My Cheating Girlfriend

Chapter 3 Designing My Own Execution

The Sterling Industries boardroom smelled of polished wood. I stood behind Elena with my portfolio while Julian lounged at the head of the mahogany table.

Victoria, Mark and the rest of Eternal Vow’s C-Suite watched him from their seats.

Elena sat at Julian’s right. Victoria and Mark smiled whenever he looked their way, then went quiet as soon as he touched the portfolio.

“So.” Julian flicked a hand at my portfolio. “This is the work of your little prodigy?”

He pushed the top sketch across the table with two fingers. It was the master drawing for the wedding necklace, which I had named ‘The First Dawn’ when I believed Elena would wear it for me.

“It’s fine. A bit sentimental.” He yawned. “I want power. Everyone in the room should know my wife is wearing a million dollars around her neck. This whispers. I need it to roar.”

He drew a thick gold setting around the diamond centerpiece without asking.

The new lines cut across the proportions that held the centerpiece in place. I could have explained why the setting would look heavy from every angle. Elena’s small nod told me what answer she wanted.

Victoria covered a laugh with a cough. Mark looked at the ceiling. Elena glanced back at me and gave one tight nod.

“Of course, Mr. Sterling. A bolder statement.”

I took back the sketch and opened my tablet.

For the next hour, Julian changed the clasps, added rows of diamonds and thickened the men’s band until it resembled a brass knuckle. I entered every modification into the presentation copy.

‘The First Dawn’ had begun as a wedding set for Elena and me. An hour with Julian buried the necklace’s original shape under extra stones. The men’s ring now matched his taste.

Julian leaned back and tapped the pen against the table. “Better. Much better. Now, the men’s band. We’ll need the correct size.”

The room went quiet.

Victoria lowered her eyes to the table. Mark stopped turning his pen. Elena kept her hand beside her coffee and waited for me to cooperate.

“Of course,” I said. “What is your ring size, sir?”

He held out his hand. As I took the measurement, he leaned close enough that only I could hear him.

“See, kid? All that talent and passion are worthless. Capital is king. You’re a well-behaved dog, and good tricks might earn you a scrap from the table.”

I finished the measurement and pulled back. I looked him in the eye. “Thank you, Mr. Sterling. The final designs will be ready for the rehearsal tomorrow.”

I recorded the size beside his requested changes. Julian watched me do it, waiting for anger or embarrassment, but I gave him the same professional nod I gave any client.

He laughed and withdrew his hand.

They filed out of the room, Elena giving my shoulder a quick, tense squeeze as she passed. “Thank you for that,” she whispered. “You were a star.”

After the door closed, I set down the measuring gauge and checked my phone. Elena had sent a dozen texts filled with heart emojis. I opened my email instead.

The boardroom windows looked over the city. An elevator chimed somewhere above me. Julian and Elena had left their marked-up wedding set spread across the table.

The message had arrived one week earlier from a top-tier patent law firm in Paris.

Subject: **Core Personal Design Portfolio - All Patents Officially Approved.**

The approved patents covered my core personal design portfolio.

The email listed the filing numbers beside the same works now sitting in my reinforced briefcase. Elena’s preference for trust over paperwork had left her company without an assignment agreement.

I called the number saved as ‘The Future’.

It rang once.

“Clara Sterling’s private line.”

“It’s Arthur. I’m calling to accept your offer.”

Clara was quiet for a moment. “I thought you might. Did you finally get the proof you needed?”

I looked at the marked-up wedding set on the table.

“I have the proof and the approved patents,” I said. “Send me the Paris instructions.”

“You’ll have them within the hour,” Clara said.

The wedding rehearsal was the next day.