Chapter 17

Victoria's tone was so genuine and straightforward.

Diana was a bit surprised, her thin eyebrows arched slightly. She hadn't expected this seemingly gentle and fragile girl to have such courage. A mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips as she thought, 'This little girl really thinks she can take on the world. Fine, let's see what she's got.'

Then, with a nonchalant air, she spoke, "If you want to go down this path, I won't stop you. Follow me."

Victoria let out a sigh of relief, knowing she had cleared the first hurdle.

Diana gathered all the interns, crossing her arms and giving them a cold once-over. "I've brought you all here to get acquainted. You'll be interning together and competing for the only two permanent spots," she said, her voice icy and detached.

The interns stood at attention, anxiously waiting for the introductions to start.

Diana gave a slight nod, signaling the first person to begin.

A tall, striking girl stepped forward, lifting her chin confidently. "I'm Wendy Clark, a graduate of Rainbow Creative University. I've been painting since I was a kid, diving into traditional techniques and exploring new artistic expressions. I'm excited to learn more at Starry Studio Gallery."

Her intro got a few nods of admiration, and everyone looked at her with respect.

Next up was a calm, bespectacled young man. "Hey everyone, I'm Irvin Hays, a graduate of the University of Aesthetics Shine. I'm into modern art and have worked on several international projects with my mentor. If I get to stay at Starry Studio Gallery, I'll give it my all." His intro also earned some recognition and praise.

The interns took turns introducing themselves, most of them from top art schools, brimming with pride and confidence.

When it was Victoria's turn, she felt the scrutinizing eyes on her. Taking a deep breath, she introduced herself as calmly as she could, "Hi everyone, I'm Victoria Carter. I didn't graduate from a fancy art school, just high school, but I have a strong passion for painting. I'll work hard to learn and contribute here."

After her intro, the room fell silent for a moment before a few low chuckles broke the stillness. Someone whispered, "A high school grad interning here? Is this a joke?"

Another added, "Yeah, this is a professional gallery. What could she possibly know?"

The looks of disdain and the sneers from the people around her made Victoria's cheeks feel like they were on fire, while their judgments felt like needles stabbing her heart.

Diana's lips curled into a mocking smile.

"Alright, intros are done. From now on, everyone needs to give it their all. Anyone who falls short is out," she said before turning and leaving the interns to whisper among themselves.

Across the street from the gallery, a black Maybach was parked. William sat in the driver's seat, watching the distant Starry Studio Gallery through the rearview mirror.

"Mr. Scott, Ms. Carter is about to officially join this gallery. Are you really not going to stop her?" Harry asked.

William withdrew his gaze and looked at Harry in the passenger seat, speaking slowly, "No need, she won't get the job."

Harry asked again, "But what if she does get the job?"

"Does she think she can shake me off that easily? Not a chance," William sneered. "Get in touch with the head of the Simpson family. I have some business to discuss."

Harry was taken aback for a moment before he reacted, feeling a pang of worry for Victoria and shaking his head slightly.

Victoria and the other interns started their training.

During this process, the trainer scored the interns, and after the training, the five with the lowest scores were cut. Only those who made it through could start the actual internship. It was tough, but most people thought it was fair.

On the first day of training, they gathered in the conference room of Starry Studio Gallery.

Frank, an experienced and knowledgeable art appraisal expert, was the trainer. He kicked things off by introducing the history of Starry Studio Gallery, then shifted the focus to practical work training.

The hands-on training started with the layout of the exhibition hall.

Frank took the interns to the gallery's exhibition hall and explained in detail how to arrange the layout according to different artworks and exhibition themes.

"The layout of the exhibition hall should consider the style, color, and size of the works so that visitors can feel the artistic atmosphere the moment they enter," he said, showing them how it was done.

Victoria watched Frank's every move closely, silently noting the key points.

When it was the interns' turn to practice, Wendy confidently pointed to a spot slightly to the right in the middle and said, "This painting should go here to better highlight its colors."

Other interns chimed in with their opinions, but most weren't much different from Wendy's.

Frank then looked at Victoria, who had been quiet, and asked, "What do you think?"

Victoria pursed her lips and stepped forward. She looked around and then said to Frank, "I think this painting would also look good in that corner, creating a dialogue with the sculpture next to it."

Hearing this, Wendy glanced at Victoria with slight disdain and said, "What do you know? I studied professional exhibition layout in school. You're just a high school graduate, so don't make random suggestions."

Victoria's face turned slightly red, but she didn't back down and continued to insist on her point of view. "Although I don't have a professional background, I believe art is diverse, and different layouts can bring different effects."

Some interns sided with Wendy, while others thought Victoria's idea had some merit, and they began to argue.

Frank was quite surprised by Victoria, and her layout did have a unique beauty. However, he didn't speak up; he just listened carefully to the interns' debate.

After a while, he smiled and said, "It's good that everyone has their own ideas. We can try different layouts and see which one works best."

In the end, with everyone's efforts, the exhibition hall was arranged very well. The painting ended up being placed according to Wendy's suggestion, which was neither remarkable nor incorrect.

Victoria's opinion, however, went unnoticed.