I Am the Real Patron All Along

At my own engagement party. The new designer my fiancé’s company had just hired took a pair of scissors to my gown and cut it to ribbons. “Your neck is too short for a high collar.” “And your proportions are all wrong for this conservative cut. A hemline two inches below the hips would be much more suitable.” She held the scissors, a defiant smirk playing on her lips. “Ms. Preston, Mr. Bernstein assured me when he hired me that I would have the freedom to create anytime, anywhere. Consider this my wedding gift to you.” The crowd fell silent, stunned. My fiancé, Richard, rushed to my side, his voice placating. “She’s just a prodigy I scouted from design school. She’s young, Olivia. Don’t take it personally.” Seeing the protective glint in his eyes, I let out a bitter laugh. “Fine. This gown was designed personally by Catherine. It was custom-made for me and is valued at three hundred thousand dollars. Since you’ve destroyed it, you can be the one to pay for it.” Richard started to speak, but I cut him off before he could utter a word. “And by the way,” I said, my voice clear and cold. “The engagement? It’s off.”

1 “Pfft.” Ava, the designer, let out a derisive snort from the side, rolling her eyes dramatically. “Seriously, Richard? Your fiancée really knows how to make a mountain out of a molehill. It’s just a dress. Why the huge drama?” A flicker of irritation crossed Richard’s face, and his tone hardened. “Olivia, stop it. Ava’s design talent is praised by some of the most respected names in the industry. Giving her creative freedom is an investment in our company’s future. If you keep this up, I’m going to get angry.” He paused, then turned to Ava, his voice softening. “Ava, Olivia is a bit more… traditional. She doesn’t understand your creative process. Why don’t you apologize to her, and we can put this behind us.” Ava shrugged, hands spread in a gesture of mock surrender. “Okay, okay. I mean, I obviously did nothing wrong. Art is blameless, right? But since the boss is asking…” She plastered on a fake, saccharine smile and drew out her words with deliberate slowness. “Sooorry, princess. I guess I shouldn’t have failed to appreciate your… outdated—oh, I mean, traditional—approach to design. Are we happy now?” My face was a mask of fury, but Richard seemed satisfied with this resolution. “There. Now, Olivia, go change. The guests are waiting.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Richard, that was the most insincere apology I’ve ever heard, and you expect me to just let it go?” “Don’t push it,” he hissed, grabbing my arm. His grip was tight, a silent command to back down. I refused to move. He pulled harder, practically dragging me. I never thought he would treat me like this. My high heel twisted, and I stumbled, collapsing onto the floor in a heap. Riiip— The already tattered hem of my gown ripped completely, and the neckline was yanked askew, exposing a wide swath of my shoulder and collarbone. A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers. Richard froze for a second, then quickly shrugged off his suit jacket, intending to cover me. But then Ava let out a delicate little “hiss,” her voice high and sharp. “Achoo! Richard, is the air conditioning on too high in here? I’m freezing.” Richard’s hand, reaching for me, stopped mid-air. Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned and draped the jacket over Ava’s shoulders, even taking a moment to carefully pull the lapels together. “You should have said something sooner if you were cold,” he chided her gently. It wasn’t anger in his voice. It was annoyance that she hadn’t told him what she needed, and even more, annoyance at himself for not noticing. I had always believed that I was the only one who received that kind of special, focused affection from him. Apparently, I was wrong. His love was cheap. My throat suddenly felt too dry to speak. “I’m not that delicate,” Ava said, snuggling into his jacket with a sweet, triumphant smile. She tilted her head back like a spoiled child. “Richard, you said you’d introduce me to Mr. Alistair today. Is that true?” Richard’s face softened into a doting smile. “Of course. Do you think I could have gotten him to come if it wasn’t for our engagement party?” So that was it. Mr. Alistair, a titan of the design world, a man nearly impossible to meet. Richard had moved mountains, using his status as my “future son-in-law,” just to get the old master to make an appearance. The engagement party I had been so excited for, the one I had planned for months, was nothing more than a career launchpad for Miss Ava. Of course. Everyone knew Olivia Preston was a sweet, pliable pushover. A few comforting words and I’d swallow any humiliation. What was a little hurt feelings in the grand scheme of things? Richard patted Ava’s back. “I’ll take you over in a minute. With my introduction, I’m sure he’ll offer you some guidance.” They started to walk toward the center of the ballroom. “Richard.” I called his name. He turned back, the tenderness on his face not yet faded. When his eyes landed on me, it twisted into a flicker of impatience. “What is it now? You’re a grown woman, do you need me to help you up? Get up and change. Don’t just sit there on the floor, it’s pathetic.” Hearing his words, I slowly pushed myself up from the ground. Then, I raised my left hand and pulled the diamond ring off my finger. The ring he had designed himself, the one he had chosen just for me. I placed it back in the palm of his hand. “The engagement,” I said, my voice steady, “is over.”

2 Richard stared at me for a few seconds, a look of weary frustration on his face. “What’s gotten into you today? You’re not usually like this.” He casually slipped the ring into his pocket and reached out, as he had countless times before, to pinch my cheek. “Olivia, I know you’re the most understanding person in the world. Stop acting like a child.” He lowered his voice, trying to coax me. “All our guests are here. Don’t make this difficult for me. Ava is incredibly talented, you’ve seen her work. It’s brilliant. Our goal is to make her the next Catherine. This is my business, my future. Just support me in this, okay?” The next Catherine? By shredding a gown handmade for me by Catherine herself? That’s how she was going to start her “path to stardom”? I looked at his handsome, familiar face, and my heart turned to ice. He said it all so matter-of-factly. My humiliation, my pain, meant nothing to him. Or perhaps, on his scales of importance, my feelings had always been lighter than dust. I’d just never had a reason to weigh them before. I was trembling with rage, about to refuse, when Ava’s sharp, indignant voice cut in. “Hey! Princess!” She stepped up beside Richard, her chin held high. “I already apologized! What more do you want? You rich girls are the absolute worst! It’s just a dress. I’ll pay you back. Do you have to be so relentless and embarrass your fiancé in front of everyone?” I gave her a cold stare. “Three hundred thousand dollars. How do you plan on paying for that?” She sputtered, “That’s extortion! You get some kind of sick pleasure out of bullying a recent graduate with big dreams, don’t you? You’re so out of touch with reality.” After her tirade, Ava turned to Richard, her voice dripping with undisguised grievance and entitlement. “Richard! If I had known your fiancée was this impossible, I never would have taken the job! The line of people wanting to hire me could stretch from my school all the way to Paris! I feel so suffocated here!” Her small frame was swallowed by his large suit jacket, her thick, curly hair framing a face with eyes now red and brimming with defiant tears. Richard immediately began to soothe her. “Okay, okay, you’re right. I didn’t handle it well. Don’t be angry. Didn’t you say you wanted to try the signature Beef Wellington at that revolving restaurant? I’ll take you tonight to make it up to you, how about that?” As he spoke, he pulled out his phone, his thumb flying across the screen. A moment later, my own phone buzzed. A bank notification: an incoming transfer of $300,000. The memo read: “Gown Compensation.” Only after he had done all this did Richard look at me again, the last trace of warmth in his eyes completely gone. “The money’s been transferred. I paid for it. Are you satisfied now? You’ve made your scene, you should have blown off enough steam. Ava and I need to go say hello to Mr. Alistair. Don’t keep the guests waiting.” He lifted his hand, as if to put it on my shoulder, but paused mid-air and let it drop. His gaze then shifted back to Ava, his tone softening once more. “Let’s go.” Ava let out a small, triumphant huff from her nose, clutching the suit jacket tighter as she turned to leave with Richard. As she passed me, she deliberately bumped my shoulder. It wasn’t a light tap. Caught off guard in my high heels, I stumbled back a step before catching my balance. I clenched my fists, my nails digging so deep into my palms they felt like they might touch bone. The sharp pain was the only thing that kept me from screaming. I could hear Ava’s plaintive voice drifting back from the hallway. “Richard.” “Your fiancée is such a tyrant. Is it because she’s a rich heiress? I can handle her bullying me, but I’m worried she’ll treat you this way in the future.” Richard tilted his head, his voice low as he said something to her. I couldn’t make out the words, but I knew they were meant to reassure her, to take her side. Then, I saw Ava look up at him, her smile radiant and blinding. From the corner of her eye, she shot a look in my direction—a final, victorious glance. I slowly unclenched my fists. Fine. Just fine. I pulled my phone from my purse, my own expressionless face reflected on the dark screen. “Mr. Alistair.” “Olivia, my dear! How is your father? I was just about to leave for your engagement party. I was hoping to see him as well.” “Mr. Alistair, the engagement party has been… postponed. There’s been an incident.” I gripped the phone tighter. “And there’s something else. A small favor I’d like to ask.” “Oh? Go on.” “Tonight, Richard Bernstein will be introducing someone to you…”

3 Even Richard would have found it hard to believe. That I, Olivia Preston, would be so vindictive toward some up-and-coming ingenue. Mr. Alistair’s critique at the party that night utterly humiliated Ava. The story spread through our entire social circle like wildfire. “This is nothing but a pastiche of imitation. You can’t even articulate the theme of your own work.” “Your fundamentals are abysmal. A child making clothes for a doll shows better stitchwork than this.” “Are you deliberately trying to insult my intelligence?” These comments, embellished by the gossips in attendance, became the season’s hottest joke. Richard’s grand “star-making” project, along with several key deals he was about to close, evaporated overnight. He was in a panic. He knew I was behind it. I was waiting for him to come and confront me. But the next afternoon, he showed up at my door, holding a limited-edition gift box from a top-tier jewelry brand, a placating smile on his face. I stared at him coldly for a long moment. “Come in.” He placed the box on the coffee table and opened it. Inside lay a diamond necklace, glittering under the light. “I was wrong yesterday. I let you down. This is for you, to apologize.” I sat on the sofa, not even glancing at the necklace. I just looked at him. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, then sighed and sat down beside me. He tried to take my hand, but I pulled it away. He didn’t seem annoyed, just started talking. “Olivia, why do you have to go after a young girl like that? You could ruin her.” A scornful smile touched my lips. I asked him, point-blank, with no room for evasion. “This special attention you’re giving Ava… is it really just about admiring her talent? You graduated from Parsons, Richard. I don’t believe for a second you can’t see the truth.” His expression shifted. “Olivia, have you lost your trust in me? She’s seven years younger than me. I see her as a kid.” “Yesterday was a huge blow to Ava. She’s young, and talented people have their pride. I’m worried a fall like this will be too much for her to handle.” He watched my face, his voice growing more earnest. “So, I was thinking… could we borrow your family’s art gallery on the Riverside? I want to organize a solo exhibition for her as soon as possible. I’ll cover all the costs, for the venue, the setup, everything.” I finally looked up at him. The sunlight caught his face, still as handsome as the day I fell for him. But the Richard I loved would never defend someone else at my expense. And he certainly wouldn’t have such filthy thoughts about a ‘kid.’ “Richard, she ruined my engagement party. She publicly humiliated me and destroyed my gown. And now you’re asking me to use my family’s gallery, my family’s name, to host an exhibition for her? To prop her up?” The smile on his face faded. “Olivia, it was a misunderstanding. Ava apologized, and I compensated you. The important thing now is to solve the problem. Are you really going to stand by and watch a promising young talent be destroyed by rumors? That’s not good for the company, or for my career.” “Can’t you just be the bigger person and help me out this one time? We’re going to be family, sooner or later.” “Family?” I almost laughed out loud. Before I could speak, the living room door burst open. Ava stormed in. Her eyes were red and swollen, tear tracks staining her cheeks, her hair a mess. She didn’t even look at me, marching straight to Richard. “Richard! I’ve had enough!” “I’ve been winning awards my whole life! My professors called me a once-in-a-decade genius! I have never been so humiliated! Everyone is treating me like a joke! Do you have any idea what they’re saying about me behind my back?!” Richard stood up immediately, trying to calm her. “Ava, don’t get worked up, I’m trying to find a solution…” Ava violently shook off his hand, fresh tears rolling down her face. “What solution?! Richard, I’m telling you, even if you offer me a fortune, I don’t want to stay here anymore! You people make me sick!” She pointed a trembling finger at me, her eyes filled with venom, before turning back to him. “Don’t ever come looking for me again! I’m not good enough for you!” With that, she covered her face and ran out, sobbing, her retreat a picture of finality. “Ava!” Richard’s face contorted in panic. Without a second thought, he started to chase after her. “Richard.” I stopped him, my nails digging into my palms. He turned back. His face was a mask of urgency and impatience, his eyes holding a ferocity I had never seen before. My voice was quiet, even. This was his last chance. “If you walk out that door, we are really, truly over.” He stood there, staring at me for a few seconds, and then a cold, disappointed sneer twisted his lips. “You know what, Olivia? She has never once cried in front of me.” “Do you have any idea what a disgusting thing you’ve done?” “This exhibition is happening. Whether you agree to it or not.” He strode out after her. The living room fell silent. Slowly, I sank back into the sofa. I opened my hand. The pain in my palm seemed to spread, reaching all the way to my heart.

4 Ava’s fashion exhibition went ahead as scheduled. Because I allowed it. Richard, thinking he had won, ended our cold war and came to see me, even bringing Ava along. “Olivia, thank you for being so understanding. You’ll see, Ava is going to be a sensation. This will blow over all those earlier misunderstandings.” I sat in the large armchair in my study and gave them a detached glance. Understanding? I scoffed internally, my face remaining a placid mask. Ava presented a beautifully wrapped gift box to me with both hands. “Ms. Preston, I really want to thank you for generously lending us the gallery. This is a thank-you gift I designed especially for you. I hope you like it.” Inside the box was an exquisite gown. I looked at it, then lifted my eyes to meet Ava’s. “Miss Ava,” I said. “Since you designed this gown especially for me, you must have forgotten that I’m allergic to fiber blends. Are you careless, or did you choose this material on purpose?” The smile on Ava’s face froze. Richard frowned. “Ava was being thoughtful, designing a gown just for you. Why must you always assume the worst in people? An allergy? What a convenient excuse. You just have a prejudice against her!” Perhaps. A prejudice against stupidity and malice. I had worn the mask of a sweet, gentle woman for so long, they had actually started to believe I was the naive, easygoing heiress they could push around. I picked up the gown and, with a casual tug, ripped the fabric. The embellishments scattered across the floor. Then I tossed the ruined dress into the wastebasket in the corner. “I don’t need it,” I said. Ava’s eyes welled with tears. “You’re horrible!” Richard’s expression turned thunderous. But I never imagined he would actually raise a hand to me. I didn’t even see it coming. All I felt was a searing pain across my left cheek. My ears rang. The force of the slap sent me stumbling sideways. My cheek immediately began to swell. “Olivia! You’ve gone too far!” he roared. “The Prestons might have been rich and powerful once, but after your mother died and your father got sick, what’s left of your family?! Even if you were still that same heiress, you have no right to trample on someone’s kindness and dignity!” I wiped the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand and tasted blood. “Richard, tell me, who is bullying whom here?” He ignored me, his chest heaving with rage. “To teach you a lesson, our engagement is postponed. Indefinitely! Until you learn what respect and an apology are!” He didn’t look at me again, grabbing Ava’s arm. “Ava, let’s go. There’s no point talking to someone this unreasonable.” The stinging in my cheek was a constant throb. I stood motionless in the silent room long after they had gone. As darkness fell, my phone screen lit up in the dim room. A new message from an anonymous number. An encrypted video file. I opened it. The footage was blurry but clear enough. A hotel room, clothes strewn on the floor, two entangled figures. It was Richard. And Ava. I watched it to the end, then turned off the screen. People who aren’t worth loving, along with their pathetic little affairs, deserve to rot in the ground together. In the days that followed, Richard threw all his resources behind Ava’s debut show. Subway light boxes, jumbo screens in commercial districts, trending topics online… ads for “design genius Ava” and her “subversive, brilliant vision” were everywhere. Ava’s social media was a constant stream of bragging. On the day of the exhibition, the Riverside Arts District was buzzing. The entrance to Ava’s gallery was flanked by congratulatory flower arrangements. She and Richard stood proudly at the door, giving interviews. And right across the street, a gallery that had been closed for renovations for weeks was finally unveiled. I stood at the entrance of the building, a structure that dwarfed Ava’s gallery, and looked up at the large letters on the facade. A slow smile spread across my face. CATHERINE: RETROSPECTION & REBIRTH · WORLD TOUR PREMIERE