Chapter 19
And Aurora needed a platform to showcase her talent.
We were a perfect match.
"I'll invest in you," I looked at her, speaking each word clearly and deliberately.
Aurora froze. She blinked, thinking she'd misheard. "What did you say?"
"I said, I'm investing in your studio." I closed her portfolio and pushed it back toward her, my eyes showing unprecedented seriousness and certainty. "I'm not just giving you money—I'm giving you a platform, one that will let all of Emerald City, even the whole world, see your designs."
I briefly explained to her the mess Preston had dumped on me, and the new media platform plan Benjamin and I had worked out.
"...My platform needs an exclusive, stylish original brand to elevate its positioning and attract the first batch of high-quality seed users, and your designs need a precise channel for exposure and monetization." I met her with shocked, wide eyes, my lips curving slightly. "Aurora, we're not just building a simple studio—we're creating a brand new designer brand. We can use the platform for pre-launch buzz, live streaming, sales, and building your own fan community. You'll be responsible for amazing the world with your talent, and I'll make sure you have nothing to worry about."
Aurora was completely stunned. Her mouth hung open, unable to speak for a long moment.
After a while, she suddenly lunged forward and gave me a big hug, her voice carrying a barely noticeable catch. "Ophelia, you're like my fairy godmother!"
I smiled and patted her back. "So, my partner, deal?"
Aurora released me and nodded vigorously. She picked up her glass, her eyes sparkling with the light of dreams and ambition—a light brighter than all the night market's lights combined.
"Deal!" She raised her glass high and clinked it against mine with a crisp sound. "Here's to us, and to all those jerks who looked down on us! Just wait—we're going to fight our way through and blind them with our success!"
I smiled and drained my beer in one gulp.
Just wait.
Michael, Preston, Marlowe, everyone who ever trampled on me.
This show was just beginning.
When Aurora and I parted ways, the street noise had gradually faded.
She got in a taxi and rolled down the window, waving vigorously at me. Her flaxen curls flew in the night breeze, her eyes bright as burning stars.
"Wait for my good news!"
I stood by the roadside, watching that vibrant red figure disappear around the corner. The thin ice in my heart seemed to melt a little in the warmth of this friendship.
"Ms. White, shall we head back?" Chase's voice came from behind me, pulling me back from this brief moment of warmth to reality.
I nodded and got back into the Bentley that completely separated me from ordinary life.
The world outside the car window became blurred and distant again, but my mind was clearer than ever.
Benjamin had given me the strategy, and Aurora had given me the best weapon to turn that strategy into reality.
The next day, without waiting for Preston to speak, I took the brand new proposal I'd rushed to finish overnight and knocked on his study door.
Preston leaned back in his wide leather chair and took the thin plan, his face showing obvious contempt.
In his view, I was just struggling in vain.
But as he flipped through page by page, a look of undeniable surprise crossed his face.
"A paid, high-quality content platform centered on elite social circles?" He looked up, his sharp gaze falling on me again, as if evaluating a long-forgotten collectible. "Using an exclusive original designer brand as the entry point to attract the first batch of high-net-worth users?"
The business logic of this proposal was clear and highly forward-thinking, completely beyond his perception of me.
"I've already found the designer," I met his gaze, my tone calm. "As for funding, I can figure that out myself, too."
Preston fell silent.
He knew all too well what it would mean if this proposal succeeded.
It wasn't just about reviving a subsidiary—it was about opening up an entirely new, incredibly profitable track for the entire White Group.
"The proposal is good." He closed the plan and leaned back, regaining control. "You want to return to the White Group and prove yourself. I'm giving you this chance."
He paused, then laid out his conditions, his tone cold and non-negotiable. "But you'll start from the bottom. At StoryArc Media, you're not the White family's daughter—you're just an ordinary employee."
I sneered inwardly. This was his test, and his humiliation.
He wanted to see if I would still grovel for a bit of his approval like I used to.
"Fine." I agreed readily, without hesitation.
My quick acceptance made a surprise flash in his eyes.
He probably expected me to negotiate, to feel wronged, to be unwilling.
Too bad. Now, all I wanted was a stage where I could show what I was capable of. As for the mud and thorns along the way, I didn't care at all.
Early the next morning, I said goodbye to Chase and drove myself to StoryArc Media's somewhat shabby office building.
According to the HR email, I'd been assigned to the Marketing Operations Department Two.
As soon as I stepped through the department's glass door, a stifling, oppressive atmosphere hit me.
The office had a few people scattered around—some idly browsing shopping sites, others whispering, with none of the energy an internet company should have.
"You're the new employee?" A voice came from the director's office.
I looked toward the sound and saw Amelia leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, looking completely at ease.
I understood immediately.
This was Preston's real "surprise" for me.
Making me start from the bottom, and putting me under his most beloved youngest daughter to be tormented at will.
"Reporting for duty," I said expressionlessly, handing over my onboarding documents.
Amelia took the documents and flipped through them casually, then clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.
"Everyone, pause what you're doing," she raised her chin, her voice sweet and loud. "Let me introduce a new colleague."
All eyes focused on me, filled with curiosity and scrutiny.
"This is Luna," Amelia linked her arm through mine intimately, putting on a good show while her words carried hidden barbs. "Although she's new and doesn't know much about our industry, she's a very quick learner."
The office instantly went quiet, and then those probing looks turned into glances mixed with contempt and distance.
"Welcome, welcome."
"Luna, right? Looking forward to working with you."