Cold-Stone Revenge on a Bully Husband

I’ve been a server at a fancy downtown restaurant for a decade, encountering various people: couples, families, and business lunches. Yet, nothing prepared me for the other night with regulars Jack and Lora.
Jack and Lora used to be a happy couple, always smiling and splitting the bill. Lately, however, Lora was paying alone while Jack indulged in expensive meals. One rainy night, Jack arrived with eight loud friends, declaring it his treat. Lora, arriving late and visibly upset, sat down as Jack ordered lavishly. When the $800 bill arrived, Jack pushed it to Lora. She tearfully said she wouldn’t pay, but Jack laughed it off.

Lora fled to the bathroom, where I overheard her crying on the phone about Jack’s control. Moved by her plight, I approached her with a plan: she would pretend to get an urgent call and leave. I’d handle the rest. Lora hesitated but agreed, thanking me.
As she left, I approached Jack, fabricating a reservation mix-up that forced them to leave. His friends quickly made excuses and left, leaving Jack alone with the massive bill. Without Lora to split the cost, Jack had to pay it all.
The next day, Lora returned, thanking me with tears and a $100 tip. We laughed about Jack’s downfall, and she mentioned treating herself with the money she saved. This experience reminded me that sometimes the best service is compassion and bravery, defending those who can’t stand up for themselves.

Have you ever witnessed such bullying? How would you have reacted?