Regina nodded.
“Yes.”
“That means qualifying clients.”
“According to what written policy?”
Meredith hesitated.
“We train associates to prioritize serious buyers.”
“Again.”
Regina leaned forward.
“What written policy tells you how to identify a serious buyer before speaking to them?”
Meredith said nothing.
Regina continued.
“Yesterday you refused to show me a bracelet because I did not look like your idea of a twenty-eight-thousand-dollar customer.”
“That is your interpretation.”
“No.”
Regina tapped the folder.
“It is supported by footage, complaints, staff interviews, and sales-conversion patterns.”
Meredith’s face hardened.
“I have protected this brand for years.”
Regina looked at her.
“From whom?”
The question landed like a door closing.
Meredith opened her mouth.
Regina waited.
Nothing came.
General counsel Serena Bishop slid an envelope across the table.
“Meredith Sloan, your employment is terminated effective immediately for repeated violations of client-service standards, failure to enforce anti-discrimination policy, retaliation concerns identified during preliminary staff interviews, and conduct materially damaging to company interests.”
Meredith stared at the envelope.
“You cannot be serious.”
Regina answered.
“I am.”
“I’ve given ten years to Laurent.”
“Nine years and eight months.”
Meredith looked furious.
“You came into my store pretending.”
Regina’s expression sharpened.
“Your store?”
The room became very quiet.
Meredith realized.
Too late.
Regina continued.
“The flagship belongs to the company.”
“The company belongs to its shareholders.”
“And the controlling shareholder is sitting across from you.”
Meredith looked toward security.
Her hands began shaking.
“You’re firing me over one interaction.”
“No.”
Regina opened another report.
“I am firing you after reviewing forty-three customer complaints, seven staff complaints, security footage, sales behavior, and yesterday’s interaction.”
She paused.
“Yesterday merely stopped me from giving your management team the benefit of doubt.”
Meredith stared at her.
Then at the staff.
Nobody looked back.
Serena turned toward Kyle.
His face fell.
“Kyle Bennett.”
He leaned backward.
“I barely said anything.”
Regina pressed the remote.
Audio from the security system played.
Twenty bucks says she was waiting for a bus.
Someone at the table closed their eyes.
Kyle flushed.
“That was a private joke.”
“In a showroom.”
“I didn’t say it to you.”
“You said it about a customer loudly enough for the customer to hear.”
He scoffed.
“People joke.”
Regina nodded.
“They do.”
“People also experience consequences.”
Serena slid another envelope forward.
Kyle stared at it.
“You’re kidding.”
“No.”