Chapter 82
Derrick couldn’t help but take a few more glances at Selina. Gone from his eyes were the earlier impatience and disdain. The tone of her words was not arrogant but stemmed from a deep confidence in her abilities, the kind necessary to boldly claim the top spot.
Derrick had encountered many such geniuses. It was easy to tell if it was an act.
“Of course!” After arranging Selina’s affairs in Brilliance, Andrew went back to report to Trevon
Derrick assigned Selina a work position. As soon as Selina sat down, she spoke up, “There are only six days left, Derrick. If there’s a way to prove my skills, spill it. I don’t want to waste any time.
“Brilliance, though only five years old, is quite renowned, with plenty of cases at our disposal. Just log in to your computer with the temporary badge number I gave you. You’ll have access to the backend where you can see all the cases and their difficulty ratings. Since you’re so confident, naturally, you’ll choose the most challenging ones, right?”
With those words, Derrick left, muttering under his breath, “Young people these days are so brash. Only twenty–one and already so bold and presumptuous. What was Mr. Brady thinking about sending me someone like this…
Shrugging off the comment, Selina wasn’t in a rush to argue, and the results would be the best slap in the face. She quickly keyed in her badge number and flipped through the cases. A particular one marked SSS–rated caught her eye.
Client: Cartier
Task: Design Summer Starlight Limited Edition
Style: No specific requirement
Selina was stunned. She hadn’t expected to encounter a case from Cartier here. Reflecting on her last contact with Cartier’s regional manager in Clusia, she considered this some kind of compensation.
Without hesitation, Selina took on the case.
The backend system made it clear who had taken up which cases, and everyone saw Selina pick up this SSS–rated case. It made them even more wary of her.
Cartier was a globally renowned brand, and even after the rapid development of Brilliance following its establishment a new company like theirs couldn’t compare to the giants with centuries of history and legendary jewelry designers,
The SSS rating was due to this being the first collaboration between Cartier and Brilliance. Subsequent collaborations might be more lenient, taking into account subjective factors, but the first time dealing with a major name like Cartier, they’d be extremely stringent, not being lenient because of Trevon’s involvement.
In fact, Derrick, the lead designer, was supposed to hand–pick a team to tackle this challenge. Yet here was Selina, new to the design department in Brilliance, having yet to find close allies, daring to take on Cartier’s Summer Starlight design alone. Was it confidence or ignorance!
Christina also noticed Selina took on a difficult case. With disdain, she thought Selina merely sought to show off to Trevon. Taking on a Cartier case without measuring the risks, if Selina falled, it would be a laughingstock.
But this gave Christina an excuse to cozy up to Selina, spotting an opportunity to get on her good side. Approaching Selina, Christina feigned concern, “Selina, you’ve taken on the Cartier case? That’s so impressive! I knew you had the skills! But tackling it alone could be tough. Why don’t I pull in a couple of other designers, and we can brainstorm some ideas and designs together?”
It was quite a shock to everyone when Christina started sucking up to Selina. Despite being new to Brilliance, Christina’s flamboyant personality and familial connection with Trevon’s mother’s side were well–known. With this pedigree and her
1/2
11:02 Fri, Aug 23
Chapter 82
design talent, Christinawas known for being arrogant. Some resented her; others admired her.
Christina offered to extend a hand to Selina… Just who was Selina?
Without glancing up, Selina replied, “No need. I can manage on my own. Also… your perfume is quite strong. It’s affecting my breathing”
Christina felt a sense of embarrassment.
Christina, having her friendly gesture met with cold disdain and in full view of the office, was filled with a desire to throttle Selina but managed to reply stiffly with an “Oh before slinking back to her desk.
The designer sitting next to Christina leaned over, whispering, “Christina, what’s the deal with this Selina? Andrew brought her over. Personally, Mr. Brady has backed her. This is unheard of”
“I don’t know!” Christina snapped back irately, causing the inquisitive colleague to back off.
After all, everyone was fiercely competing for a spot in the big league, and with time against them, they couldn’t afford distractions. And while Selina carried herself with an air of confidence that made it hard to disregard her presence, some had already tried digging into her background, but all to no avail.
As Derrick approached to check on Selina’s progress, he found her engrossed in her phone.
Clearing his throat, he attempted to offer some advice. “I’m not sure about your capabilities, but since you’ve taken on this case, you must have your reasons, Cartier is an international powerhouse, and this is their first time partnering with Brilliance. I’ve heard their liaisons can be quite a handful. You might want to consider getting a couple of designers to back you up.
Thanks for your concern, Derrick, but I’ve already got the Cartier Summer Starlight Limited Edition concept in the bag. I’m planning to meet with them and submit my proposal in a couple of days.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Mystery Bride's Revenge (Selina)