Chapter 59
Chapter 59:
A wave of color rushed to Sophie’s cheeks, her face burning with embarrassment.
She scrambled away from Adrian, clutching the ring in her fist. Lifting her chin, she glared at him with forced bravery. “Y-you want your ring back? Give me mine first p>
Adrian smoothed his collar with lazy amusement, the hint of a smirk playing on his lips. “Looks like you’ll be waiting a while,” he said, stretching out each word. “I’ll give it back whenever I feel like it p>
Sophie poured everything she had into her very first jewelry design.
She insisted on visiting the workshop herself, overseeing each step, watching her ideas come to life bit by bit. Pinnacle Jewelry’s private workshop was outfitted with state-of-the-art, custom-imported equipment that looked more at home in a futuristic lab than a jewelry studio. Every time Sophie stepped inside, the sight left her a little breathless with inspiration.
𝘙о𝗺a𝗇𝘤𝖾 𝘢𝘯d p𝗮s𝘀𝘪𝗈𝗇 𝗼𝘯
“Sophie, these are the diamonds you requested, all sourced to your exact specifications,” the workshop assistant said, laying a pristine white velvet tray on the worktable.
Sophie slipped on her loupe and adjusted it for maximum detail, fingers steady as she moved the tweezers from stone to stone, studying each one under the bright lamp.
“Feathers in this one… No brilliance in that,” she muttered, frowning as she went down the line. “Is this really all you have? None of them are quite right p>
The assistant started to shake her head, but then her face brightened with an idea. She hurried to the safe and pulled out a small anti-static box. “This came in this morning. It’s a special pick p>
Sophie lifted the lid, and the stone inside caught the light, throwing a subtle rainbow across the table. Resting on velvet was a 3.2-carat, square-cut black diamond—flawless in both color and clarity.
Her breath caught. “That’s the one I’ve been searching for p>
Before she could say more, the workshop supervisor, Marco Powell, swooped in, his voice slicing through the moment. “Don’t even think about it. That diamond’s already reserved by a headquarters designer p>
Disappointment flashed across Sophie’s face.
The assistant shot Marco a covert eye roll and leaned in to whisper, “He’s bluffing. HQ doesn’t even know about this stone yet—it literally just got here p>
Lowering her voice further, she added, “He does this all the time. Stashes the best gems so he can butter up the big shots at headquarters, hoping they’ll give him a transfer p>
Sophie straightened, blocking Marco’s path with quiet confidence. “Mr. Powell, could you show us documentation proving this diamond is spoken for p>
Marco sneered, looking her up and down. “Why should I answer to you? Last I checked, you’re just a junior designer p>
Sophie didn’t flinch. “Actually, Pinnacle Group’s Article 17 is clear—any unset stones not assigned to a design are fair game for every branch. That means we all have a shot p>
Marco’s face tightened. He hadn’t expected Sophie to cite company policy, and it threw him off balance for a moment.
Sophie seized the opening. “Tell me, Mr. Powell—are you saying only the head office deserves the best stones? Or do you honestly believe the rest of us can’t create anything worthwhile p>
Marco scoffed, a bitter smile curling at his lips. “Isn’t that obvious p>
Sophie matched his smile, but her eyes were cold as steel. “I’d have to disagree.” She lifted the black diamond, letting the light dance across its flawless surface. “A stone might be rare or ordinary, but true design knows no hierarchy p>
Marco shifted uncomfortably, glancing around as he realized the other employees were listening intently, some even nodding in agreement. He gave a mocking smile. “Pretty speech. Would you have the guts to say all that in front of Mr. Knight himself p>
Sophie straightened, her voice clear and unwavering. “Absolutely. Why don’t you put in the call? I’d love to hear Mr. Knight weigh in. Does he judge people by their titles, or does he believe every diamond deserves a designer who can bring out its best p>