She Tried to Make Me Pay for a Mother-in-Law I Don't Have

"Gentlemen—you're all President Dickerson's clients!"

"President Dickerson can't even pay for a meal at our restaurant!"

"And you still want to do business with her?"

Her words hung in the air. The clients went still for a beat.

One of the longtime clients just smiled. "If President Dickerson really can't cover the bill, we'll chip in ourselves."

"But something about this tab doesn't add up."

These were people I'd worked with for years. Most of them knew exactly what I was worth. A two-hundred-thousand bill was nothing to me, and they knew it.

They believed me. Simple as that.

A flicker of surprise crossed Janet's face as she looked at the clients.

Not one of them had moved. Not one had even glanced her way. They just sat there, untouched by everything she'd thrown at them, and something behind Janet's eyes went tight.

"Janet, if that's all you've got, don't bother."

I looked at her, my voice cool and flat. "These are my clients, and they trust me."

"They're not going to take your word over mine."

"And your restaurant has surveillance cameras."

"I want to see the footage—prove this supposed mother-in-law of mine even knows me."

"You said she's been here with me multiple times. Show me."

The moment those words left my mouth, Janet's expression shifted visibly.

I could see it in her face—she was the nervous one now.

Then her face darkened, and she fixed her eyes on me. "Ms. Dickerson, you obviously already know our cameras have been down recently."

"That's why you're so confident."

"Besides, I trusted you. When your mother-in-law came in, she said you'd come pay the bill."

"That's the only reason I let her run a tab."

"And now you're backing out?"

The instant she finished, she spun toward my clients and raised her voice. "Gentlemen, is this really the kind of person you want to keep doing business with?"

The clients stayed silent.

Janet's face had gone ashen.

The pressure was supposed to work. I was supposed to fold rather than lose these clients. But the room hadn't moved—not one of them bought her act, and I hadn't even bothered to look at her.

By now her expression had changed completely.

"Ms. Dickerson, since you refuse to pay, you leave us no choice."

She turned to the security guards behind her and barked, "Pin them all down!"

"I noticed when they walked in—every single one of them is wearing a luxury watch."

"Those watches ought to cover the bill just fine!"

My stomach dropped.

The clients trusting me was one thing. But if they got manhandled at a restaurant I'd invited them to, I'd never be able to face them again.

"Don't you dare!"

I shot to my feet. "I spend over a million a year at this restaurant. Is this how you treat your customers?"

My voice was shaking with anger. "Where's your owner? Tell him to come see me."

I knew Janet was only a manager. The actual owner of Harborview House was someone else entirely.

Anyone capable of running a place this size wouldn't operate like this.

Janet heard me and let out a cold laugh.

"Ms. Dickerson, who do you think you are? Our owner doesn't come when someone like you snaps her fingers."