Chapter 899: Satisfied

"Roy, what do you think?"

Bernie was practically holding his breath, feeling as though an invisible hand was gripping his heart. Roy's silence was torturous—the rings were his masterpiece, something he might never surpass in his lifetime.

If Roy wasn't satisfied and asked for a redo… Bernie might just pass out on the spot.

Roy carefully closed the ring box, his expression solemn. Only then did he look up.

"Bernie, choosing you to design my wedding rings was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I'm more than satisfied. It's been a pleasure working with you."

He extended his hand.

Bernie hesitated for a second before grasping it with both hands, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"But damn," Roy added with a chuckle, "you took your time. If I weren't such a trusting person, I might've called the cops on you."

Honestly, after waiting so long, even Roy had moments of doubt.

But every time, he reminded himself—if Laila believed in this guy's designs, then he must be the real deal. Maybe something had simply delayed the process.

Bernie scratched his head awkwardly. "It wasn't supposed to take this long. But to get the perfect diamond cut, I had to call in a favor from my old mentor, who then reached out to a retired master cutter."

That master had been out of the business for years.

Even Bernie's mentor wouldn't have been able to convince him to take the job.

But…

Once the legendary craftsman laid eyes on the stunning raw diamond, he couldn't resist.

"A stone this rare… I can't just walk away."

So, despite being retired, he took on the job—only for his heart condition to suddenly act up.

Luckily, they caught it in time, and his life was saved.

However, the entire process was delayed significantly.

Bernie had considered finding another cutter, but the old master refused to let anyone else finish the job.

So, all they could do was wait.

Bernie hadn't told Roy earlier because he wasn't sure if the rings would even be completed. If the master had been too unwell, Bernie would've had to start over.

In the end, though, the wait was worth it.

The legendary master's cut was flawless, with minimal material loss and breathtaking brilliance. The way it caught the light was enough to drive anyone insane with admiration.

Roy exhaled deeply.

He could see the dedication Bernie had poured into these rings.

Instead of words, he expressed his gratitude with a number—a very generous number—on a check.

"I hope we can work together again in the future," Roy said, handing it over.

Bernie's fair-skinned face instantly turned bright red.

All the hardships of the past few months? Worth it.

Big stars were on another level—throwing out this much money like it was nothing!

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Mr. Ji Xing! Your trust and generosity mean everything to me!"

Roy patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "You earned it. Your design is worth every cent."

Monica was thrilled.

If Roy Ji Xing, a Hollywood star, gave Bernie such high praise, who would ever doubt his talent again?

"We're gonna be rich!"

She excitedly raised her camera. "Can I take a picture of this moment?"

Roy thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Of course. But don't release the photos until after I've proposed to Laila. That means no leaks until the media starts speculating about the ring. Trust me, keeping it under wraps will benefit you too."

Roy didn't mind Bernie using his name to promote his business, as long as Laila didn't find out before the proposal.

Besides, he had a good feeling about Bernie. If Laila liked his work, then he was worth supporting.

A hardworking, passionate, and meticulous designer?

Roy had no doubts—Bernie had a bright future ahead.

Monica and Bernie enthusiastically agreed.

"Of course! We'll keep it a secret!"

They were so overjoyed that they would've agreed to anything at that moment.

So, in Monica's camera, there was now a photo of Roy and Bernie standing together, smiling.

In Roy's hand? A simple-looking ring box, giving no hint of the priceless masterpiece inside.

Roy had originally planned to open the box and display the rings for the photo.

But Bernie had objected.

"If this photo leaks early, people might figure out the ring's design. But if it's just a photo of us, you can always claim I'm just a fan asking for a picture."

Roy laughed and agreed.

After all, Hollywood reporters were like sharks—if a single photo gave them a scent of something big, they'd dig up the whole ocean to find the truth.

Now that he had the rings, Roy faced a bigger challenge—

How should he propose?

In movies and TV, proposals were always the same—

Candlelit dinner.

Fine wine.

Romantic music.

A bouquet of roses.

A man on one knee.

With his current wealth, he could easily book out an entire luxury restaurant for the occasion.

But that felt too ordinary.

This was the most important moment of his life.

It needed to be truly special—something that would have deep meaning for Laila.

That night, when Laila returned home, she found Roy sitting on the balcony, a beer bottle in his hand, surrounded by empty ones.

She raised an eyebrow.

"You're just sitting here? And you didn't bother wearing something warmer? Aren't you cold?"

She reached out and touched his face.

His skin was warm—probably from the alcohol.