Chapter 2

Lynette didn't deny it when she got home. "I told Jay to take those sketches. You had nothing better to do anyway. If Jay can turn them into an actual product, they won't go to waste."

I stood beside the dining table. "I drew those."

"I know."

"Then why is his name on the catalog?" I demanded.

Lynette looked at me for a few seconds, as if considering how to explain something simple.

"Because he's the one handling production, materials, and marketing. Harold, a few sketches don't count as a design. Don't confuse a hobby with a profession," she replied.

"Before we got married, I was a jewelry designer."

"Your studio didn't clear 200,000 dollars a year in profit." She said that lightly. "The Kensington Group put 6,000,000 dollars into this launch. Can you afford for it to fail?"

I didn't answer.

Three years ago, when she made me shut down the studio, she had said it was for my own good too. She had said my stomach was weak and I wasn't suited to working late nights. She had said she could support me.

Back then, I'd handed my client files over to her and tucked my studio keys away in a drawer. I'd even thought I'd landed the most secure marriage in the world.

Now I understood. Someone who was kept had no right to talk about ownership.

"Change the lead designer credit to a joint byline," I said.

Lynette picked up her water glass.

"We'll talk about it after the launch." Her tone cooled slightly.

"I want it changed now."

"Harold Weston, don't be difficult right now."

She set the glass down. The water sloshed twice.

"Jay has been working on this launch for four months. If you suddenly jump in and demand credit, how is the team supposed to see him?"

"He's been working on it for four months. I spent four years drawing these," I argued.

"So what?" Lynette looked up at me, her gaze calm. "Do you want everyone to know that Ms. Kensington's husband sat at home doing nothing for three years, only to suddenly make a comeback through his wife's company?"

My nails dug into my palms. She always found the most respectable way to phrase things, turning what belonged to me into a source of humiliation.

…

The next day, I went to the Kensington Group.

Jayden was in the conference room trying on jewelry. When he saw me, he showed off the sapphire pendant hanging around his neck.

It was the family heirloom my mother had given me.

"Mr. Weston, perfect timing. Come tell me if this pendant works with the lead piece."

I walked over. "Take it off."

His smile stiffened slightly. "Ms. Kensington said the launch needed a touch of exotic flair. She's only lending it to me for a few days."

"That's my property."

"I know." He ran his thumb over the sapphire's surface and lowered his voice. "But Ms. Kensington said it was just collecting dust with you. Might as well let it create some value."

There were a dozen or so people in the conference room. Some kept their heads down over their documents. Others pretended not to hear.

Lynette pushed open the door just as Jayden was about to remove the pendant. "What's going on?"

His eyes reddened. "Mr. Weston doesn't like me wearing it. I'll give it back right now."

Lynette caught his hand. "We're about to shoot the promotional photos. There won't be time to redo the styling if you take it off."

Only then did she look at me. "It's just a pendant. You'll get it back once the launch is over."

"That belongs to my mother."

"Since your mother gave it to you, it's yours. Lending it to a coworker once is nothing to make such a fuss over," she reasoned.

Jayden spoke gently. "Ms. Kensington, don't argue with Mr. Weston over this because of me. It's fine if we skip the photos."

"The team has been waiting for two hours. How can we skip them?" Lynette handed him an expense form. "The cufflink deposit has already been approved. I'm also adding another 10,000 dollars to your wardrobe budget. Don't skimp."

She turned back to me, as if she'd just remembered something. "Did your mother's test results come back?"

"They come back this afternoon," I replied.

"If it's nothing serious, don't keep running back and forth to the hospital. The travel costs add up too."

The conference room fell quiet for a moment.

Jayden lowered his eyes. The corner of his mouth curved slightly.

My phone rang. It was the hospital.

The doctor said the shadow didn't look good and recommended admitting her for surgery as soon as possible. They needed a 6,000-dollar deposit to start the process.

I submitted the expense request right in front of Lynette.

She glanced at it. "6,000 dollars isn't a small amount. Let me ask the doctor first."

"The bed can only be held until this afternoon," I said urgently.

"Then have the hospital hold it. If it's really necessary, they won't turn away a patient over six thousand."

She tapped Hold on the approval.

Just then, an assistant from the brand team walked over. "Mr. Scott, the rush fee for the custom suit comes to 10,000 dolalrs in total."

Jayden held out a card. "Charge this one."

The card reader spat out the receipt, and Lynette's phone lit up. An alert appeared on the screen: a 10,000-dollar charge on the supplementary card.

She glanced at it once, then set her phone face down on the table.