Vanessa’s eyes filled.
“For how I treated you.”
“Because I own the company?”
“No.”
Alicia waited.
Vanessa corrected herself.
“At first?”
“Yes.”
Alicia appreciated the honesty despite everything.
“Now?”
Vanessa looked toward the door.
“Because I’m realizing how it looked.”
Alicia said:
“Looking bad is not the same as understanding what was wrong.”
Vanessa flinched.
“Go home.”
“HR will contact you.”
Vanessa nodded.
She removed her name badge.
Placed it on the desk.
Then walked out.
Alicia watched through the frosted glass as the manager crossed the sales floor.
Every employee noticed.
Nobody spoke.
Five minutes later Vanessa was gone.
Daniel closed the office door again.
“What do you want me to do about the staff?”
“Nothing punitive tonight.”
“Keep store operating.”
“I’ll stay.”
“No.”
He looked surprised.
Alicia continued.
“If employees know a regional EVP is hovering, nobody will behave normally.”
“Then who runs the floor?”
“Olivia.”
Daniel blinked.
“She’s been here three months.”
“I know.”
“She’s not authorized as manager.”
“Make her acting floor lead for today.”
“Catherine has more tenure.”
“I know.”
Daniel studied her.
“Why Olivia?”
Alicia looked through the glass.
Olivia was sitting with the Hollisters.
She had reopened the Art Deco case.
Mrs. Hollister was trying on the bracelet Alicia had been denied.
The scene was almost absurd.
“Because Olivia tried to step toward me.”
Daniel followed her gaze.
“And stopped when Vanessa called her name.”
“Yes.”
“You trust her because she almost intervened?”
“No.”
“I want to know what she does with authority for one afternoon.”
Daniel nodded.
Alicia picked up her bag.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t want interviews?”
“Not today.”
“People need time to decide whether they’re speaking honestly or merely reacting to seeing the owner.”
Daniel gave a small, reluctant smile.
“Your father’s lobby rule.”
Alicia looked at him.
“You remember?”
“You quote it whenever executives schedule inspections.”
“Then why were we expecting me at four?”
Daniel winced.
“Fair.”
Alicia turned to leave.
Then stopped.
“One more thing.”
“Yes?”
“Have the Art Deco bracelet removed from sale tonight.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why?”
“Chain clasp tension is wrong.”
He stared.
“You noticed?”
“When Vanessa shoved the tray, I heard it strike the glass.”
“That bracelet wasn’t on tray.”
“No.”
“But I noticed the clasp earlier.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“Of course you did.”
Alicia did not.
“Check it.”
“I will.”
She left.
Outside, Beverly Hills continued without interest.
Palm trees.
Traffic.
Tourists photographing storefronts.
Alicia walked half a block before her phone rang.
Her chief operating officer.
Nina Alvarez.
“I just received a text from legal that says ‘Beverly Hills incident, hold records.’”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Alicia looked back toward Prestige & Co.
“I went shopping.”
Nina groaned.
“What did you do?”
“That is an offensive assumption.”
“You only say ‘I went shopping’ when somebody’s quarter is about to become complicated.”
Alicia smiled despite herself.
“I’ll call when I’m in car.”
“Are you okay?”
The question surprised her.
“Yes.”
“You sound angry.”
“I am.”
“Good.”
Alicia laughed.
“That’s what my lawyer always says.”
“You need better friends.”
“I have you.”
“Exactly.”
Alicia ended the call.
She did not look back again.
That evening, the story could have ended.
Owner mistreated.
Manager suspended.
Investigation launched.
But the part that mattered began the following morning.
At 7:12, internal audit found the first discrepancy.
Prestige & Co.’s complaint dashboard showed one client-service complaint at Beverly Hills in twelve months.