIA: "I went to that boutique, and the staff treated me like I was nobody. One of the sales assistants refused to help me, and when I objected, she made a scene."
FRIEND: "What do you mean she refused to help you?"
VICTORIA: "There was a handbag I wanted. She said it was reserved, and she refused to let me buy it."
FRIEND: "Was it already sold?"
VICTORIA: "It was reserved. Apparently, that means no one else can even look at it."
FRIEND: "That sounds like a store policy."
VICTORIA: "Do not start. I do not need a lecture. I was perfectly reasonable until she started acting as if she had authority over me."
FRIEND: "And what happened after that?"
Victoria paused. She had intended to describe herself as the victim, but she could not explain why the police had been called without acknowledging that she had slapped Natalie.
VICTORIA: "I lost my temper. I slapped her. It was one second, and now they are treating it as if I committed some terrible crime."
FRIEND: "You slapped an employee?"
VICTORIA: "She was disrespectful."
FRIEND: "That does not mean you can hit someone."
VICTORIA: "I knew you would say that."
FRIEND: "What did you expect me to say?"
VICTORIA: "I expected you to understand that people should not provoke me and then act shocked when I react."
FRIEND: "Victoria, you cannot hit people because they refuse to do what you want."
Victoria ended the call.
For several minutes, she stared at her phone, furious that even her friend had failed to respond as she expected. She opened her messages and began typing to another acquaintance, but she deleted the draft before sending it. She did not want more people asking questions she could not answer without admitting the full extent of what had happened.
When she arrived at the family residence, she found her father in his study reviewing documents. Richard Blake was a disciplined businessman in his late fifties, known for his careful speech and an almost unnerving ability to listen without revealing what he thought. He had spent decades negotiating investments, managing disputes, and building a reputation for making decisions based on evidence rather than emotion.
Victoria entered without knocking.
VICTORIA: "Dad, I need you to call someone for me."
RICHARD: "Good afternoon to you, too. What happened?"
VICTORIA: "A store manager has humiliated me, and the police were involved. I need someone at the company to make sure this does not become a problem."
Richard put down his pen.
RICHARD: "Start at the beginning."
VICTORIA: "I went shopping. There was a handbag I wanted, but the employee refused to sell it to me because another customer had reserved it. I asked her to get a manager, but she kept repeating the same thing. She was rude and made me feel as if I had no right to be there."
RICHARD: "Did you ask for a manager?"
VICTORIA: "Eventually, yes."
RICHARD: "And what happened before the manager arrived?"
Victoria looked away.
VICTORIA: "I slapped the employee."
Richard did not react immediately. He looked at his daughter for several seconds, as though he were checking whether he had heard her correctly.
RICHARD: "You did what?"
VICTORIA: "I slapped her. I was angry. It happened quickly."
RICHARD: "Why?"
VICTORIA: "Because she was disrespectful."
RICHARD: "That is not an answer. What did she do that justified you striking her?"
VICTORIA: "She refused to sell me the handbag."
RICHARD: "It was reserved for another customer?"
VICTORIA: "Yes."
RICHARD: "Then she was following the store's policy."
VICTORIA: "You are taking her side already?"
RICHARD: "I am trying to understand what happened. If the item was reserved, the employee may not have had the authority to sell it to you."
VICTORIA: "I could have bought several handbags. I was ready to spend a lot of money."
RICHARD: "That does not give you the right to hit someone."
VICTORIA: "I knew you would say that. Everyone is acting as if I am some kind of criminal."
RICHARD: "Did the police take statements?"
VICTORIA: "Yes."
RICHARD: "Was there security footage?"
Victoria hesitated. She had hoped the footage would not become part of the discussion, but she knew there was no point pretending it did not exist.
VICTORIA: "Yes. The manager showed it to them."
RICHARD: "What does it show?"
VICTORIA: "It shows me slapping her. Obviously."
Richard leaned back in his chair. He had dealt with employees, business partners, and even family members who tried to turn a bad decision into someone else's fault. He was not interested in hearing a polished version of events designed to protect his daughter's pride.