Chapter 115 Openly Declaring War
"I've changed my mind."
Stefan suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
Cecilia pulled her thoughts back from the night view outside the window, turned her head, and waited calmly for him to continue.
"Having you just be a secretary, arranging schedules and answering phones—that's a waste of your talents." Stefan leaned back casually in his seat, radiating the ease of someone in control.
"Project manager, public relations, investment analyst, marketing strategist, designer. Pick one. I'll arrange for the best mentors in the industry to train you comprehensively until you can handle things on your own."
"Any of these interest you?"
Cecilia's heart was struck precisely by that last option.
She almost wondered if Stefan could read minds—somehow, he seemed to be on the same wavelength as her.
"I choose the fifth one."
Stefan nodded slightly, about to arrange the next steps, but was interrupted by what Cecilia said next.
"But I don't need training."
Stefan looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"I already know how to design." Cecilia met his gaze, her tone clear and firm. "I have the ability to build my own independent designer brand."
"What I need from Mr. Hensley is investment."
She wanted to shift from being an employee to being his business partner.
This shift in status was proposed by her in the most casual tone, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
Silence filled the car.
Through the rearview mirror, the driver watched the back seat, barely daring to breathe. After following Stefan for so many years, this was the first time he'd seen anyone dare to talk about "cooperation" with Stefan in this way.
After a long moment, Stefan suddenly laughed softly.
In that laugh, the earlier playfulness and calculation had faded, replaced by a kind of pure excitement at encountering something unexpected.
"Ms. Martinez, your ambition is even more interesting than your face." He leaned forward slightly, his businessman's pressure radiating quietly. "But business isn't done with words alone. I've checked your background—from childhood to now, no learning or work experience related to design whatsoever."
"How do you expect me to believe this isn't an impossible proposition?"
Cecilia didn't argue.
She simply asked back: "Does it matter whether Mr. Hensley believes me or not? You just need to give me a chance to prove myself."
"What kind of chance?" Stefan raised an eyebrow, then lifted his hand and tapped lightly on the partition between the driver's seat and the back seat.
"Turn around. Head to Whimsy Gallery in the western suburbs."
The driver paused for a moment but immediately turned the wheel at the next intersection.
Stefan leaned back in his seat again, looking at Cecilia with leisurely interest: "That's a private gallery I acquired six months ago. We're about to renovate it. Now, here's your chance."
Half an hour later, the luxury car stopped in front of a solitary old building.
The location was remote, surrounded by darkness, with only two dim emergency lights at the gallery entrance.
Stefan pushed open the car door and walked straight in.
Cecilia followed behind him. A heavy smell of dust and lime water hit her face. The gallery interior had been completely gutted, leaving only bare concrete walls and floors. Various construction materials and debris were piled in corners, and wires hung messily from the ceiling.
Stefan stood in the center of the empty hall, spread his arms wide, and gestured toward the chaos, making a "please" gesture to Cecilia.
"Ms. Martinez, this is your canvas."
"I want you to give me a complete renovation design plan right here, right now. From the concept and theme, to the spatial layout, to the lighting and flow."
"One hour."
He raised his wrist and glanced at the face of his expensive watch.
"Time starts now."
How demanding he was, how arrogant.
But for Cecilia, this was the first real chance she had to change her fate since coming back to life.
She stepped onto the cold concrete floor. Instead of rushing to find paper and pen, she quietly absorbed the feel of the space.
Wind blew in through the broken windows, carrying the coolness of night.
Cecilia walked to a corner and pulled out a construction drawing with a relatively clean back side from a pile of discarded papers. She found a discarded piece of charcoal in a toolbox.
Stefan stood not far away, watching her calmly.
He watched as she knelt on the ground in her black evening gown, using the most basic tools to sketch rapidly on that rough paper.
Her movements were so focused, so fluid, filled with a kind of amazing power.
As if she wasn't drawing a picture, but building a world.
An hour later, Cecilia stood up and handed the paper covered with sketches and notes to Stefan.
"My design theme is called 'Rebirth.'"
"I'll use industrial-style black steel frames to create a narrow, oppressive corridor at the entrance, symbolizing the constraints of existing困境. After passing through the corridor, the main hall will open up dramatically. The walls will be the purest white, and the floor will be polished terrazzo that can reflect the skylight. I'll open up the second-floor slab to create a huge atrium, letting natural light pour down directly from above."
"All the exhibits will be suspended in mid-air, requiring visitors to look up. This symbolizes the longing for freedom and light after breaking free from constraints."
"This isn't just a gallery—it's an art space that lets people experience renewal and rebirth."
Stefan took the crude drawing.
The lines drawn in charcoal were bold yet precise. The spatial divisions, lighting concepts, material applications—everything was clear and detailed, full of her remarkable imagination and mature business sense.
Especially that "Rebirth" theme—it was the perfect metaphor for the business war he was about to launch.
She had not only talent, but a spirit that matched his ambition.
All emotion disappeared from Stefan's face, replaced by extreme calm and seriousness.
"The brand is yours, the company is mine."
He looked at Cecilia and laid out his final terms.
"Profits split 60-40. You get 40, I get 60. I'll provide all the funding, channels, and legal support. You just need to handle the design."
Cecilia looked at him. This time, she didn't negotiate further.
"Deal."
Right in front of her, Stefan called his chief lawyer.
"Prepare a new investment agreement. Party A: the Hensley Group. Party B: Amelia Design Studio."
He hung up, then dialed another number.
"Notify PR. First thing tomorrow morning, send out a press release to all media outlets. The Hensley Group is officially entering the high-end design industry. The first project is the renovation of Whimsy Gallery."
This was undoubtedly his public declaration of war against the Chapman Group, which had been deeply established in the design industry for years.
Stefan put away his phone and looked at Cecilia one last time.
"Next Wednesday is the Starlight Design Awards, the most prestigious in the country. You'll attend with me as the chief designer of my new company."