"You..." Victor stammered, his voice trembling with a mix of shock and rage. "You actually..."
"I believe our deal was one hundred thousand dollars for one complete sentence, Mr. Hale," Naomi said calmly, her voice crystal clear. "I have just delivered five."
Arthur, the restaurant manager, finally stepped forward, looking terrified but resolute. "Mr. Hale," Arthur whispered nervously, "perhaps it would be best if—"
"Quiet!" Victor snapped, slamming his hand onto the table. He glared at Naomi, his pride fighting a losing battle against the mounting public humiliation. He snatched his silver pen, scribbled wildly on his checkbook, tore the check from the pad, and slapped it onto the white tablecloth with trembling fingers.
"Take it!" Victor hissed, his jaw clenching. "Take it and get out of my sight!"
Naomi looked down at the paper. One hundred thousand dollars, signed by Victor Hale. It was enough money to alter the trajectory of her family’s life forever.
Slowly, deliberately, Naomi reached out. She did not pick up the check. Instead, she placed her fingertips on the edge of the slip of paper and slid it smoothly across the linen, stopping directly in front of Henry Lin.