A Boutique Boss Yanked Open an Old Watchmaker’s Binder—Then His Curator Read: “PATENT HOLDER”

When arrogant new Boutique Director Derek Mercer storms over to the quiet corner workbench of Lorian Chronometer Gallery in Boston, he slaps down a closure notice and orders 64-year-old master watchmaker Thomas Lorian to pack his tools by Friday. When Thomas refuses to abandon the bench he has tended for thirty-five years, Derek yanks open the brass clasp of Thomas's worn brown leather drafting binder—until junior curator Elena Santos reads the bold gold-stamped letters inside: "PATENT HOLDER." Dismissed on the spot and stripped of her gallery nameplate pin simply for urging Derek to check the founding vault records, Elena stands beside Thomas as Derek's reckless ambition threatens both the jammed Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Tourbillon prototype and the integrity of every timepiece bearing the Lorian name. Together with patent attorney Diana Prescott and returning co-founder Conrad Mercer, they prepare for Friday morning's showcase—where Covenant Nine is about to turn the tables. Would you risk your job to defend an elderly craftsman's life's work against an arrogant executive, or stay quiet to protect your career? Share your thoughts in the comments and subscribe for more original cinematic dramas. This is an original work of fiction. Characters and events are fictional. #UndercoverFounder #WorkplaceDrama #ShortFilm