Chapter 75

Charlene knew better than to create a scene; upsetting Thorne would only worsen his already negative opinion of her. Laverne, overhearing this, felt a measure of relief, but remained concerned about Charlene’s potential reaction to Thorne’s apparent favoritism toward Vesta. Regardless of their concerns, Charlene remained oblivious, engrossed in conversation with Professor Hancock, who had sought her out at the expo. They had enjoyed a previous conversation and he had been eager to speak with her again. Seizing the opportunity, he engaged her in conversation soon after they sat down.

The large table allowed them to converse discreetly, keeping their voices low. Vesta and Laverne, observing Professor Hancock's amiable and sustained interaction with Charlene, assumed she was consulting him on professional matters and paid them little attention.

From the other side of Professor Hancock, a colleague quipped, "Hank, you can't shake your professional habits. You've been talking all day, and even now, at dinner, you can't stop." Another person chuckled, adding, "Right? Earlier in the exhibition hall, Hank and Ms. Hawkins were chatting for a while."

Professor Hancock, smiling at the ribbing, retorted, "When I try to discuss technical matters with you, you always send me to your engineers. Now you're surprised I'm not talking to you?"

Someone glanced at Vesta and then at Charlene, remarking, "Who would have thought today's young ladies are so interested in AI, coding, and the like? Times have changed."

"Indeed," another chimed in. "After Hank talked to Ms. Hawkins at the exhibition, he told me there's more promising talent these days. He says our country's future is bright."

"Ms. Hawkins is a top talent from a world-renowned university, a promising figure," someone else added.

Vesta offered a modest smile at the compliments. "I'm flattered."

Thorne's high status naturally elevated Vesta's standing; she was clearly favored. Charlene, while undeniably beautiful, was known only as an employee at Stewart's corporation. Her ambiguous relationship with Stewart offered her no significant backing, leaving her largely unnoticed.

Once dinner arrived, Vesta served Thorne a slice of steak, which he readily accepted. Conversation shifted, naturally turning to the potential future of some of the expo's exhibits.

Someone commented, "Speaking of which, Mr. Henderson, your autonomous car and Mr. Ferguson's smart traffic programming language seem to mesh perfectly. It's exciting. Aren't you considering a collaboration?"