Karen, her face flushed with embarrassment, tried to regain her composure. “It was just a misunderstanding,” she muttered, but the conviction in her voice was gone, replaced by an uneasy awareness of the social tides turning against her.

Michael Stone, however, was not done. He turned to Clara, who was beginning to relax under the warm, dry robe. “You didn’t deserve that,” he said. “And no one should ever make you feel less than what you are.” With that, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “If you’re interested, I’d like you to consider a position at one of my companies.