“I’m sorry,” I said politely. “We’re fully booked tonight. Without a reservation, I won’t be able to seat you.”

Her smile vanished instantly.

“Oh, really?” she said loudly enough for nearby guests to hear. “Take a picture of this guy.”

She turned to her friends, laughing. “He won’t be working here much longer. I’ll make sure of it.”

One of them snickered. Another added, “Hope you enjoy scrubbing toilets for your last shift.”

The words hit harder than they expected—not because they hurt me, but because I saw the host flinch beside me.

That was my staff.

My people.

And no one talked to them like that.