Chapter 5 - The Note on Executive Stationery
Inside the envelope was a single sheet of thick, cream-colored executive stationery bearing the corporate letterhead of Vance Real Estate Holdings—the parent company that owned the entire commercial property, the building, and the restaurant license.
Marlene’s eyes scanned the typed lines, and the color drained completely from her face.
“What does it say?” her father demanded, leaning across the table. “Marlene, read it out loud!”
Marlene’s lips trembled. She couldn't form the words. She handed the paper blindly to Michael, who snatched it from her fingers and read the short, devastating message himself:
Mr. Michael Vance and Party,
Please be advised that your current table reservation, along with all associated billing privileges, has been transferred to the personal account of the building proprietor. Furthermore, due to a sudden violation of establishment etiquette regarding guest treatment and harassment of priority stakeholders, your party’s presence is no longer welcome on these premises.
You have ten minutes to settle your personal bar tabs and vacate the dining room.
Sincerely,
Management & Ownership
May you like
Michael dropped the letter onto the white tablecloth as if it had burned his skin.
Across the room, the heavy mahogany office door slowly swung open, and I stepped out into the dining room, walking with the slow, unhurried grace of a woman who owned the floor beneath her feet.
