At first, she was shocked, but later, Charlene couldn’t care less.

People swarmed toward Thome and his crew, creating a dense wall of bodies. Thorne and his companions were oblivious to Charlene’s presence among the sea of faces.

Charlene might have looked gentle and composed, but Stewart knew better. Beneath that calm exterior, Charlene was a force to be reckoned with, daring in thought and action.

At work, if something tickled her fancy, she’d throw herself into it full tilt, giving it her all, no matter if it was marketable or not. She believed you can’t know how good something is until you give it a whirl. ‘The same went for love. She loved Thome enough to bet her future on him, abandoning the chance for further education to commit to

family life.

However, having taken the plunge, despite the high price, Stewart never saw regret in Charlene’s eyes.

So, when Charlene said she was fine and ready to move on,

Stewart believed her.

He smiled. “Fancy a drink?”

Charlene returned the smile. “Sounds good.”

They went through the crowd to the refreshments area.

“Want something alcoholic?”

“Just a bit.”

Charlene wasn’t much of a drinker, but her tolerance was good. They clinked glasses and stood quietly to the side, savoring their drinks. Suddenly, someone approached them. “Stewart, you’re here too?”

“Professor Hancock.” Stewart welcomed the new arrival warmly. “I was about to look for you but couldn’t find you anywhere.”

Professor Hancock teased, “Really? Somehow, Lfind that hard to believe.”

“Cross my heart. It’s true. I’m here specifically to introduce someone to you.”

“Oh?” Professor

gaze

fell on Charlene, his surprise tinged with curiosity.

She was a striking and elegant young woman, but why introduce her to him? Had Stewart not been known for his integrity, Hancock might have suspected…

“Isn’t the language programming project you’ve been working on a bit of a bottleneck? And this is…” Stewart offered a genteel gesture toward Charlene. “Charlene Ross, my junior, a prodigy in language programming. I guarantee she can help you out.” “Your junior?”

Stewart’s mentor, Kenton Wagner, was a titan in the Al field, and his students, though young, were pillars in the tech community But the name Charlene was unfamiliar to him.

“Absolutely,” Stewart assured, smiling. “Charlene led the CUAP project eight years ago.”

Speaking of programming languages, few held as much prestige nationally as CUAP.

Professor Hancock was incredulous. “Seriously?”

“The truth will reveal itself once you’ve talked to her. I’m sure.”

Excited, Professor Hancock tentatively asked Charlene a few questions. As the conversation about his dilemma unfolded, his excitement grew, and their discussion became increasingly animated. Sipping his drink, Stewart smiled and watched from the sidelines, not wanting to interrupt.

Just then, Stewart looked up and saw Vesta approaching.

Vesta nodded with a polite smile upon making eye contact.

Aware of Vesta’s reputation, Stewart paused mid-motion. But before he could react, Vesta was already standing before him. “Mr. Ferguson.”