My wife Emma has always been drawn to retail work, so when she spotted a hiring poster at a well-known lingerie store in the local shopping center, she thought it could be the perfect opportunity. Excited, she walked in and tried to approach the sales assistant for details about applying. To her dismay, the assistant ignored her until Emma was right in front of her. Then came the cruelest blow: after sneering and looking her up and down, the woman dismissed her with the words, “You’re not pretty enough for this job. No chance. Don’t even try.” Emma came home in tears, devastated by the humiliation. Seeing her so crushed broke my heart—but soon sorrow turned into anger. Nobody insults my wife like that and gets away with it.
A few days later, I put together a plan to make sure the sales assistant, whose name tag read Sophia, would regret her behavior. I dressed sharply, exuding the confidence of an important customer, and walked into the store where Emma had been insulted. This time, Sophia greeted me with a big smile and overly polite manner, clearly eager to impress. I played along, pretending to browse for a gift for my wife while she eagerly paraded item after item, her demeanor a stark contrast to the contempt she had shown Emma.
For half an hour I asked about fabrics, styles, and best sellers, keeping her busy while biding my time. Then I casually mentioned, “My wife was here the other day. She wanted to apply for a job.” I saw the flicker of recognition cross Sophia’s face before she plastered on a fake smile. I continued: “Funny thing—she came home upset. Someone here told her she wasn’t ‘pretty enough’ to work in this store.” Sophia’s face drained of color as she stammered excuses about “high standards.” I shot back, “High standards—or just shallow ones?” before asking to see her manager.
The manager, Lisa, came over quickly, and I explained everything, emphasizing how Emma had been humiliated. Lisa listened with growing displeasure, then turned to Sophia and asked her to step into her office. Minutes later, Lisa returned and apologized profusely. She assured me that their store did not tolerate such behavior and personally invited Emma to reapply, promising she would be treated fairly and respectfully.
When I told Emma what had happened, she was hesitant at first, still shaken by the cruel dismissal. With encouragement, she agreed to try again. A week later, she returned for her interview and was warmly greeted by Lisa and the other staff. Sophia was nowhere in sight—she had been transferred to another branch. Emma was offered the job, and she soon thrived in her new role, gaining confidence and joy with each passing day.
Now we look back on the incident with gratitude for the lessons it brought. Emma no longer doubts her worth, and together we laugh at how justice was served. For me, the message is clear: no one will ever make my wife feel small again, because she is beautiful inside and out—and I’ll always stand by her side to make sure she knows it.
