جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 380

Couldn't Joey read the room?Luke had already shown a strong aversion to her at the hotel entrance. Her continued attempts to warm up to him were just asking for trouble.In those CEO romance novels I used to read, the seductive female lead would privately sweet-talk the male lead when he was angry. If all else failed, she'd push him down and sleep with him, instantly thawing their relationship.Or she'd act pitiful, waiting somewhere, gazing at the male lead with puppy eyes until he softened and approached her.With Luke being so tight-lipped and Joey so inflexible, if they managed to end up together, Cupid's red thread would have to be as strong as steel wire.Seeing Luke's sour expression, Joey came to my side. "Are you heading back to Johnsonville right after the conference? Besides attending the AI conference, I'm also here to interview Professor Mannings."At the mention of Professor Mannings, my eyes lit up. I was about to speak, but catching sight of Luke's cold face, I q

I was furious. After they left, I left the stall and returned to my seat, my face filled with anger."Are you feeling unwell?" Luke asked in a low voice, noticing my return. "Do you need to go back and rest?""I'm not unwell, I'm just..." I almost blurted out everything Joey had done, but remembering she was Luke's ideal, I paused and said, "I just ran into Ms. Jefferson from the interest class in the restroom. She was telling someone that we're con artists here to scam people at the conference. From her tone, she seems to have a deep misunderstanding about us. When the conference ends and we try to connect with people on our list, she might jump out and label us as 'frauds!'""Did she insult you?" Luke's expression darkened further."She didn't know I overheard her conversation. If this blows up, it'll be hard to smooth over."Though today's AI conference wasn't large, dozens of media outlets were present. Any disturbance would be quickly reported.With today's fast-paced intern

The old man and Professor Killiney must be close friends for him to speak so candidly."Professor Killiney's golden retriever has a beautiful, glossy coat. It's well cared for," I said.The golden retriever was quite plump. If it weren't for its large, imposing size, I would have been tempted to pet it."'Professor Killiney' sounds too formal. Call him Grandpa Patrick!" the old man suggested.The old man's friendly demeanor contrasted sharply with Professor Killiney's stern, dignified expression. I observed Killiney's face carefully, then just smiled at the old man without speaking.The old man glared at Killiney. "A smile makes you look ten years younger. Stop frowning all the time. You'll scare the young lady!"Professor Killiney didn't respond.The old man's face broke into a pleading smile. He lowered his voice slightly, "Give me some face in front of the young lady.""Your face isn't as important as her trying to get me to take on a student.""Taking on a student is good!

I turned back, my face beaming at the old man."You have the most beautiful smile," the old man complimented me. He then glanced at Luke and commented, "He must be your boyfriend. You make a handsome couple!""Oh no, sir, you've misunderstood! He's actually my boss!" How could I ever compare to someone like Luke? The old man was giving me too much credit! Suddenly, I realized that I hadn't even introduced Luke to them yet. "This is Luke from JL Capital," I quickly added, emphasizing his success as a partner and Johnsonville's famous bachelor.I stopped mid-sentence, remembering Professor Killiney's disdain for businessmen."He's Luke Walker, a partner at JL Capital," Professor Killiney interrupted calmly. "He's been in the news lately because Hanque's new car model, based on Jon's design concepts, has been selling well."Luke chimed in, "Jon has many more meaningful design ideas, like using AI for facial recognition. If we can continuously improve and promote this project, it coul

"She'll be here soon," I said, reassuring Annette that Penelope would keep her promise.Just as I spoke, Penelope arrived at the door."Penelope! Annette!" Penelope greeted us with a cheerful smile. Upon seeing Luke standing beside me, she quickly bowed and said, "Hello, Mr. Walker."Luke nodded in acknowledgement.Penelope then turned her attention to the elderly man and Professor Killiney. I introduced them, saying, "This is my cousin, Penelope. This is Professor Killiney, and..."In the midst of introductions, I suddenly realized that I had forgotten to ask the elderly man's name, as I had been referring to him as 'Sir' so frequently."My name is Karl Shaw. Since you're Jen's cousin, you can call me Grandpa Shaw," Karl said, understanding my predicament and coming to my rescue."Hello, Grandpa Shaw. Hello, Professor Killiney," Penelope greeted them warmly.Karl responded with a kind smile and then playfully nudged the stern-faced Professor Killiney. "You're the elder here, t