Chapter 157
“Are you Josie Pearson?” Audrey smiled as she looked at the petite girl in front of her.
She was not very tall, standing around 5’3", and had a slender frame. Her hair appeared a bit dry and lacked luster. Her face was small, roughly the size of a palm, and could be described as pleasant rather than unattractive. Her eyes were large and lively, full of spirit.
At most, Josie could be seen as an ordinary university student, several levels below her daughter, Natalie. Yet it was precisely this delicate, petite young woman who repeatedly managed to make Natalie feel embarrassed—a truly remarkable skill.
Just as she was sizing up Josie, Josie looked up at her. Josie had not anticipated Audrey suddenly walking over and striking up a conversation.
Josie spent several years at the Central Research Institute, but Audrey never noticed her. When she first joined the institute, she learned that the deputy director was named Audrey. However, at that time, she did not know that Audrey was Natalie’s mother.
It was only several years later that she saw Audrey standing beside David. At that time, she had been accused of stealing materials—a charge brought to the police by Audrey herself, who claimed she had stolen the documents. Yet, it was Audrey who had actually given her the documents and told her to shred and dispose of them.
She wanted to ask Audrey why she had framed her and what she had done wrong, but when she found Audrey, she saw Natalie standing beside her, sweetly calling her “Mom.”
At that moment, she fully understood everything. She knew she couldn’t defend herself; this false accusation—set in motion by Audrey’s report to the police and supported by David’s testimony—had clearly been carefully planned long ago. Left with no options, she could only accept it.
Josie gathered her thoughts, her gaze settling on Audrey’s face. Compared to the past, Audrey now looked noticeably younger. Although her eyes were naturally captivating, even her smile couldn’t hide the underlying coldness in them.
Audrey had always been a woman who exuded intense allure to men. Even in her forties, she still retained an elegant and captivating presence. By comparison, Natalie’s appearance was less striking than hers.
Josie’s expression remained impassive as she met the woman’s gaze, neither arrogant nor servile. “I am. Who are you?”
Josie’s response could be considered somewhat impolite; when addressing someone older, even the most basic honorifics had not been used. Claire, who had been standing nearby, parted her lips in surprise, intending to remind her. However, she ultimately remained silent and only gently tugged at her sleeve.
Audrey furrowed her brow slightly, thinking, ‘Some people never quite learn proper etiquette; they lack even the most basic courtesy. How could someone like that ever appear presentable?’
Her smile faded. “My name is Audrey Kinberg, Deputy Director of the Central Research Institution. I’m here to identify several innovative projects with strong development potential.”
“Apologies.” Josie took half a step back. “Our project already has a collaborating professor. I’m afraid you will be disappointed.”
She looked as if she would not let anyone take her project away, leaving Claire dumbfounded. ‘Oh my gosh, what is going on in Josie’s mind?’
A reasonable person, upon learning Audrey’s identity, would seek to collaborate with her rather than simply flatter or ingratiate themselves. ‘Why, then, does Josie seem so afraid of being associated with her?’ Although it felt strange, Claire suddenly felt exhilarated. She looked down on Audrey’s air of superiority, as if she were bestowing charity.
Audrey hadn’t expected Josie to react like this. She thought, ‘Some people really haven’t experienced much—maybe she doesn’t even understand her own identity.’