The Ring I Designed, The Finger She Wore It On Chapter 07

The Ring I Designed, The Finger She Wore It On Chapter 07

Six months later, I finished an international negotiation in Geneva.

Elliot Sinclair handed mean insulated tumbler.

“Your doctor told you to cut back on coffee.”

“I only had one cup today.”

“That’s what you said last week.”

I took the tumbler and smiled.

“Since when do you police my coffee, Elliot?”

“I’m not policing you. Just reminding you.”

He handed me the meeting notes.

“No one gets to score your judgment. Not even me.

I looked down at the pages.

Even after returning to work, I still caught myself second-guessing every pause.

After my first meeting back, I’d asked Elliot how I’d done.

He’d only said, “You got the job done. That’s the answer.”

Slowly, I began to understand that not everyone was keeping score, waiting for me to make a mistake.

An assistant stepped into the room.

“Ms. Ward, the Crestwell Group delegation is here.”

I looked up.

Grant was standing outside the door.

He’d lost weight in the past six months.

His gaze moved briefly to Elliot before settling on me.

“So you really are here.”

“The meeting starts in ten minutes.”

I put away the tumbler.

“Mr. Calloway, please wait in the conference room.”

He stepped in front of me.

“Vivian, can we talk first”

“About work or the divorce?”

“The baby.”

I stopped for a moment.

Elliot moved between us.

“Mr. Calloway, she doesn’t want to discuss it.”

Grant’s expression hardened.

“This is between me and my wife.”

I corrected him calmly.

“Ex-wife.”

“I haven’t signed anything.”

“The court will finalize the divorce next month.”

His eyes reddened.

“I didn’t know you were pregnant.”

“If I’d known, I would’ve stayed.”

“Grant, I didn’t use the baby to make you stay that day.”

I met his eyes.

“I only told you I needed you.”

“And you still left.”

His expression faltered.

“I thought you were making a scene.”

“Because to you, I’m always competing with someone, making a scene, getting jealous.”

“I never thought that.’

“Your scoring notebook says otherwise.”

He went a little pale.

In the conference room, both sides formally began negotiations over the acquisition.

Crestwell needed my votes to get the deal through.

Grant pushed a revised agreement across the table.

“Your stake won’t be diluted. You’ll also get two board seats.”

I turned to the last page.

“Not enough.”

One of the directors immediately objected.

“Ms. Ward, these terms are already well above market.”

I looked up.

“First, I want my mother’s manuscript restored to its original form. Camille’s name comes off the credits publicly, and Crestwell acknowledges the copyright infringement.”

Grant didn’t hesitate.

“Agreed.”

“Second, Crestwell publicly acknowledges that I led the international project and apologizes to every member of the original team Camille fired.”

“Agreed.”

“Third, Camille is removed from every position she holds, and she’s held accountable for falsifying the emails and leaking company data.”

The directors exchanged looks.

One of them warned, “Camille has a lot of internal company information. If we go after her, she could use it against Crestwell.”

I closed the agreement.

“Then there’s no deal.”

Grant put his hand on the document.

“I agree.

When the meeting ended, he followed me to the elevators.

“Vivian, I did everything you asked.”

“That’s what you owed me, It isn’t compensation.”

“Then what do I have to do for you to come back?”

The elevator doors opened.

Elliot was standing inside, holding the door for me.

I didn’t answer Grant.

He suddenly took hold of my wrist, but his grip was gentle, as if he were afraid of hurting me.

“Tell me what standard I have to meet.’

I pulled my hand free.

“There isn’t one.”

“You changed yourself for me. I can change too.”

“But I’m not you.”

I stepped into the elevator.

Just before the doors closed, Grant held out the silver pen.

“I had Camille’s name removed.”

I didn’t take it.

The pen slipped from his hand and disappeared through the narrow gap at the elevator threshold.