“You humiliated my family,” he said the moment she opened the door.

Diana studied him calmly. “Your mother threw wine in my face. You smiled. What did you expect would follow.”

“You are destroying everything,” he said. “This is excessive.”

Diana tilted her head slightly. “Excessive was assigning a price to human dignity and expecting obedience.”

Brandon ran a hand through his hair. “You could have discussed it privately.”

“I did discuss it,” Diana replied. “At the table. You chose to laugh.”

He stared at her, then looked away. He had no defense. None.

“I thought you loved me,” he said quietly.

Diana’s voice softened, but her resolve did not. “I thought you respected me. We both learned something.”

Brandon left without another word.

Three days later, Judith called. Her voice was controlled but strained.

“This has gone far enough,” Judith said. “We can negotiate compensation. You will reinstate the contracts and we will forget the incident.”

Diana leaned back in her chair. “You already taught me your terms,” she said. “Respect had a price. I simply chose not to pay it.”

“You are vindictive,” Judith hissed. “You are emotional and unprofessional.”

Diana waited until Judith finished speaking. Then she replied calmly.