Lena Ortiz kept the pitcher level as his guests laughed.
Victor Hale sat at the head of the table. He was the founder of HaleBridge, a language services company competing for the biggest contract in a hospital network. Beside him, operations director Martin Shaw raised his phone to record her.
“Smile,” Martin said. “You might finally earn something.”
Lena couldn’t afford to lose the shift. Folded inside her apron was her father’s rehabilitation bill, beside a photo of him teaching her Arabic at their kitchen table.
Before his stroke, he had worked as an emergency-room interpreter. Now he struggled to pronounce her name.
Victor switched back to German.
“Steak. Rare. And tell your manager to hire women who understand instructions.”
Lena replied in fluent German.
