Chapter 63
Chapter 63
“Of course,” Stella agreed easily, nodding. If it was just a single piece and not an entire collection, it wouldn’t be a big deal- just a little extra work on top of her usual tasks.
“Got any ideas? We can bounce them off each other,” Jeremy suggested.
Stella was about to say she still needed to think, but then she caught sight of a massive LED screen outside the car window, showcasing a flashy promotional ad.
On the screen, a woman dressed in luxurious clothes, the fabric dotted with shining jewels.
On the side, a ticker read: “Rising star of the jewelry world, Sylvia Jansen, will present her latest creation, the Eclipsed Crown, at the jewelry exhibition in three days. Stay tuned for something spectacular.”
“Didn’t expect Lloyd Group to start promoting her so soon,” Jeremy commented, raising an eyebrow in surprise. “Do they really think Sylvia’s jewelry will be a hit?”
Early promotion did draw plenty of attention, but it was a double-edged sword; if Sylvia’s jewelry failed to impress, all that anticipation would instantly backfire and become a storm of criticism.
“With Ernest backing her, Sylvia’s got plenty of room to mess up and try again,” Stella said calmly.
Talking about Ernest didn’t really trigger anything in Stella anymore. Her tone stayed even and unbothered.
“True,” Jeremy agreed, giving a nod. Then, after thinking it over, he asked, “Want me to get our PR team to run some promo for you too?”
Lumière Group could easily manage the publicity, but Jeremy wasn’t interested in overhyping things.
He preferred seeing Stella take things step by step rather than relying on media attention. When the hype outpaced real skill, things were bound to crash.
At least until Stella was truly back at her peak, Jeremy would rather play it safe.
Stella felt exactly the same. “There’s no need. At the end of the day, it’s the designs that matter for any real designer. And my work-”
The moment Stella found out what kind of piece Sylvia was planning to show, she already had ideas forming in her mind, her eyes flashing with fighting spirit. “I’ve already set the theme and nailed the central concept.”
The next day, when the design team heard Stella was signing up to create another piece for the upcoming jewelry exhibition, everyone was floored.
“Wait, seriously?” someone muttered, shocked.
Almost everyone felt burnt out from the frantic collaboration on the Tear of Thorns main necklace the day before, and now Stella was taking on another demanding task.
The exhibition was only days away, and designing a top-tier piece in under three days felt nearly impossible.
Anyway, they knew they couldn’t do it. Most of them doubted they could even get a decent sketch done before the deadline.
“Boss,” someone ventured, “how about we take over the main necklace for the Tear of Thorns? That way, you can focus on the exhibition piece for the next three days.”
1/3
“No need,” Stella firmly
off, she worried they wouldn’t fully understand her vision. It was better to just handle it herself.
Seeing her determination, the team didn’t push it any further. Instead, they said, “Boss, if you need anything, just let us know. You’re our top priority right now.”
“Thanks,” Stella said politely.
Once they left, she was about to begin sketching when Jessica walked in. “Stella, what kind of jewelry are you planning to design?”
Stella eyed her suspiciously. ‘Who is Jessica trying to get information for? Sylvia?’ Stella thought immediately. But Jeremy had already looked into Jessica, and there was zero proof she had any ties to Sylvia.
And Noreen was very close to Jessica. Stella suspected that Noreen might also be participating in the jewelry exhibition.
Unfazed, Stella replied coolly, “I’m going to design a crown.”
Aside from the materials, metal composition, and design techniques, there was no need to hide anything. After it was made and displayed, everything would be revealed anyway.
“A crown?” Jessica hesitated for a moment but quickly regained her composure, smiling as she sat beside Stella. “What materials are you thinking of? Maybe I can help brainstorm.”
While talking, she couldn’t stop darting glances toward the blank sheet of paper sitting on Stella’s desk.
‘Ugh, I showed up too soon, Jessica thought, annoyed. ‘If I’d waited a bit longer until Stella finished her sketch, I could’ve just copied it straight up-no need for all this sneaky questioning.’
“No need,” Stella replied, pulling her sketch and papers away from Jessica.
“Don’t trust me?” Jessica pouted playfully. “I’m pretty good at this. I just want to help you.”
“Well, it’s not a challenge for me,” Stella said with easy confidence.
Jessica choked. Stella’s calmness had made her words falter.
After all, Stella had proven her skills by designing two flawless jewelry pieces in less than half a day and leading the team to create the Tear of Thorns, cementing her position as the boss of the design team.
No one even thought about competing for the lead designer position. They all trusted Stella completely. She really did command respect, even without the title.
An awkward silence stretched between them, and Jessica knew she had overstayed her welcome. But if she left now, she wouldn’t know how to report back to Noreen. She couldn’t just tell Noreen that Stella was designing a crown. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ.net
After a long pause, Jessica finally spoke. “You know, sometimes it helps to have more hands on deck. If you need help gathering gemstones, sourcing metals, or anything-just let me know.”
“Sure,” Stella nodded, listing a variety of materials as though placing an order.
Jessica’s eyes widened. “That’s a lot of stuff.”
“Of course,” Stella replied smoothly, unaffected. Although she didn’t need all the materials for the crown, they might come in handy for future projects. Since Jessica was practically begging to help, Stella decided to let her do the legwork.
“Well, I’m off then?” Jessica stammered, getting up slowly, hoping Stella would tell her she didn’t need anything.
But no luck. Stella didn’t so much as glance her way, already buried in her own work.
2/3
Jessica sighed. After countless trips back and forth, Jessica was exhausted, her legs feeling numb.
“Not too bad, really,” Stella said, grinning as she sat across from Jeremy in the company cafeteria. “Just my brain’s a little fried from all the thinking. I’ll be fine after I grab a couple of candies.”
“Sure, I’ll cover it,” Jeremy teased.
“Then I’m going for the fancy stuff,” Stella added, laughing.
“No problem,” Jeremy said, shrugging like it was nothing.
“Jeremy, you’re so generous,” Stella chimed, tossing him a playful wink.
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