Chapter 3 - THE MANAGER'S BIG MISTAKE
Footsteps clattered hurriedly across the hardwood floor.
Richard Sterling (no relation to Arthur, but equally desperate to please the ultra-rich) was the general manager of Le Miroir. He sprinted toward Table 14, his forehead dripping with sweat. He knew Victoria Vance’s patronage brought hundreds of thousands of dollars in publicity to his establishment.
"Ms. Vance! I am so deeply sorry—what happened?" Richard gasped, arriving out of breath.
Victoria pointed a trembling, crimson-nailed finger straight at Maya. "Fire her! Fire her right now, or I will pull my entire investor party out of this dump and make sure your Michelin star is revoked by morning!"
Richard didn't turn to look at the wine stain. He didn't ask what happened. He didn't look at the money on the tray. He immediately faced Maya, his cheeks red with panic and fury.
"Apologize. Now," Richard ordered, his voice harsh and grating. "Get down on your knees and apologize to Ms. Vance right this second!"
"She threw money at me, Richard," Maya said calmly. "And she insulted my dignity. I answered her."
"I don't give a damn what she did!" Richard yelled, dropping all pretense of professional calm. "She is a VIP client! You are an hourly peasant! You're fired! Effective right now! Clear your locker and get out!"
Maya simply nodded once. "Understood."
She turned to walk away, ready to leave the restaurant behind.
But Richard, desperate to show Victoria that he had total control over the situation, made the fatal mistake of letting his ego dictate his hands.
He reached out, grabbed Maya forcefully by her upper arm, and yanked her backward toward the table. "You don't just walk away when I'm speaking to you! You owe this table an apology before you leave!"
The moment his fingers clamped around her arm, Maya’s entire posture changed.
In a movement so lightning-fast it shocked everyone watching, Maya snapped her torso, brought her left arm up, and swatted Richard’s hand away with a bone-chilling CRACK.
Richard stumbled backward, clutching his reddened wrist, wide-eyed with shock.
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"Never touch me again," Maya hissed. Her voice was no longer just calm—it was dangerous.
Victoria sneered from her chair, enjoying the spectacle, though her eyes narrowed at Maya’s lack of fear. "Look at her. Violent and uneducated. Enjoy unemployment, little girl. You think you can act like a hero today? I’ll make sure you can’t even get a job sweeping floors in this city. You'll never work in New York again. Do you hear me? Never."
