Chapter 3

Work kept me busy. I always took on the toughest projects and worked late into the night. My coworkers thought I was a workaholic, but only I knew the truth.

I couldn't afford to stop. If I did, those memories would come crashing in—Herman shoving me, Rosalind hanging onto him, and the cold glare of the operating room lights.

Four months later, my design won the Newcomer Award in the industry. Backstage on award day, I bumped into someone I never expected to see.

Andrew Sinclair, Rosalind's older brother.

He stared at me for so long, I almost thought he recognized me. But in the end, he just nodded politely. "Ms. Wright, your designs pack a punch. My sister's getting engaged next month. She wants you to design her engagement ring."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Your sister is?" I asked.

"Rosalind Sinclair," he said, handing me his card. "She's going to marry into the Foster family in Hillcrest City. You've probably heard of her."

Going to marry into the Foster family in Hillcrest City.

I took the card, my fingers icy, but my voice stayed steady, which surprised even me. "Of course, I've heard of her. May I ask what kind of style Ms. Sinclair prefers?"

"She likes things that are truly unique," Andrew said, giving me a meaningful look. "Kind of like you, Ms. Wright. I swear, you seem familiar, like we've met before."

"Guess I just have one of those familiar faces," I smiled. "I'll handle the ring design with Ms. Sinclair myself. Don't worry. I'll make sure she loves it."

Once Andrew was gone, I headed to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face.

The woman staring back at me in the mirror looked pale, but her eyes were so bright, it was almost unsettling.

Rosalind was getting engaged to Herman.

And it'd been less than six months since my "death."

Alright then.

I grabbed a paper towel, dried my hands, and texted Sharon: [Just landed a huge job. Designing the engagement ring for the Foster family in Hillcrest City.]

Sharon replied in a flash: [That's badass! Give it your all. If you pull this off, you're set in this industry.]

I sent back a smiley emoji.

Rosalind, wasn't that what you always wanted? Something truly unique?

I promised, this ring will mark you for life. You'll never forget it.

*****

My first video meeting with Rosalind was scheduled for a Friday afternoon.

I set everything up in advance, making sure the camera only showed my side profile, with my glasses on. The background was a plain white wall in my studio, with a few design sketches hanging up. I picked ones that looked nothing like my old style on purpose.

When the call connected, Rosalind's face popped up on the screen.

She looked even more stunning than half a year ago, or maybe just more polished. Her features, clearly enhanced, looked perfect under the beauty filter.

She wore the latest Chanel suit, and on her ring finger was a huge diamond. I recognized it immediately. It was the ring I'd seen before in Herman's safe, the Foster family's heirloom passed down to the lady of the house.

"Ms. Wright?" Rosalind's voice was syrupy sweet. "My brother says you're super talented, but you look so young. Are you really sure you can pull off the kind of ring I want?"

"What kind of vibe are you after, Ms. Sinclair?" I adjusted my headset, my voice coming out lower thanks to the voice changer.

"I want something unique, something extravagant, so everyone knows at a glance that whoever wears this ring is totally pampered," she said, propping her chin up with a smug look in her eyes.

She went on, "Herman said the wedding has to be grand, so the ring needs to be just as impressive."

I tapped the keyboard and pulled up a few design drafts. "Check these out, Ms. Sinclair. The first one features a rare teardrop-shaped blue diamond, surrounded by a halo of white diamonds—symbolizing purity and loyalty."

Rosalind pouted, "So cliché. Every jewelry store has something like that."

I flipped to the next page. "The second one is inspired by thorns and roses. The band is shaped like thorns, and the center stone is a rose carved from a ruby—meaning love must go through trials before it can truly blossom."

"Thorns?" She frowned. "That's unlucky. Herman and I have had nothing but smooth sailing. What trials?"

I nearly laughed out loud.

Smooth sailing? Of course it was smooth when the road was paved with my blood.

"Now, the third option." I brought up the last design. "This one's pretty unique. It looks like a simple platinum band on the outside, but inside, there are five tiny diamonds.

"Each one is engraved with a letter. When you line them up, they spell out the initials of a secret message."

"What message?" she asked.

"Only you," I said, drawing out the words.