—while she quietly footed the bill.

And the worst part?

She never even ate that much.

That night was the final straw.

Jack rolled in with eight of his rowdy friends, all swagger and bravado.

“This one’s on me, boys!” he boomed, slapping a hand on the table.

And guess who walked in ten minutes later, looking exhausted and defeated?

Lora.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, her steps hesitant—as if she already knew how the night would end.

Jack barely acknowledged her.

I watched, biting my tongue, as he and his friends feasted like kings—steaks, lobster, bottles of the finest wine.

By the time the bill arrived?

$827.64.

And Jack pushed it toward Lora.

Like always.

She excused herself, tears brimming, and rushed to the restroom.

I followed, heart pounding.

When I reached the door, I heard her voice—broken, desperate.

“I can’t keep doing this, Mom,” she sobbed into the phone. “Jack expects me to pay for everything. Everything. It’s not fair.”

My jaw clenched.

This wasn’t just about money.

This was control. This was humiliation.

And I wasn’t going to let Jack win.

The plan hit me like lightning.

When Lora emerged, still wiping her eyes, I stopped her.

“Lora,” I whispered. “Do you trust me?”

She blinked at me in confusion. “What?”

“I need you to do something. When I come back to the table, pretend you got an urgent call. Say you have to leave. Don’t pay.”

Her eyes widened. “But—”

“Just trust me,” I insisted.

And for the first time that night, she smiled.

I walked back to Jack’s table with a sweet, professional smile.

“Excuse me, sir,” I said brightly. “There’s been a mix-up with your reservation.”

Jack frowned. “What do you mean?”

I leaned in, lowering my voice for effect.

“Well, sir… this table was actually double-booked. Another large party is on their way, and unfortunately, we need this space.”

Jack’s entire face changed.

His friends stopped laughing.

“But—” he stammered, looking at the mountain of food still on the table. “We’ve been here for hours!”

I gave him a sympathetic shrug. “I understand, sir. But the other party is VIP.”

Jack visibly paled.

His friends started shifting, grumbling about going somewhere else.

And then, Lora stood up dramatically.

“Oh my God,” she gasped. “I completely forgot! I have an important client meeting! I have to leave right away!”

Jack gaped at her. “Wait—what?”

She leaned over, kissed his cheek, and bolted.

And just like that, Jack’s safety net was gone.