Chapter 152

Lynn whispered to Becky, "You're new, honey. No formal training. Maybe a few extra rehearsals? If the afternoon shoot's rough, please be patient. She'll shine with more time." Jeremy, ever the charmer, simply wrote, "[Of course!]" on his tablet. Lynn's heart melted. "He's too cute!" she gushed, reaching for his head. Stacey intervened swiftly, gently pulling Lynn's hand away. "A child's skull is delicate, Lynn," she cautioned. Lynn, startled, apologized. She hadn't considered it.

Lunch was a lavish affair. A long table groaned under the weight of food. Hoggard Technologies employees discreetly snapped photos. One particularly enthusiastic woman immediately posted to Instagram: "[Lunching with the boss! Can you believe it?!]" Hayden joined the group, a picture of relaxed authority. Jeremy, ever protective, immediately grabbed Becky's hand and pulled her to sit beside Hayden. The meal was glorious; the stress of the day momentarily forgotten.

But the calm was short-lived. The planning department had churned out several scripts. Hayden whittled them down to one, but it needed revisions. The air crackled with nervous energy as employees hammered away at their keyboards. Finally, at 3 PM, Hayden approved the edits. A collective sigh of relief swept the room.

Hayden, after printing the revised script, approached Stacey. "Half an hour prep. Okay?" The Hoggard Technologies employees’ jaws dropped. Hayden’s usual, "Get it done," was replaced with a surprisingly gentle request. Jeremy, ever the advocate, scribbled on his tablet: "[One hour!]" and tugged on his father's shirt to get his attention.

The employees watched, green with envy. "He's so kind to Becky!" they thought. Hayden, after glancing at the tablet, conceded, "Half an hour, then we can extend to an hour if needed. No need to be nervous." Stacey, visibly relieved, smiled her gratitude.

Jeremy, having insisted on being in the script, needed to rehearse with Stacey. Hayden patiently coached Jeremy through his scenes. They were simple, and two run-throughs were enough. Stacey, however, struggled initially. But Jeremy was there, uncomplaining, offering support. Finally, she found her groove. Hayden's stern expression softened into a smile. "That's it," he declared.

Their relief was short-lived. The shoot was about to begin. Stacey searched for the Hoggard Technologies robot she was supposed to endorse. She found only people. The employees exchanged knowing glances. Hayden smiled, calling, "Hannah, come here."

A beautiful young woman emerged from the kitchen. "Mr. Hoggard?" she asked politely.

"This is our newest robot," Hayden explained to Stacey. "State-of-the-art chip, does most kitchen tasks. We designed her to look almost human."