“You’re fired.”
The room erupted.
Gozon laughed, loud and cruel. “Me? Fired? Who do you think you are—”
A single clap cut through the noise.
Slow. Deliberate.
It came from the far end of the room—from the investors’ table.
A man in a gray suit stood. White hair. Piercing eyes. Authority that needed no volume.
Laurent Duval.
Founder of Duval Hospitality Group. Owner of Le Ciel.
Gozon went pale.
“S-Sir Laurent… I didn’t know you were here—”
“I saw everything,” Laurent said coolly as he stepped forward. Each footfall echoed like judgment. “And I wish I hadn’t.”
The restaurant fell silent.
Mia stood shaking—but no longer crying.
“Mr. Gozon,” Laurent continued, “explain why you chose to humiliate an employee in front of guests.”
Gozon stammered. “I—I was joking—”
“That’s not all,” Laurent said. “I also heard you use words like ‘eat it’ and ‘shit.’”
Gozon swallowed hard. “Sir, I didn’t mean—”
