"Mr. and Mrs. Blackstone, how wonderful to see you. What brings you in today? Are you looking for something special for your anniversary?"
Diana had been left standing alone next to the open display case, completely ignored.
She had been able to hear every word of Patricia's conversation with the Blackstones, and what she had heard had made her stomach turn.
"Sorry for the delay," Patricia had said to the Blackstones, glancing back at Diana. "We get all kinds wandering in here."
Diana had stood there trying to process what she had just heard.
In 23 years of building her business, she had experienced discrimination before.
But never in her own store.
Never from someone she was paying to represent her company's values.
Ashley Chen, the young art student who worked as a sales associate, had noticed what was happening.
She had been able to see Diana standing alone, clearly being ignored, and it had bothered her.
Ashley had been raised to treat people with respect, regardless of what they looked like or where they came from.
Ashley had approached Diana with a genuine smile.
"Ma'am, can I help you with anything?"
But before Diana had been able to answer, Patricia had shot Ashley a sharp look from across the store.
"Ashley, please organize the back inventory," Patricia had called out, her voice carrying just enough authority to make it clear this hadn't been a request.
Diana had seen the whole exchange and had felt bad for putting Ashley in an awkward position.
"It's fine, dear. I'll wait," she had told Ashley softly.
And wait she had.
For 15 long minutes, Diana had stood in that store, watching Patricia fawn over the Blackstones while completely ignoring her.
Diana had watched Patricia show the Blackstones piece after piece, explaining the history and craftsmanship of each one.
She had watched Patricia offer them champagne and comfortable chairs.
She had watched Patricia treat them exactly the way every customer should have been treated in a Luminous Designs store.
Meanwhile, Diana had stood next to the still-open Aurora display case, invisible.
After 15 minutes of being ignored, Diana had decided she had given Patricia enough chances to do the right thing.
She had walked back over to where Patricia was still chatting with the Blackstones and politely interrupted.
"Excuse me," Diana had said, her voice still calm and professional. "I'm still interested in the Aurora piece."
Patricia had turned to look at Diana with barely concealed annoyance.
She had been clearly irritated that Diana hadn't taken the hint and left.
"Look," Patricia had said, not even trying to hide her frustration anymore. "Those pieces require serious financial commitment. Maybe you'd be more comfortable in our cheaper fashion jewelry section."
The fashion jewelry section.
Patricia had been literally trying to redirect Diana to the cheapest items in the store, pieces that cost under $500, because she had decided that Diana couldn't afford anything expensive.
Diana had felt her jaw tighten, but she had kept her voice steady.
"I'd like to purchase the Aurora necklace. The $350,000 piece."