Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Stella listened quietly as everyone voiced their opinions. She waited until the murmurs faded completely before she spoke. “Light and darkness, despair and salvation-aren’t those the most natural pair?”
Stella was never a selfish person. She would never let her personal experiences shape her jewelry designs or use them to vent her emotions.
The reason she chose thorns wasn’t random, she had given it a lot of thought.
“The world has never been kind to women. As the older sister, you’re expected to let your brother go first. As a wife, you’re meant to care for your husband. As a mother, you’re supposed to love your children above all else.
“No matter how many roles they play, they’re always told to be everyone but themselves.”.
Stella’s heartfelt words rippled quietly through the crowd, sinking deep into everyone present. The room grew hushed, with everyone listening closely, an indescribable heaviness filling their hearts.
“I created this design to show women everywhere that while beauty born of pain is stunning, it is the ability to redeem oneself in the face of despair that deserves true admiration.
“Thorns may be the pain that binds them, but I believe once they shed the last of their meaningless tears, they’ll break free from their past and be reborn from the darkness.”
Stella spoke calmly from start to finish. It was that gentle steadiness that touched everyone in the room the most.
Most of the designers in the room were women. Jewelry design, in particular, was predominantly a woman’s world, and the design department had more female members than male.
After hearing Stella’s words, many of them felt a fire ignite in their hearts. Even if they hadn’t personally gone through those hardships, they suddenly felt the urge to do something for the women who were suffering.
The few men in the room weren’t cracking jokes like some random guys online. Instead, they hung their heads, silence settling over them as they couldn’t help but think of their own moms.
Mothers were like superheroes-always working tirelessly, making sure the house was spotless, preparing meals, and creating a perfect home.
But there were many times when mothers would sit on the sofa, their bodies soaked with exhaustion. They worked tirelessly to manage the whole household, leaving them with sore backs and aching bodies.
Housework wasn’t as simple as it seemed. It wasn’t just about wiping down tables or cooking. Every corner of the house needed to be cleaned. After a whole day of chores, they were left completely exhausted.
The silence lasted until someone shouted, “Boss, I’m with you. We’ll follow your concept for the design.”
The others jumped in without hesitation. “Count me in too, Boss!”
“I’m the gem expert in the design department. Cameron used to have me handpick the gems for the jewelry. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll make sure to get them for you,” another chimed in confidently.
The room was filled with energy, with everyone eager and motivated. Even employees from other departments passing by couldn’t help but peek inside, murmuring in surprise, “What’s going on in there? They’ve never had this kind of energy before.”
“Perfect,” Stella said with a satisfied smile and a nod. “Seeing everyone so motivated puts my mind at ease. Next, I’ll brief you on the style and elements. Just follow my vision when designing.”
After a brief pause, she continued, “I want the style to be Gothic dark romance, with elements drawn from Victorian classical
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elegance. Dark romance and classical elegance mirror despair and redemption.”
Everyone nodded and quickly took notes.
Stella went on, “Each piece should feel like it stepped out of an ancient fairy tale-irresistible yet hiding a deadly danger.
“I’ll design the main necklace myself. As for the rings, bracelets, and other pieces, that’s all on you. Of course, if you have any better ideas, speak up. This is a team effort, and I’m not a dictator.”
The team laughed awkwardly, unsure who had started this power move. If no one had jumped in and called her “Boss” so fast, they’d probably be sitting down with Jeremy right now instead.
“Alright, let’s get to work,” Stella said, clapping her hands.
Some headed back to their desks to brainstorm designs, others went to the storeroom to submit requests for gemstones, and a few small groups quickly formed, launching into lively discussions.
Everyone was caught up in the action-the whole design department was absolutely buzzing.
Somehow, word of what was happening here spread throughout the company, and the initial gossip about Stella was replaced with admiration. She was now seen as the “female leader of Lumière Group,” and her name was followed by praise.
As Stella’s words spread, some people paused to reflect, thinking of their own mothers, while others scoffed, believing it was simply expected.
The world was like that-everything had its two sides, just like despair and redemption.
“Now I know why they’ve been looking at me strangely. I had no idea it was because of this,” Stella said.
She found out about all this during lunch break, when she was out with Jeremy grabbing a bite to eat.
Jeremy, sitting across from her, had a sly grin on his face.”Ms. Spencer, who would’ve thought your hidden identity would come back to you in such a different way?”
Stella thought for a moment and realized he was right. She was Lumière Group’s largest shareholder-essentially, the one leading everyone into the future.
“Stella, my dear.” The sleazy voice of a man instantly ruined her mood.
She turned to see a man in a dark blue suit standing not far away. His face, eerily similar to hers, stretched into that fake smile she had come to despise.
It disgusted her deeply. Just the thought of it made her stomach turn, and her teeth clenched in anger.
She could brush off Ernest’s indifference and Irene’s disdain-those were her choices, and she had the guts to own up to them, even if they were mistakes.
But when she faced the man who once called himself her father, all her years of hardening herself collapsed. All that was left was a wave of overwhelming, seething hatred.
Even now, Stella couldn’t forget the look on her mother’s face that day. The rightful source is.net
The woman, always so graceful and composed, had snapped. She had fought desperately, screaming in agony as if something inside her had broken.
“Why? We have a daughter! Even if you don’t care about me, can’t you at least think of your daughter, Stella? How could you treat us so cruelly?” her mother shouted.
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