“What did she do?”
Amara looked toward the seat Vanessa had wiped.
“She ordered me out.”
Charles closed his eyes briefly.
“She threw the brochure down.”
Charles looked toward it.
“She told me the car was for serious clients.”
Vanessa began:
“I had no way to know—”
Amara raised one hand.
Vanessa stopped.
“She offered to move me toward more appropriate inventory.”
Charles looked directly at Vanessa.
“What?”
“She then called security.”
Tom immediately said:
“I didn't touch her.”
Amara looked at him.
“No.”
“You didn't.”
Tom exhaled.
Vanessa’s mouth opened.
Closed.
Then:
“I thought she was trespassing.”
Amara nodded.
“Why?”
“The car was reserved.”
“For me.”
“I didn't know that.”
“Because you never checked.”
Vanessa’s voice sharpened defensively.
“You didn't identify yourself.”
Amara smiled.
“There.”
Charles frowned.
Amara continued:
“The sentence underneath everything.”
Vanessa stared.
“If I had announced I was the buyer immediately, you would have behaved differently.”
Vanessa said nothing.
“If I had opened my banking app?”
Silence.
“Shown you the transfer?”
Nothing.
“Called Charles?”
Nothing.
Amara held up the keys.
“You needed proof that I deserved ordinary respect.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I was protecting inventory.”
Amara looked toward Ethan.
“Did she ask anyone whether I had permission?”
Ethan hesitated.
Vanessa turned toward him.
That look.
Career.
Commissions.
Shifts.
Future.
Ethan swallowed.
Amara watched.
Then he said:
“No.”
Vanessa’s head snapped.
Ethan continued.
“I tried to mention the delivery sheet.”
“After?”
“Yes.”
“But before Charles came.”
“Yes.”
“Did she let you check?”
Ethan looked at Vanessa.
Then Amara.
“No.”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“You're misrepresenting—”
Charles raised his voice.
“Stop.”
The entire group went silent.
Charles looked toward Amara.
“Ms. Wilson.”
“This is unacceptable.”
“I’m terminating Vanessa effective immediately.”
Amara’s expression did not change.
“No.”
Vanessa looked stunned.
Charles frowned.
“No?”
“No.”
Amara placed the keys into her handbag.
Charles stepped closer.
“I understand you're angry.”
“I am not asking to keep her.”
Vanessa stared.
Amara continued:
“I’m telling you that firing one woman before asking how everyone else learned to watch her do this solves nothing.”
Charles went still.
Behind the glass, several employees stopped pretending not to listen.
Amara pointed toward the showroom.
“How many people watched?”
No answer.
“Ethan tried to speak.”