Part 3The 15-Year-Obsolete Patent

Her brow furrowed. I just looked at her, my expression unreadable. "I don't have the money. It's up to you."

I turned and walked out. She followed me, her face livid. "Kate, don't think you can get away with this just because you've been here a while!"

The whole office was staring. I turned back to her. "I'm not trying to get away with anything, Diana. I'm following company policy. Go ahead and deduct it."

She thought I was bluffing. She immediately had finance alter my paycheck, deducting the entire five thousand from my commission, leaving me with only my base salary.

I remained unfazed. I came to work on time, left on time, and submitted my AI-generated designs every day. They couldn't find a single thing to fault me for.

Until Mr. Harrison from Apex Corp came in. I had handled the initial design phase for their project. Now that the project was handed over, Chloe was in charge.

Apex was our biggest client. We'd worked with them for three years without a single issue. This new project alone was worth ten million dollars.

That morning, Diana and Chloe were a bundle of nerves, waiting by the entrance. I strolled in right on time, earning a glare from Diana. I just slipped into the breakroom for breakfast.

When Mr. Harrison arrived, he was ushered into the conference room with great fanfare.

That's when Sam came over to my desk.

"Kate, take these blueprints to the new development in Green Valley."

Green Valley was on the west side of the city. We were on the east. A four-hour round trip.

"Isn't there a digital copy?" I asked.

"The client wants a hard copy. Now go, don't waste time."

Fine. I'll go.

The moment I arrived in Green Valley, Diana called.

"Kate, where are you? Get back here now!"

"Diana, Sam sent me to deliver blueprints. I just got here. What's up?"

"Send me the design concept and creative brief for the Apex project!"

I smiled. "It's all in the handover files. Sorry, have to meet the client now!"

I hung up. A moment later, Chloe called.

"Kate, stop playing games. Those are company files, you can't take them with you! If this project falls through, you'll be held responsible!"

I didn't even bother to answer. I just blocked her number.

Jenna messaged me. Apparently, Mr. Harrison had noticed right away that I wasn't in the meeting. He asked Chloe a few simple questions about the project, and she couldn't answer any of them. He was not pleased. Finally, he asked about the patent for the smart home technology integrated into the design.

Diana and Chloe had no idea what he was talking about.

Now, he was demanding to see the patent certificate, and they were scrambling.

"This was your plan all along, wasn't it?" Jenna typed. "You set them up!"

"No wonder you've been so relaxed these past few days! You were waiting for this!"

Without that patent, the design was useless. A ten-million-dollar project, down the drain. And when the higher-ups found out, Diana and Chloe would be in deep trouble.

I could hear Jenna's gleeful laughter through the phone. Then, Chloe's voice. "Is that Kate? Give me the phone!"

"Kate, get back here now! What's this about a patent?"

"Sorry, Chloe, I can't help you. That project isn't my responsibility anymore."

"You'll have to find someone else."

She was getting desperate. "Kate, I know you're upset. Just come back, and we can talk about this."

Diana's voice came on the line. "Just come back, Kate. At least help us get through this meeting."

I refused. "I can't do that. This is Chloe's first big client meeting. I wouldn't want to overstep."

I could hear her screaming on the other end. "Don't get cocky, Kate! We don't need you!"

I laughed. "Let me be honest with you. Give me three hours, and I'll have you on your knees, begging me. Want to bet?"