Chapter 67

Stella Valentine's words sent the conference room into an uproar.

"Hand-drawn sketches in this day and age? Does she even know how to use a computer?"

"Fifteen minutes? She must be joking."

"She's just here for attention!"

Amid the waves of ridicule, only the manager maintained courtesy. "Miss Valentine, are you certain you can finish in fifteen minutes?"

"I'm not."

The manager's expression darkened.

"But I never speak of uncertainties." Stella met his gaze steadily. "Give me a chance. The worst outcome is public humiliation."

The manager hesitated, glancing at Victor Valence.

Victor's long fingers tapped the table, his lips curling into a cold smirk. "Ten minutes. Including memorizing the data. Dare to try?"

"I dare."

Quentin Roland hastily handed her paper, pens, and the measurement chart.

Stella walked to the wall, pressing the sketchboard against it. Her eyes scanned the dense data rapidly before closing the file after three minutes.

"Compass."

"T-square."

"Triangle ruler..." Quentin faltered. "We don't have that one."

Laughter rippled through the room.

Stella ignored them. She raised her pencil, squinting as she measured angles by sight, marking a perfect 45-degree line.

"She's eyeballing it? Insane!"

"No way that's accurate!"

Victor's gaze sharpened. He watched as her pencil and eraser conjured three-dimensional shadows, the obsidian gemstone springing to life on paper.

"One minute left."

Her strokes became a blur—necklace, earrings, brooch, ring, finishing with a pair of ear cuffs.

"Time's up."

Silence swallowed the room.

Quentin leaned in, speechless.

"Measurements match." Victor's voice cut through the stillness. "Margin of error is negligible."

Stella began explaining her design philosophy. She replaced the gemstone with obsidian, used tassels to lighten the weight—every modification aligned flawlessly with the client's needs.

By the end, only her cool, measured voice remained.

Victor stood. "Go to HR."

"Monthly salary of $20K, plus 20% project bonuses."

Stella's pupils contracted slightly.

"The client arrives this afternoon. Close the deal, and you'll earn $50K." He turned away with a final remark. "Master the design software in three days, or you're out."

The crowd surged forward to examine the sketch.

"This level of skill..."

"Even my mentor couldn't..."

As Quentin prepared to escort her to HR, Stella's throat suddenly burned.

A splatter of crimson stained the pristine floor.