Chapter 3
Sloane Mercer looked at me as if I had personally insulted her.
Then she laughed.
"Oh, come on."
Daniel turned toward her.
"Did you pour a drink over my wife?"
The word wife changed everything.
I saw it happen.
Sloane's smile vanished.
Evan's mouth fell open.
Richard Mercer slowly turned toward me.
Thomas Caldwell looked from his son to Daniel.
And Martin went so pale I thought he might faint.
Sloane blinked.
"Your what?"
Daniel moved closer to me.
"My wife."
Silence.
I had never heard a restaurant become so quiet.
Sloane stared at my face.
Then at Daniel.
Then back at me.
"No."
The word escaped before she could stop it.
Daniel frowned.
"No?"
She swallowed.
"I mean... I didn't realize."
I felt something cold move through my chest.
She didn't realize.
Not that humiliating someone was wrong.
Not that filming a stranger without compassion was cruel.
She simply hadn't realized whose wife I was.
Daniel noticed too.
His voice remained calm.
"Would it have been acceptable if she weren't married to me?"
Sloane's cheeks reddened.
"That's not what I meant."
"Then explain what you meant."
She glanced toward her father.
"Daddy?"
Richard didn't answer.
I watched his expression carefully.
He wasn't looking at me with concern.
He was calculating.
That was what frightened me most.
Even now, some people were treating my humiliation as a business problem instead of a human one.
Evan cleared his throat.
"Daniel, it was just a joke."
My husband turned toward him.
"Explain the joke."
Evan hesitated.
"She spilled a drink."
Daniel looked at me.
"Accidentally?"
I shook my head.
"No."
Sloane stepped forward.
"Okay, fine. I poured it. But she was being so serious all night."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
Daniel's voice grew quieter.
"She was working."
Sloane shrugged.
"People need to lighten up."
I felt my hands trembling again.
Then Evan laughed nervously.
"Look, I'll pay for the blouse."
Daniel stared at him.
"You're missing the point."
Thomas Caldwell stepped toward his son.
"Evan, stop talking."
Evan frowned.
"Dad—"
"Now."
Sloane looked desperate.
She pulled out her phone.
"I can delete the video."
I spoke before Daniel could answer.
"Deleting it won't erase what happened."
She glared at me.
For one second, the old arrogance returned.
Then she remembered who was standing beside me.
Her expression softened artificially.
"Grace, right?"
I nodded.
She smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry if you felt embarrassed."
I stared at her.
"If?"
Daniel's hand tightened gently around mine.
Sloane sighed.
"I'm trying to apologize."
I shook my head.
"You're trying to make this disappear."
Her face hardened.
Richard finally spoke.
"Daniel, perhaps we should discuss this privately."
My husband looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because we have important business tonight."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Yes. We do."
Richard appeared relieved.
But Daniel continued.
"And one important part of business is understanding the character of the people you're trusting."
The relief disappeared.
Thomas Caldwell stepped forward.
"Daniel, my son behaved poorly. I won't defend it."
Evan looked shocked.
"Dad!"
Thomas ignored him.
He turned toward me.
"Mrs. Bennett, I'm sorry."
I studied his face.
He looked genuinely uncomfortable.
But I wasn't ready to accept anything from anyone.
Not yet.
Martin suddenly approached.
"Mr. Bennett, we can arrange a private room for your wife to change."
Daniel looked at him.
"Where were you when this happened?"
Martin stopped.
"I was nearby."
"And what did you do?"
Martin swallowed.
"I tried to calm the situation."
Mia stepped forward from behind me.
"No, you didn't."
Every head turned.
My coworker's hands were shaking.
But she stood tall.
"You told Grace to go into the kitchen. You didn't ask whether she was okay. You didn't ask Sloane to leave."
Martin glared at her.
"Mia, this isn't your concern."
She lifted her chin.
"It is when my coworker gets humiliated and management protects the person who did it."
I could have cried right there.
Daniel looked at Mia.
"Thank you for telling the truth."
She nodded.
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"Daniel, I understand you're upset."
Daniel turned toward him.
"Richard, I'm not upset because someone insulted my wife."
I looked at him.
He continued.
"I'm concerned because several people here watched a worker being deliberately humiliated and immediately calculated whether protecting her would interfere with a business transaction."
Richard went silent.
Daniel took a breath.
"I need some time before we discuss financing."
Richard's eyes widened.
"Daniel, the meeting has been scheduled for weeks."
"I know."
"The city expects preliminary terms."
"I know."
"We cannot simply cancel."
Daniel looked directly at him.
"I'm postponing the discussion. Not making a final investment decision tonight."
Sloane suddenly stepped forward.
"Daddy, tell him!"
Richard turned sharply.
"Sloane, enough."
But she was panicking now.
"You can't let some waitress ruin the deal!"
The words exploded into the silence.
Some waitress.
I felt Daniel go completely still beside me.
Richard closed his eyes.
Thomas looked horrified.
Evan whispered something under his breath.
Sloane seemed to realize what she had said.
Too late.
Daniel looked at her.
"That waitress is a human being."
His voice was steady.
"She's also my wife."
He paused.
"But the first fact should have been enough."
Then he turned toward me.
"Grace, do you want to leave?"
I looked around the room.
At Sloane.
At Evan.
At Martin.
At the people who had watched me get soaked and said nothing.
Part of me wanted to run.
Another part wanted to stay and make them listen.
I took a breath.
"I want the security footage preserved."
Daniel nodded.
"And I want the video Sloane recorded documented."
He looked toward the restaurant owner, who had just arrived after being called by the staff.
"That can be arranged through the appropriate process."
Then my phone vibrated.
Mia glanced at her screen and gasped.
"Grace."
I turned.
"What?"
She held up her phone.
"The livestream clip is spreading."
My stomach dropped.
"How far?"
Her voice trembled.
"More than three million views."
I stared at her.
Three million people.
Three million strangers had already seen me drenched in soda.
And beneath the video, thousands of comments were appearing.
Some defended me.
Some mocked me.
Some were demanding to know where I worked.
I felt the room spinning.
Daniel caught my hand.
"Grace?"
I looked up.
May you like
Then whispered something I hadn't expected to say.
"I'm scared."
