Chapter 397
The waiter looked helplessly at Effie, then glanced over toward Isabel, clearly unsure how to respond.
Isabel’s voice sliced through the tension, cold and commanding. “If you can’t handle this, go get your manager.”
Relief flickered across the waiter’s face. Of course he couldn’t fix this, but the manager might.
He hurried away, and before long, returned with the restaurant manager in tow.
The manager could sense the charged atmosphere before he even got close. This was the kind of drama he’d rather avoid, but unfortunately, these two difficult customers had chosen his restaurant tonight.
“Ladies, I’m terribly sorry your dining experience hasn’t met expectations,” he began diplomatically. “If you’ll allow me, I’d like to offer a solution.”
Effie folded her arms across her chest. “And what exactly do you suggest?”
Isabel tapped her fingernails impatiently on the table. “Let’s hear it. I’m curious what you’ll come up with.”
The manager turned to Isabel. “Miss, it seems you’re quite sensitive to noise, so perhaps the main dining area isn’t the best fit. Unfortunately, all our private rooms are fully booked tonight-there’s not a single one left, and I do apologize for that. As compensation, we’d like to offer you a twenty-dollar voucher, valid indefinitely. Would that be acceptable?”
“Twenty dollars?” Isabel slammed her hand on the table and shot to her feet, voice ringing out across the restaurant. “You think you can fob me off like some beggar?”
The force of her outburst rattled the entire table, sending silverware skittering and plates clattering with a piercing din.
A number of diners turned to stare.
“Twenty dollars is an insult!” Isabel seethed through clenched teeth.
The manager’s tone hardened. “That’s the best we can do. We’re a small business—there’s no way we can meet unreasonable demands. If you insist on causing a scene, I’ll have to call the police.”
Effie leaned in, feigning curiosity.
“You know, you look kind of familiar. Have we seen you somewhere before? Are you someone famous? If a story got out that a celebrity caused a scene over twenty dollars in a restaurant, that wouldn’t look so good, would it?”
Of course she knew exactly who Isabel was. She just wasn’t saying it—at least, not yet. Whether or not she would expose her identity depended on what Isabel did next.
Isabel’s face darkened, her expression so tense it seemed she could wring water from the air.
Effie’s lips curled into a sly smile that made Isabel’s skin crawl. “Ah, I remember now, you’re “
“Enough!” Isabel barked, cutting her off. “You can forget about me ever spending another cent in this dump!”
She snatched up her purse and all but bolted for the exit, nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste.
She was terrified
Effie would blurt
out her name. Even though her
career had already stalled, she was
el.no
still desperately searching for a comeback. The last thing she
needed was a fresh scandal to bury her chances for good.
As Isabel’s retreating figure disappeared, the manager let out a visible sigh of relief.
Turning to Effie, he said, “Thank you for helping us handle that situation. As a token of our gratitude, we’ll give you twenty percent off your meal tonight.”
Effie grinned. “Thank you, Kenyatta. That’s generous of you.”
The manager blushed, rubbing the back of his head. “Please—just call me ‘Manager’ while we’re at work.”
Effie laughed. “Manager Kenyatta-it has a nice ring to it. Congratulations on the promotion.”
“Thank you! And honestly, I have you
to thank for it,” Manager Kenyatta replied earnestly. “If you hadn’t recommended me for this job, never would have gotten the chance to prove myself and move up.”