Chapter 228
"Wait, Kylie, how is Shermaine walking the same red carpet as you?" Sarah asked, clearly puzzled. Only the top minds in tech were invited to this event. If Shermaine was here, then she had to be a major player too.
Kylie didn’t say a word.
But Sarah caught the subtle shift in her expression, and that was enough. Her hunch was right. Shermaine was definitely in tech. And judging by Kylie’s reaction earlier, they probably knew each other.
Otherwise, why would she turn around so sharply at the mention of “Boa”?
Kylie steadied herself quickly.
She came to this Tech Conference for one reason: to redeem herself and prove to everyone that she was better than Boa.
And now, Boa turned out to be Shermaine.
It was even better, as she despised both of them anyway.
And with Joshua also in attendance, she had no intention of fading into the background.
She was going to make sure Joshua saw what kind of woman a man with real taste should choose.
Just then, the man in charge of escorting Kylie throughout the event blinked in surprise. “Boa’s a woman?” he muttered.
He’d volunteered to be Kylie’s liaison because he was a fan. As for Boa, he’d never paid her much attention. She was just a name, and he wasn’t interested in faceless figures. He liked exceptional women, women who turned heads.
And Boa? He hadn’t expected her to be this stunning.
She was effortlessly elegant, impossibly poised, and carried herself like she owned the place.
It meant Kylie was no longer the only female tech icon in the room.
But he quickly snapped out of it, remembering where his loyalty lay. “This way, Ms. Bynes,” he said, leading her forward.
Even Kylie’s other fans on site seemed momentarily frozen. No one had prepared chants or banners. Compared to the welcome Shermaine received, they were already losing momentum.
No one had anticipated that someone as low-profile as Shermaine, practically invisible on tech forums outside of occasional project appearances, would command such a devoted fanbase.
Shermaine offered a polite nod in their direction. It was minimal, but enough to acknowledge them. She couldn’t just ignore the crowd completely.
A moment later, Joshua stepped out.
Dressed to match her in a sharp tailored suit, he placed one hand on her waist with casual intimacy.
The ring on his finger matched the one Shermaine wore.
It was obvious that they were together.
Surprisingly, the fans didn’t seem to mind.
They’d thought their idol was a man. Turned out she was a woman.
But it didn’t make them admire her any less.
Chapter 229
The forming Shenmale [sic] write le standing the dedura [sic] Tach [sic] Conference, dis [sic] day dry to get him a test.
That was when Bradley rerendered [sic] something. Organizers from the International Tech Forum had provingly [sic] respihed [sic] out, hoping Joshua could serve axsi [sic] band witlascarim [sic] and present an award at the Wallingtonlab Tech Conference.
Back then, Bradley had refined [sic] on leshus’s [sic] behalf. With Joshua’s packed schedule, he figured there was no point even asking.
What he hadn’t expected was for Shermaine to show up not just as a participant, but as one of the top-tier experts. That changed everything.
Stunned, Bradley had called the organizers back and told them Joshua was available after all. The organizers were overjoyed and locked him in right away.
Joshua was, after all, a global powerhouse in renewable energy and AI. His recent breakthroughs had shaken the entire industry, and his net worth had landed him in the global top ten at just thirty-one.
Once Shermaine and Joshua parted ways, Harold led her backstage.
The lounge was expansive and luxurious. Each contestant had a private armchair, and glass tables were laid out with drinks and fresh fruit.
When Shermaine walked in, about ten people were already there.
With her arrival, that made eleven. Nine more were still to come.
Shermaine was a newly promoted platinum-level expert, having jumped two ranks by completing two SSS-level missions back-to-back, an achievement that made her stand out immediately.
A massive screen in the lounge was broadcasting the red carpet, so most of the room already knew Boa was a woman, just like Kylie.
The experts varied in age, some well into their forties, others barely out of college. But regardless of age, they had all taken notice.
After a few polite greetings, Shermaine gave a slight smile and took her seat.
Coincidentally, Kylie was seated directly to her left.
“Didn’t expect you to be Boa,” Kylie said, glancing over with a smirk.
Shermaine casually reached for a bottle of water and unscrewed the cap. “Yeah,” she replied, “funny how things work out.”
She hadn’t expected Kylie to be Dolcie, either.
Dolcie was the name that had followed her through every mission she’d taken, the constant shadow. Who would’ve thought she’d suddenly reappear as some long-lost cousin? A cousin with questionable motives, especially when it came to Shermaine’s man. The whole thing was irritating beyond belief.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how you do in the challenge,” Kylie said, voice cool but loaded.
Truth was, she didn’t take Shermaine seriously. She believed she could’ve handled those two SSS missions herself. The only reason Shermaine’s AI system outperformed hers, in her mind, was that it had been built by a Wallingtonian company, handpicked for the event.
No one could outdo her when it came to AI.
Shermaine took a slow sip of water and said calmly, “Looking forward to watching me wipe the floor with you?”
Kylie’s eyes narrowed. “What makes you so sure you’ll beat me?”
Chapter 229
Normally, Shermaine didn’t waste time judging people. But since this was Kylie, she didn’t bother sugarcoating it. “You’re not that impressive.”
Kylie scoffed. “You’re seriously full of yourself.”
Shermaine smiled, unfazed.
She was just stating a fact.
If anyone in the room was radiating arrogance, it was Kylie.
They were speaking in Ustranasion, the international working language of the conference, so everyone around them understood every word. The tension was thick.
It was clear that if there was a team round, these two wouldn’t be sharing a bench.