Then stopped.
Because nobody else was laughing.
The boy slowly handed him the phone.
“Here…”
The manager rolled his eyes and pressed it to his ear.
“This is ridiculous—”
Then his face changed.
Color drained instantly.
“Yes sir…”
Pause.
“No sir…”
Another pause.
“I—I didn’t know…”
His hand started shaking.
Customers exchanged nervous looks.
Mia stared in confusion.
Then the glass entrance doors opened.
Three black luxury SUVs stopped outside.
Men in suits stepped inside.
Not security.
Executives.
Straight toward the boy.
The entire store moved aside.
One of them walked up and smiled warmly.
“Sorry we took so long, sir.”
Sir?
People looked at the boy.
The manager looked like he was going to collapse.
The executive turned toward everyone.
“This young man is Daniel Carter.”
He smiled.
“And future owner of Titan Mobile.”
Dead silence.
The boy looked down awkwardly.
“My dad wanted me to spend one day without telling people who I was.”
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Then Daniel looked at Mia.
“You defended me when nobody else did.”
He pulled the envelope from his pocket and handed it to her.
Mia stared.
Inside was cash.
And a folded note.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
“Would you like to become assistant manager?”
Behind her—
The former manager slowly sat down in a chair.
Because at that moment, he realized something:
He hadn’t lost his job because of one mistake.
He lost it because he showed everyone exactly who he was.
