The Cruel Encounter

Nora had grown accustomed to the grueling work at the Empire Hotel, but nothing could have prepared her for the cruelty she faced that day. As she worked her usual shift, she was called to the hotel's dining room to clean up a spill. When she arrived, she found Vanessa, the daughter of her father's mistress, standing with a glass of red wine in her hand. Vanessa was now dating Rick Donald, the hotel's manager, and she reveled in her newfound power.

With a malicious grin, Vanessa tipped her glass, spilling the wine across the floor. "Oops, I made a mess," she said with mock innocence. "You better clean it up, Nora. After all, that's what you're good at, right?"

Nora bit her lip and knelt down to clean the spill, trying to ignore the sting of Vanessa's words. But Vanessa wasn't finished. As Nora scrubbed the floor, Vanessa leaned in close, her voice dripping with venom. "You know, you really are pathetic. From a rich girl to a dirty cleaner. How does it feel to be nothing?"

Nora kept her head down, refusing to give Vanessa the satisfaction of seeing her pain. But Vanessa wasn't done yet. She poured the remaining wine in her glass over Nora's head, soaking her hair and uniform. "What will you do, huh? You're good at cleaning trash, so go clean yourself."

Nora's hands trembled as she wiped the wine from her face. The humiliation was overwhelming, but she refused to cry. She finished cleaning the floor, her dignity in shreds, and left the dining room without a word.