Chapter 22

Victoria lay in bed for what felt like forever, still shaken up. She couldn't believe she had actually slapped that jerk William, and he didn't even hit back. It felt pretty good, like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, making her feel a lot more relaxed.

She glanced at the clock and realized she was almost late for work. She quickly washed up, changed clothes, and headed to Starry Studio Gallery.

The interns' training had one more week to go. At the end of the week, there'd be an exam, and combined with their usual performance scores, the five lowest-scoring interns would be cut.

The training schedule was jam-packed, with everything from deep dives into art history to intense client communication training and hands-on art appreciation exercises. Every bit of it was important.

Unlike the other interns, Victoria wasn't feeling too confident. She was on edge and threw herself into studying like her life depended on it. She took detailed notes, used every spare moment to memorize, and even reviewed her notes while eating, which got her some teasing from the other interns.

"Victoria, you're working so hard. Do you really think a top gallery like Starry Studio Gallery would keep a high school grad like you?"

"Yeah, you're probably wasting your time!"

"We learned all this stuff in college. Don't you think it's a bit late to start cramming now?"

But Victoria ignored them and kept her head down, writing.

Wendy, who admired Victoria's determination, couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up. "Don't underestimate people. Where there's a will, there's a way. I believe Victoria can do it."

Wendy came from a well-off background, so people like Lyra Cole, who mocked Victoria, didn't dare argue with her.

Victoria heard Wendy defending her and looked up, giving her a grateful smile. Wendy responded with a thumbs-up, showing her support.

During the practical training in client communication skills, a high-profile client showed up. He was dressed to the nines, wore gold-rimmed glasses, and had his hair perfectly styled. He looked like someone who could drop serious cash on art.

Lyra, brimming with confidence, was the first to greet him.

She warmly welcomed him, "Hello, welcome to our gallery."

But the client just glanced at her and said, "Why do all these paintings look so mediocre?"

Lyra quickly pointed to a brightly colored oil painting, "This piece is by one of our gallery's popular artists. The brushwork is delicate, and the colors are harmonious. Look how vivid the scene is."

The client frowned and said, "Too flashy, tacky!"

Lyra then suggested a simple sketch, but the client dismissed it as "Too plain!"

She tried everything to please the client, but he wasn't having it. In the end, she had to give up, frustrated. Other interns stepped up to try, including the highly regarded Wendy and Irvin.

But whether they talked about art history or the works' collection value, they couldn't impress the picky client. Everyone looked dejected and confused.

Just when everyone was at a loss, Victoria took a deep breath and gathered the courage to approach the client. She smiled and said, "Hey there, looks like you have pretty high standards for art."

The client glanced at her but didn't say anything.

Victoria didn't back down. "Art is super subjective. Everyone sees beauty differently. When do you plan to enjoy the painting?"

The client seemed a bit surprised by her question. After a moment, he said, "I want something I can enjoy in my downtime."

Victoria immediately thought of a landscape painting tucked away in the corner of the gallery. She led him over and softly introduced it, "Check this out. The artist uses delicate brushstrokes and a unique composition to create these serene, beautiful landscapes. The subtle tones give off a sense of tranquility and depth. I think this might be what you're looking for."

The client examined the painting closely, showing a hint of interest. But he didn't decide right away. Instead, he asked, "Who's the artist? What are his works like? Is the price reasonable?"

Victoria patiently answered all his questions. She talked about the artist's background and style and explained how the price was determined. Her answers were professional and sincere, without any fluff, making them easy to listen to.

After hearing her out, the client finally nodded and said, "Alright, I'll take it."

"Thank you so much!" Victoria was thrilled and quickly took the painting down to pack it carefully.

The painting was priced at over thirty thousand dollars, but the client paid without hesitation and even mentioned he'd be back if he needed more art.

Victoria thanked him sincerely. The other interns were green with envy and secretly cursed her luck. Only Wendy was genuinely happy for her.

Diana and Frank had been watching everything.

Finally, Friday rolled around, and it was time for the final assessment.

The test covered a bunch of topics, including art history, gallery management, and customer service. Victoria had reviewed everything meticulously and was extra careful while answering.

After the assessment, all the interns anxiously waited for the results, nervously seated in the packed gallery conference room.

Frank and Diana stood at the front, ready to announce the scores.

When Frank read out each person's score, the room was filled with anticipation and anxiety. As the scores were announced, some were happy, and some were disappointed. Those with higher scores smiled with relief, while those with lower scores looked dejected.

"Victoria, fifth place," Frank announced clearly. When her score was announced, there was a small commotion in the room.

Victoria was overjoyed to have secured her place with a fifth-place finish. But then, Irvin stood up. As a top graduate from the University of Aesthetics Shine, he was filled with resentment and anger after being eliminated in the first round.

"I question the fairness of this assessment! How can a high school graduate like Victoria score higher than me? There must be a mistake," he exclaimed, glaring at Victoria with a fierce look and gritted teeth.