Thomas slowly placed his briefcase beside his leg.
"I appreciate your concern, but I came here because I want to buy a car."
Richard smiled.
It was not a friendly smile.
"Of course you did."
Emily felt embarrassed.
She had seen wealthy customers arrive wearing casual clothing before. Some of the dealership's most valuable buyers deliberately avoided expensive suits because they preferred privacy.
But Richard seemed convinced that he already knew everything about Thomas.
And that assumption was about to become the biggest mistake of his career.
Richard stepped closer to Thomas.
"Sir, let me be honest with you. The vehicles in this showroom start at prices that most people would consider extremely expensive. We have customers who travel from other cities specifically to purchase these models."
Thomas looked at him calmly.
"That's understandable."
Richard continued.
"Our sales representatives are trained to work with serious buyers. We have limited time, and we prefer to focus on customers who are ready to complete a transaction."
Thomas glanced at Emily.
"Are you saying I'm not a serious buyer?"
Richard shrugged.
"I'm simply trying to be practical."
Emily stepped forward.
"Mr. Collins, perhaps we should let him see the vehicle before making assumptions."
Richard turned toward her.
"Emily, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but we cannot spend twenty minutes showing cars to every person who walks through the door."
Thomas heard every word.
He looked toward the black sedan again.
"How much is that vehicle?"
Emily immediately answered.
"That particular model is priced at approximately one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, depending on the selected configuration."
Thomas nodded.
"Interesting."
Richard laughed softly.
"Interesting? Sir, that is more than many people earn in several years."
Thomas looked at him.
"Then I suppose it is a good thing that I didn't come here to discuss what other people earn."
Emily tried not to smile.
Richard's face tightened.
He was accustomed to customers who became uncomfortable when he challenged them. Most people either apologized or left.
Thomas did neither.
Instead, he slowly opened his briefcase and checked something inside.
Richard noticed several old documents.
"Are you looking for something, sir?"
"Yes."
"Perhaps your budget?"
Thomas closed the briefcase.
"No. I'm looking for a document I was asked to bring."
Richard rolled his eyes.
"Well, whatever it is, I hope you find it."
He turned toward Emily.
"Please show him the entrance. We have an appointment arriving shortly."
Emily looked uncomfortable.
"Sir, I haven't finished assisting him."
Richard lowered his voice.
"Emily, don't make this difficult."
Thomas raised one hand.
"There's no need for an argument. I can wait."
Richard looked at him.
"Wait for what?"
Thomas answered quietly.
"Someone who understands what customer service means."
For the first time, Richard's smile disappeared completely.
CHAPTER 3: THE WOMAN WHO CHOSE RESPECT
Emily had always believed that small acts of kindness could reveal more about a person than expensive gifts or impressive titles.
She remembered her father telling her something when she was young.
"Never judge someone by the condition of their shoes. You don't know how far they've walked to get where they are."
Those words had stayed with her.
She turned toward Thomas.
"Sir, would you like to sit down while I prepare the vehicle information?"
Thomas smiled.
"That would be very kind."
Emily guided him toward a comfortable seating area near the showroom windows.
She offered him a glass of water and brought a brochure for the black sedan.
Thomas thanked her.
"What's your name?"
"Emily Carter."
"Thank you, Emily. You have been very kind."
She smiled.
"It's my pleasure."
Thomas opened the brochure.
He studied the vehicle carefully, asking questions about its engine, safety features, maintenance schedule, and available configurations.
Emily answered each question.
She soon realized that he knew far more about automobiles than she had initially expected.
He asked about the differences between the standard and performance models.
He wanted to know how the suspension system handled uneven roads.