Our Anniversary Was on the Brink — One Phone Call Turned It Around

“I’m very sorry, sir — your reservation has been canceled,” the manager of the five-star restaurant said in a smooth, emotionless voice. “That table is now reserved for someone more important.” My wife’s voice shook when she spoke. “But… today is our anniversary.” I didn’t argue with him. Instead, I calmly took out my phone and made a call. “This restaurant’s lease will not be renewed,” I said in an even tone, looking directly into his eyes, “unless this man is removed from his position.” The manager froze in place — then the menus slipped from his hands and hit the floor with a heavy, echoing thud.

The air on the 60th floor of “Le Ciel” felt thin, almost too clean, as if it was meant only for the rich and powerful to breathe. I had booked the corner table with the wide window view almost two months earlier. Ten years together deserved something perfect. Lauren had spent the last decade teaching in an underfunded public school, dealing with difficult classrooms and long hours, giving everything she had to children who often didn’t get enough support anywhere else. Meanwhile, I spent my time dealing with numbers, contracts, concrete, and steel, building a business world she knew only the edges of.

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