Chapter 30 Happy Birthday
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
KATIE
I woke up with a huge smile on my lips. It was my thirtieth birthday. My stomach was full of nerves and giddy with excitement. Because it wasn’t just a regular birthday. It was the day I would have lunch with Justin. A lunch date.
My boss and my long-term crush.
If the stars aligned, I would use the lessons from Dylan and woo Justin with my seduction.
I stretched and sat up, feeling a slight ache from last night’s run. I had also made a list of which body care to use, from shower oil to perfume, and a step-by-step list on how to lead the conversation during the lunch.
After getting dressed earlier than usual, I reached for the dress that Amanda had helped me pick and Dylan had insisted on buying. Donning the navy blue collared lingerie (also bought by Dylan) I slipped into the dress, carefully zipping it up. I blinked at my reflection and cupped my breasts.
“Wow, it really makes them look delectable,” I said to myself.
It was definitely a little risque for a jeweler’s day at work, but it was my birthday, so it was fine.
My dark hair brushed my shoulders in soft waves, and my makeup was subtle but bold with a red lip.
I nodded in approval, wearing a necklace and earrings that Justin had complimented.
They were my first pieces of work that I made in my home studio, and I was proud of how elegant and soft they had turned out.
I grabbed a small, neatly wrapped gift box from my desk drawer.
Inside lay a pair of cufflinks I had crafted at home.
Melting an alloy blend for durability, engraving a minimalist design symbolizing balance and boldness, and polishing the surface until it gleamed under light.
It was for him, and I hoped he’d like it.
Before leaving for work, I crouched by the small glass tank, greeting my goldfish with a smile.
“Morning, Pollux,” I said, watching him swim in graceful, lazy circles. “Wish your mom good luck on her birthday!”
He swam around, his cute face giving me confidence.
“Love you. I’ll see you soon!” I had taken a half-day, hoping after lunch, if all things went well, I could invite Justin over and maybe have dinner together.
The weather was perfect, and excitement gave me a spring in my heeled sandals.
But as soon as I stepped into Opulence, that hope fell apart.
The office buzzed with the usual hum of conversation, clinking tools, and the tapping of keyboards.
I had joined the prestigious luxury brand mostly for the chance to apprentice under Justin, whose face and articles were almost always in zines each year as the head of design. He was my mentor for years.
Before the day ends, he would see how much my craft had improved, and considering my feelings for him, we would become equals.
But that hope, a carefully curated dream, crumbled when a famous actress and model walked into the showroom.
Summer Hayes. She was as stunning in person as she was in her movies and shows. Her skin was radiant despite the sheepish smile on her face as she slid a delicate necklace to me.
“Hi, I’m Summer,” she said, nodding at the jewelry. “I found a defect on this corner. Can it be fixed?”
Ignoring the looks of other employees, who seemed in awe at her beauty, I carefully took the piece and forced a warm, polite smile.
“I’m so sorry about that, ma’am. Let me check it right away.” I let the staff provide her with a private room with snacks and liquor. Since Opulence was a global luxury brand, we provided special services to celebrities, politicians and our recurring customers.
And Summer Hayes was one of them.
I carefully examined the service log. My heart sank as I saw that the design specifications had been altered, and the mistake was Justin’s. Worse, the customer service record showed his dismissive response when she initially complained over a call.
This was not good. We worked in hospitality and were considered a successful luxury brand. Dismissing a customer’s concern was still unacceptable, no matter who they were.
I approached him hesitantly when he was chatting with an HR manager.
I kept my voice calm but firm, explaining the situation and taking him to the private room where Summer was sipping on water.
“Hi, we are sorry for the issue. This is Justin, and there was a minor miscalculation in the design.” I remained calm even though my heart pounded in my ears.
I had never made a mistake. Especially when it came to delivering a custom product, which was meant for her as an anniversary gift by her famous billionaire fiancé.
We could only thank the stars that Damon Grant hadn’t arrived with her, or we would be on the news.
He was well-known for being cold-hearted and grumpy.
I thought Justin would handle it with his charm, apologizing for his mistake and showing what a nice mentor and leader he was.
But he laughed, surprising me and Summer. It was a low and patronizing sound that made my skin tense.
“Oh, Katie,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips as he wrapped his arm around me. “Why would you confess that you made a mistake to our… customer? Surely you don’t want to embarrass yourself.”
What the hell?
I eyed him. Feeling uncomfortable instead of elated when he touched my waist. I was stunned by his approach and watched him brush off my concerns, attempting to spin the story as though all of it were my fault.
I swallowed, my throat tightening. My fingers fidgeted. “I’ll take care of it.”
I couldn’t look at either of them as I excused myself, trying not to let the shame overwhelm me.
His words rang through my head, and I couldn’t understand. Why would he say that and push me under the bus?
But the day spiraled during the design meeting. I had prepared my concepts carefully with innovative designs, sketches that I was proud of. It was creative and nothing like Opulence had done before, but as I began to present, Justin cut me off.
“No, no, Katie, what we need is something more marketable,” he said, dismissing my idea, barely glancing at them.
When the head of our design studio entered, he straightened up and took credit from the junior designers. My jaw clenched when he started claiming the same concepts he had dissed as his own.
But I stayed silent, making a mental note to confront him later during lunch. I refused to let him blame me for his fuck-ups and his lack of creativity. Has he always been this way? Why had I never noticed?
Still. I had some hope. Even though I had the urge to call Amanda and update on everything that had happened so far. I knew she would demand me to meet her, curse Justin and make my day better.
By noon, I had grabbed the small gift box and stepped into the luxury hotel where we had arranged our lunch.
Since it was my birthday, Justin had asked me to treat him at a pleasant restaurant, and even though I didn’t mind, it made me think back to the day I had spent with Dylan.
How he had paid for my expensive dress, lingerie and even Taco Bell despite my protests.
My stomach was full of nerves when I found Justin already seated at the grand table. He looked nice in his tailored suit, exuding charm. He was easy on the eye, and he knew it.
“Happy birthday, Katie,” he said, flashing a smile.
“Thank you,” I replied, my voice steady despite the heaviness in my chest.
Before I could even take a sip of the water, he started giving the order to the server.
Selecting the most expensive items on the menu without hesitation.
“We’ll have the lobster bisque, the Wagyu beef tenderloin, and of course, the finest wine.
You must indulge on your special day,” he said smoothly, flashing me a wink.
I shook my head at the server and said, “No wine for me—”
“But it’s your birthday,” Justin interrupted.
“I-I don’t really enjoy drinking—”
“Nonsense.” He frowned, waving his hand. “One glass won’t hurt. Consider it a toast to your success.”
I didn’t argue further as we made small talk about work and how he was looking forward to his vacation in Miami. I stared at him and wondered how different the conversation between him and Dylan was.
Yes, he was younger than Justin, but it never felt so… dull or boring.
The delicious food arrived, but every bite became agony itself.
Justin chewed loudly, smack by obnoxious smack, the sound grating against my nerves as my misophonia got triggered.
My hands tightened around the fork and knife, my jaw clenching as I tried to block it out.
Focusing on the soft lull of jazz music or how uncomfortably tight the dress had started to feel.
I couldn’t even enjoy the delicious lobster. Chugging the half glass of wine, I finally mustered the courage to break the tension.
But a phone rang abruptly. Justin glanced at the screen and casually excused himself.
“I’ll have to take this,” he said, standing up and walking away without even glancing at me.
I stared at my plate, the lobster bisque growing cold.
My fingers hovered but didn’t move to pick up the fork.
I couldn’t stop comparing him to Dylan, since he was the only man I had talked to the most intimately.
He was playful, mischievous, but also kind and someone who listened to me without any pity or judgement.
While Justin was charming, he was someone who didn’t take accountability for his actions and blamed it on me without any consequences.
My long-term crush was just that. A crush. It was completely imaginary, and it faded away as I stared at the empty seat across from me.
I sighed, contemplating whether I should return home. Pollux would listen to me vent, and I could forget the whole day.
“Miss?” The server smiled, placing the dessert in front of me as I looked up. “This is for you. It’s a blueberry cheesecake.”
“Thank you!” I smiled at her. “But I didn’t order this…”
She turned and pointed to a corner. “That man sent it for you. He also paid the entire bill, so you can order anything else you want.”
She leaned down and whispered, “May I please be honest?”
I blinked. “Of course.”
“That man is more handsome than the one who left you for a call,” she pursed her lips and straightened up. “I mean. If I was with such a pretty date, I wouldn’t know where to look.”
I giggled when she waved her hand over me, thanking her for her compliment. She deserved to be tipped a lot.
But before she left, she put a small bowl beside the cheesecake and said, “I’m not sure why this was asked specifically, but here.”
It was cantaloupe cut into small pieces.