When my wife was reduced to tears by a store assistant during a job application, I knew I had to do something about it.

Emma, my wife, has always had an eye for fashion. She’s passionate about clothes and has great taste, which is why she’s always dreamed of working in retail. Even though she’s had a variety of jobs over the years, her heart has always been set on fashion. One afternoon, while walking through the mall, she saw a “Now Hiring” sign in the window of a well-known lingerie store. Thrilled by the possibility, she went inside to inquire.

But instead of being treated with kindness and professionalism, she was hit with harsh words. The store assistant, who didn’t seem to care one bit about Emma’s interest, bluntly told her, “Look, hun, I don’t think you’re pretty enough for this job. Don’t even bother trying.” Emma left the store shattered, and by the time she got home, she was in tears.

When she told me what happened, I was beyond angry. I could see how much it hurt her, and I wasn’t going to let that slide. I reached out to my friend Mike, who works in the fashion industry, to come up with a way to give that store assistant a lesson in decency.

The plan was simple. I went back to the store pretending to shop for lingerie for my wife. The assistant, eager to make a sale, was suddenly attentive and all smiles. After a while of browsing and chatting with her, I excused myself to make a quick call—this was Mike’s cue.

Mike, posing as a talent scout, walked into the store. After talking to the assistant for a few minutes, he coldly told her, “You’re not really the kind of look we’re searching for.” Then, he turned to me and said that I could potentially model, casually mentioning that Emma, my wife, would be perfect for a fashion campaign. The look on the assistant’s face was priceless—pure shock.

In the end, Emma didn’t decide to take up modeling, but the encounter with Mike was enough to restore her confidence. A week later, as we walked past that same store, Emma held her head high, no longer bothered by what had happened.

Sometimes, the sweetest form of revenge is simply helping those you care about realize their true worth, especially when others fail to see it.