Chapter 28 The Billionaire CEO's Blunder
At first, Fiorello didn't quite catch on, looking at the mask with a confused expression as Maggie handed it to him.
Maggie said helplessly, "You're just so attractive, it scares the girls away. How am I supposed to do business like this?"
Realizing her words might have sounded harsh and not wanting him to misunderstand, she quickly added, "I'm not blaming you. It's just that the more beautiful things are, the more people tend to look up to them and not dare to desecrate them. Having such a handsome husband, if other girls set their eyes on you, that would be a loss for me."
It was the first time Maggie had called him "husband" in front of anyone apart from necessary introductions.
Fiorello felt an inexplicable sense of joy deep down and put on the mask, saying simply, "Alright."
Maggie smiled in satisfaction, then turned to a passerby with a warm smile, "Young lady, take a look! Each of these pieces of jewelry is unique, handmade by me..."
"Miss, I also take custom orders. Whatever you need, we can make it happen—all handcrafted..."
Maggie had a way with words and a sweet demeanor that quickly drew a crowd of young women.
Every piece of jewelry Maggie created was exquisite and unique, available in a variety of styles.
Whether it was earrings, hair clips, or rings, each item was beautiful.
To promote her products, Maggie wore some of her own creations in her hair and on her hands. With her striking black hair and fair, snow-white skin, the jewelry only served to make her more attractive, drawing even more customers.
Young women have a penchant for these special pieces, and Maggie's prices were reasonable, with items starting at thirty dollars. The more intricate designs would go for fifty.
Maggie usually spent at least an hour on the simplest piece of jewelry, with the more complex ones taking half a day.
Her focus was on handcrafted quality, and given the impressive designs, the college girls who were her main customers had no qualms about spending money on her wares.
Fiorello watched from the sidelines, calculating Maggie's costs in his head. The materials for the jewelry weren't costly, but they were time-consuming to craft.
Maggie could hope to earn about two hundred dollars if she sold around a dozen pieces of her handcrafted jewelry. It could take her a whole day, or even two, to complete these pieces. This meant that the profit margins were quite slim.
After a group of customers made their purchases and left, Fiorello suggested, "Maggie, with your design talent, you could easily apply to be a jewelry designer. You love designing, but if you rely solely on handcrafting by yourself, the efficiency is very low."
"I've thought about it," Maggie confessed, pursing her lips, "but those big companies, they all want degrees. A degree is like a ticket into those places, and I don't even have a college diploma. I'm just good at designing, with no job experience or awards, and without a standout portfolio, those companies won't even consider me."
Maggie gazed longingly at a billboard across the street, "My biggest dream is to become an outstanding jewelry designer like her."
Fiorello followed her gaze to the advertisement showcasing the renowned designer Selena from the Visionary Futures Group's jewelry brand.
"You're more talented than she is," Fiorello said.
Maggie chuckled, "But she is the benchmark for jewelry designers. She's got her training in France and won many awards there. Plus, she's the face of the Visionary Futures Group's jewelry brand. Speaking of which, you're at the same company. Have you ever met her?"
"I haven't," Fiorello admitted truthfully. As the CEO of his company, he didn't have the time to meet with a designer. Besides, the jewelry brand was just one of the many ventures under the Visionary Futures Group, a side business he had developed.
"It figures," Maggie replied with a slight disappointment. "You're in tech, and she's into jewelry design. Probably no overlap."
"There's an opportunity at the Visionary Futures Group's jewelry branch. They're on the lookout for new designers. Why don't you give it a shot?" Fiorello suggested.
Maggie opened her mouth to respond, but Fiorello cut in, "How will you know if you don't try? Visionary Futures Group is looking for genuine talent, not just someone with a degree."
With a bit of encouragement from Fiorello, Maggie felt a surge of courage.
"Is Visionary Futures Group really hiring new designers? I thought they don't hire from outside?" she asked.
Fiorello, keeping a straight face while bending the truth, said, "I've got inside information that they'll be recruiting externally this year."
That wasn't entirely a lie. Whether they were hiring or not was essentially up to Fiorello.
Maggie trusted him completely. "Right, you work at Visionary Futures Group, so it's normal for you to know a thing or two."
She wondered if Fiorello's encouragement was his way of wanting her to work alongside him at the company so they could progress together.
For now, her livelihood depended on running her modest street stall, but she couldn't do that forever. Her individual capacity was limited and efficiency low. She had a passion for design and hoped to see more people wearing the jewelry she created.
As husband and wife, Fiorello was a corporate professional, and they should be moving forward, striving together. She didn't want to hold him back.
She knew that if they weren't on the same wavelength, and if the gap between them widened, problems would inevitably arise.
"Yeah, I'll give it a shot," Maggie said, then asked, "Speaking of, are you hungry? I'll get us something to eat."
Neither had dinner yet, and Fiorello was indeed hungry.
"Sure," Fiorello replied. "I'll go. What do you feel like eating?"
He was aware of the effort she put into earning money and hated the thought of her spending it.
"I should go. You're not familiar with this area," Maggie said, getting to her feet. "This food street has a lot of great options. There’s one thing, especially tasty, you've definitely never tried. Watch the stall for a minute. I'll be right back."
Left to man the stall, Fiorello watched Maggie head off.
After she left, Christopher from the neighboring stall came over with a pack of cigarettes. “Buddy, want one?”
Fiorello had never tried those particular cheap cigarettes but accepted one, not wanting to decline the gesture. "Thanks."
Christopher took a seat on a folding chair and said, "Bro, you've got good fortune. Maggie is a good catch – hardworking, thrifty, beautiful, and kind-hearted."
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