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

“…unless the manager named Marcus is fired. Today. I want him escorted out of the building within ten minutes.”

I hung up.

The menus fell from Marcus’s hands with another loud thud. Conversations in the lobby stopped. People stared.

“No… no… it can’t be…” Marcus whispered. He looked at me as if seeing a ghost. “This building… this is the Walker Holdings Tower. You… are you really… Ryan Walker?”

I didn’t answer. I simply looked at him, letting the truth settle.

The door to the office burst open. A man in a perfectly tailored suit rushed out, panic all over his face.

“Mr. Walker! My deepest apologies!” he nearly shouted. “This is a terrible misunderstanding! Marcus — YOU’RE FIRED! Get out. Right now!”

Marcus didn’t move. He stood frozen, like a man whose life just crumbled in front of him.

“Mr. Walker,” the senior partner said breathlessly, “the private dining room is yours. Anything you want! All on the house!”

I shook my head. “No. Let the Senator keep his table. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

Then I looked at Marcus.

“You made two mistakes. First, you judged me based on my appearance. Second… you upset my wife. And that, Marcus, is something I cannot overlook.”

I took Lauren’s hand.

“We’re leaving.”

Thirty minutes later, we sat inside a small Italian restaurant near our neighborhood — warm, simple, alive with conversation. It was the same place we had eaten at on our second date. Lauren looked at me across the candlelit table, her eyes still wide.

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