“Because you offered payment.”
Marcus nodded.
“That should not have been difficult.”
Then he went upstairs.
The boardroom overlooked Rodeo Drive.
Floor-to-ceiling windows.
White stone table.
Twelve leather chairs.
Water in crystal bottles.
A presentation screen displaying the new ownership structure.
Eight people were waiting.
Two flew in from New York.
One from Geneva.
Three were former shareholders.
The general counsel was there.
The CFO.
And at the head of the table sat Evelyn March, former chairwoman of Arden & Vale.
She smiled when Marcus entered.
“You made it.”
Marcus took off his sunglasses.
“Yes.”
Charles entered behind him and closed the door.
Evelyn studied Charles’s face.
“What happened?”
Charles looked at Marcus.
Marcus placed both hands on the back of an empty chair.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then:
“I’d like the security footage from downstairs preserved.”
The room changed instantly.
General counsel opened her laptop.
“Why?”
“Because I was refused service.”
Silence.
Evelyn frowned.
“Refused?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked at her.
“That is what I’d like to understand.”
He sat.
Charles remained standing.
Marcus gestured.
“Sit, Charles.”
Charles did.
Evelyn looked toward him.
“You knew Mr. Bennett was visiting.”
“I knew he might.”
“You didn’t notify staff?”
Marcus answered.
“I asked him not to.”
Evelyn looked at Marcus.
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to walk the store before the meeting.”
“You were testing them?”
“No.”
That distinction mattered.
“I wanted to experience it.”
“As customer.”
“Not owner.”
The CFO shifted.
“What exactly happened?”
Marcus told them.
No embellishment.
He did not imitate Claire’s tone.
Did not dramatize Darren’s shove.
He simply gave sequence.
Entered.
Asked.
Allocation refusal.
Payment offered.
Card thrown back.
Insult.
Security contact.
Name.
Recognition.
When he repeated Claire’s line—
“That watch costs more than you look worth.”
—Evelyn closed her eyes.
General counsel stopped typing for one second.
Then continued.
Marcus finished.
Nobody spoke.
Finally Evelyn said:
“She’s fired.”
Marcus looked at her.
“No.”
Evelyn stared.
“No?”