"Are you blind? She was the one digging her nails into me. I barely touched her. That fall was an act!"
Bruno didn't even look at me. He was already helping Ellie up from the floor, cradling her bleeding hand. He unwound the silk scarf from his collar and wrapped it carefully around her wound.
That scarf. I'd given it to him for his birthday. His initials were embroidered on the corner. I'd stitched them myself, one thread at a time.
Now those letters were soaked through with Ellie's blood.
"We're leaving."
He draped his arm around Ellie's shoulders and walked out without a backward glance.
The rest of the table found their excuses in record time. Chairs scraped, coats were grabbed, and within thirty seconds every last one of them had vanished.
The private dining room fell silent. Just me and the wreckage.
A waiter knocked and poked his head in. "Would you like to settle the bill, ma'am?"
I dug through my purse and handed him a card. "Yes."
He swiped it. The machine beeped.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. This card has insufficient funds."
I handed him another. Same result.
Then another. And another.
Seven cards. Every single one declined.
Bruno had actually frozen all of them.