Chapter 65
Chapter 65:
Adrian’s steady approach backed Sophie up until she bumped into the edge of the dining table.
He leaned in, lowering his voice until it was barely more than a velvet murmur. “You know, last night in the car? You threw your arms around my neck, pulled me close, and kissed me p>
As he spoke, a blurry flash of memory jolted through Sophie’s mind: Adrian scolding her, his voice a dull roar in her drunken fog, and her own impulsive arms hooking around his neck—her lips pressing against his to shut him up.
Color flooded her cheeks. And, embarrassingly, she could almost recall the way his lips felt against hers.
“Th-that can’t be right.” Sophie’s eyes went wide, breath coming short as she pushed him away in a flustered panic. “I honestly don’t remember anything p>
Before he could tease her further, she spun around, grabbed her bag from the sofa, and practically sprinted for the door. “I’m late—got to go!” she blurted, bolting outside without even bothering to put her shoes on properly.
Sophie didn’t slow down until she reached the bus stop, where she finally stopped, breathing hard. She pressed her hands to her burning cheeks, mortified by the vivid memory that now refused to leave her alone.
Of all things to remember, why that? How was she supposed to face Adrian again?
She squeezed her eyes shut, determined to shove the thought away. Thankfully, the bus rumbled up right on time, saving her from her own embarrassment.
Back at the workshop, Sophie slipped right into her role, overseeing every detail with a careful eye.
𝘙о𝘮𝘢𝗻𝘤𝖾 a𝘯𝖽 p𝘢s𝘴i𝗼𝗻 𝗈n.с𝘰𝗺
She hovered beside the jeweler’s bench, silently watching as the craftsman polished a delicate ring on the spinning machine. While she waited, her fingers wandered into her pocket and closed around Adrian’s wedding ring—the very one she had snatched from his hand.
For a moment, her mind drifted.
She remembered the first time she had sketched out that design, pouring her heart into every line, hoping to create something special just for Adrian. But reality had other plans. Money was tight, and making that ring for him had been impossible. She never imagined the design would catch Mr. K’s attention and be commissioned as someone else’s one-of-a-kind piece. The thought stung. Her work, her intention—yet the first person to slip it on their finger would be a stranger she had never even met.
Mr. K’s praise still echoed in her mind, and she felt she owed Adrian.
Maybe that was why, a few days ago, while reviewing the workshop schedule, she had noticed an open slot for the sample creation training program. Designers could apply to make a non-commercial piece, just as a learning exercise. Her heart raced at the possibility. This could be her chance to rewrite her mistake.
Since her original blueprint belonged to a client now, she started over, redrawing the ring from scratch. To keep expenses low, she shrank the main diamond, added accent stones for a touch of sparkle, and reworked the setting to fit the new scale. The soul of her first design remained, but the finished piece was distinctly new—a little different, but every bit her own.
She carefully sorted through bins of older, lower-grade diamonds—stones that were far from perfect but easy on the budget. She examined each one with relentless precision, weighing symmetry and sparkle, determined to coax the most beauty out of what she had.
Wanting the final ring to match her vision as closely as possible, she made it a point to get to know the workshop artisans. Even though the fee for their labor was modest, she insisted on paying the full amount allowed under company rules, wanting their best effort.
Even with all the creative cost-cutting, employee discounts, and smart material choices, the final price of the ring was enough to swallow her next month’s paycheck.
Shaking herself free of her thoughts, Sophie glanced down at the plain wedding band in her hand—the very one she had snatched from Adrian. She hadn’t done it out of spite or to win a silly fight. What she really wanted was to figure out his exact ring size without tipping him off. It was meant to be a secret, a little gift to surprise him—a way to give his wedding band back, transformed and new.
Still, Sophie couldn’t help but find it amusing. Adrian’s ring size turned out to be a perfect match for Mr. K’s.