Elijah needed a new suit for his cousin’s wedding. As the CEO of a tech and information company, he already had a wardrobe filled with tailored suits — yet, he decided to treat himself to another.

His last shopping trip, however, hadn’t been... pleasant. He’d gone to Ferrine, a long-established luxury brand known for its men’s section. The issue wasn’t the quality — it was the service. One of the saleswomen had made it clear, through sharp glances and a mocking tone, that she didn’t expect a Black man to belong in a place like that. It wasn’t bad enough to report, but bad enough to remember.

And now, he had to return to that same store.

What could he do? Their suits were still unmatched.

Stepping inside, he was greeted by the chill of the air conditioning — cold even at nine in the morning. He paused by a rack of blazers, inspecting the fabrics. From the corner of his eye, he noticed three saleswomen whispering behind the counter. Great, he thought. Again...

Then, one of them approached. Her smile was warm — genuine — and it caught him off guard. Elijah’s eyes flicked to her neat nametag: In Training. A new hire, he guessed. Interesting.

“Good morning,” he said, voice calm and deep. “I’ve got a wedding to attend this weekend, and I’m looking for a full suit.”