Chapter 245

I didn’t know what else to say. ‘Wow. That’s... a lot. Thanks, Mr Marchetti.’ ‘Fabrizio. And I should be the one thanking you. Since you’ll be carrying the line, I think it’s only fair you profit from it, beyond just a salary. Hence the joint venture proposal. Have you given it any thought?’ ‘I have. Still undecided. You know I already have my studio in Skyline.’ ‘I do. But there’s no law saying a designer can only run one. If it’s the workload you’re worried about, I’ll handle the admin, payroll, HR, the dull stuff. You focus on the design. We can keep it small to start. Say, ten million seed capital. That’s five million euros for a fifty per cent stake. With the sales you’re pulling in from your current studio, it’s hardly a gamble.’ Before I could respond, a loud, deliberate click came from Jean-Baptiste’s corner. ‘They’re really staking everything on some nobody? That’s desperate.’ He wasn’t whispering. Everyone heard. The presenter carried on regardless, switching to slides of my