The Waitress With a PhD Who Silenced a Arrogant And Rude Billionaire
Chapter 17
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"Is it Lancaster?" James asked, his voice hard.Camille nodded, unable to speak."That's it. I'm telling Mrs. Patterson.""No," Camille forced out. "Please. I need this job.""You need to breathe more than you need this job," Bethany said firmly.Mrs. Patterson appeared in the kitchen doorway. "What's going on?"The three of them looked at her. Mrs. Patterson took one look at Camille's face, and her expression hardened. "It's that Lancaster man, isn't it?"Camille wanted to deny it, but she couldn't. She just nodded.Mrs. Patterson's jaw tightened. "Stay here. I'll handle this.""No, please." Camille tried to stand, but Bethany held her shoulders."Let her handle it," Bethany said.Mrs. Patterson walked into the dining room. Through the kitchen door, Camille could see her approach table seven. She couldn't hear what was said, but Mrs. Patterson's posture was stiff, her gestures sharp. Theodore's face went from surprised to annoyed to coldly angry. He stood, said something brief, and walked out of the restaurant. His associates scrambled to follow.Mrs. Patterson returned to the kitchen. "He's gone.""What did you say to him?" Camille asked."That his behavior was inappropriate and he needed to leave." Mrs. Patterson crossed her arms. "I should have done it weeks ago. I'm sorry, Camille. I put profits over people, and that was wrong. But the money he spent isn't worth this." Mrs. Patterson gestured at Camille, still shaking on the stool. "You're a valuable employee and a decent person. He's neither. The math is simple."Tears pricked at Camille's eyes. "Thank you.""Go home. Take the rest of the night off. Paid.""I can't afford—""—Paid," Mrs. Patterson repeated firmly. "Go home, take care of yourself. Come back tomorrow when you're ready."On the bus ride home, Camille felt numb. Part of her was relieved: Theodore was banned from the restaurant; she wouldn't have to see him again, wouldn't have to endure his cruelty. But another part of her felt defeated. She'd broken. After six weeks, he'd finally gotten to her. He'd proven that she could be ground down, that she had limits, that she was, in the end, exactly what he'd called her: an empty shell.At home, Gloria took one look at her daughter and opened her arms. Camille collapsed into them, crying again, all the held-back pain pouring out."Oh, baby," Gloria murmured, stroking Camille's hair. "Oh, my sweet girl. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry you're going through this.""I tried, Mama. I tried to be strong.""You are strong. You've been so strong. But everyone has a breaking point. That doesn't make you weak. That makes you human."They stayed like that for a long time, Camille crying and Gloria holding her, until the tears finally ran dry.That night, lying in bed, Camille thought about Theodore's face when Mrs. Patterson had confronted him: the anger, the indignation, the absolute shock that someone had dared to stand up to him. For six weeks, Camille had taken his abuse in silence. But in the end, someone had defended her. Someone had said enough.