A distinction she was never supposed to notice.
Diana stared at her.
"Are you suggesting I am not an important client?"
Melissa immediately looked uncomfortable.
"I didn't say that."
"But your actions did."
The reception area became quieter.
A few people nearby looked up from their phones.
Melissa lowered her voice.
"I think you're misunderstanding the situation."
Diana shook her head slowly.
"No. I think I understand it very clearly."
For the first time that day, Melissa seemed uncertain.
Diana returned to her chair.
But she was no longer waiting.
She was observing.
She watched every interaction.
Every customer who entered.
Every person who received attention.
Every person who was ignored.
By 1:45 p.m., Diana had gathered enough information.
She did not need assumptions.
She had patterns.
At exactly 2:00 p.m., the clock above the reception desk chimed.
The sound echoed through the entire bank.
Diana stood.
This time, she did not walk slowly.
She walked with purpose.
Melissa noticed immediately.
"Miss Bennett."
Diana stopped.
"Yes?"
"You can't go back there."
Diana looked toward the frosted glass doors.
"I have waited four hours."
"Miss Kramer will call you."
"No."
The firmness in Diana's voice surprised everyone.
"She will not call me."
Melissa stood.
"Miss Bennett, you need to return to your seat."
Diana looked directly at her.
"I have been respectful since I walked through those doors this morning."
Her voice remained controlled.
"I have been patient. I have followed every instruction. I have given this bank every opportunity to treat me fairly."
She paused.
"But four hours is enough."
The room became completely silent.
Melissa looked around nervously.
"Please don't make this difficult."
Diana's expression did not change.
"I am not making this difficult."
She stepped closer.
"The situation was already difficult when a confirmed client was ignored for four hours."
Melissa opened her mouth.
No words came out.
Diana turned and walked toward the glass doors.
Every step echoed.
She placed her hand on the handle.
Then pushed.
The door opened.
Inside was a quiet hallway lined with private offices.
At the far end was Linda Kramer's office.
Diana walked forward.
A few employees looked up as she passed.
Nobody stopped her.
Because even they could feel something had shifted.
She reached Linda's office.
The door was partially open.
Inside, Linda sat behind her desk.
Calm.
Comfortable.
Working on her computer.
Diana stopped at the entrance.
For a moment, she simply looked.
Because the truth was obvious.
Linda was not trapped in endless meetings.
She was not overwhelmed with impossible work.
She was sitting alone.
Diana knocked once.
Linda looked up.
Her expression immediately changed.
Shock first.
Then irritation.