She replaced my curtains without asking.
She moved Michael’s photograph out of the living room because, she said, “It makes the room feel sad.”
That should have been where I stopped her.
Instead, I swallowed the hurt.
Then I made an even worse decision.
I hired her.
Willow & Hart had started as a tiny gift shop with one register and used shelving. Over thirty years, I had grown it into one of downtown’s most successful specialty stores.
I knew my customers personally.
I knew which local potter made the finest serving bowls and which candle supplier was always dependable.
Sarah had been bouncing between jobs, so I offered her a management role.
Within six months, she acted as though Willow & Hart belonged to her.
She rearranged displays without discussing them with me.
She pushed local artisans toward the rear because their work was “too rustic.”
She intimidated younger employees.
