Chapter 93 - 91: Cut From the Same Cloth
Uh.
Timothy Rowe blinked in confusion, then exchanged a glance with Gavin Garrett. Neither of them seemed to understand what Cecilia Sterling meant by "I’d like to talk with you."
’What is there for us to talk about?’
A faint smile on her lips, Cecilia Sterling looked at the documents in his hand and said softly, "I’m very interested in the program you’re developing."
"Huh?"
Timothy Rowe was taken aback. "You’re interested in this?" he asked, surprised.
He waved the documents in his hand as he spoke.
Cecilia Sterling nodded lightly. "I don’t understand the technical side, but I’d like to learn more about it."
"But..."
Timothy Rowe was completely baffled. He had no idea what Cecilia’s motive was. ’She doesn’t understand it, but she says she’s interested and wants to learn more. And then what?’
"Our program is still a work in progress, so..."
"I know," Cecilia Sterling said with a smile. "You need funding to finish the program. That’s why you came to the Goodman family today, to ask for an investment."
Timothy Rowe nodded, a dejected look on his face.
Cecilia thought for a moment, then took her phone out of her clutch and pulled up her personal QR code. "You might be suspicious of me right now, but I think we can find a suitable time and place to sit down and have a proper chat. Add me on WhatsApp?"
A girl asking for his WhatsApp first—and a girl as beautiful as Cecilia Sterling, at that. Though Timothy Rowe’s mind was still reeling, his hands didn’t hesitate. He quickly pulled out his own phone, added her as a contact, and introduced himself, "I’m Timothy Rowe."
Seeing this, Gavin Garrett grinned cheekily. "I want to add you too!"
"Of course," Cecilia said, holding out her phone with the QR code.
Just then, a luxurious Mercedes-Benz sedan pulled up slowly to the curb. The driver got out and opened the rear door for his passengers. Walter Lane, the chairman of the Lane Group, and his wife stepped out of the car one after the other.
Mrs. Lane took her husband’s arm, and as she looked up, she saw a woman and two men standing by the roadside, scanning QR codes to add each other on WhatsApp. The young woman was in an evening gown, her looks and aura both exceptional, while the two young men were dressed in waiter uniforms.
At first, she paid them little mind, but after a casual glance, she froze. She quickly looked again, a flicker of uncertainty on her face.
’Under the streetlight, why does that stunningly beautiful girl in the black dress look so familiar?’
’It’s Cecilia Sterling!’
The moment she recognized Cecilia Sterling, Mrs. Lane’s hand subconsciously tightened its grip.
"What’s wrong?"
Sensing his wife’s strange reaction, Walter Lane couldn’t help but turn his head and ask in a low, concerned voice.
Mrs. Lane’s face turned ashen. The thought of her son’s drastic change in personality these past few days—how he’d shut himself in his room, moping all day—made her chest tighten. Her eyes, as if laced with poison, fixed on Cecilia Sterling.
"Walter, that girl is Cecilia Sterling!" Mrs. Lane spat through gritted teeth, letting out a disdainful scoff. "Standing on the street late at night, adding two men on WhatsApp. Utterly shameless. How on earth did Shawn fall for such a cheap tramp?"
Hearing this, Walter Lane followed her gaze. He had only heard of Cecilia Sterling but had never seen her before. At first glance, as a fellow man, Walter Lane seemed to understand in an instant why his son had fallen for her.
She was very beautiful.
But Walter Lane was a calm man. He could objectively acknowledge Cecilia’s beauty, but as Shawn Lane’s father, he would never allow his son to be with a girl who was all beauty and no substance.
So, without a moment’s hesitation, he strode directly toward Cecilia Sterling.
Seeing this, a cold smile unconsciously formed on Mrs. Lane’s lips.
Cecilia had just arranged to meet Timothy Rowe tomorrow afternoon at a café outside Lorcain Tech’s east gate. Before they could even say their goodbyes, she felt an intensely oppressive presence closing in on her.
She instinctively turned her head and met the vicious glare of Shawn Lane’s mother.
And the middle-aged man beside her, shrouded in a frigid aura, was Shawn’s father.
Stopping before her, Walter Lane locked his eyes onto Cecilia’s. His gaze was so domineering that an ordinary person would not have been able to withstand it.
But this was not unfamiliar to Cecilia. She remembered that gaze, she remembered Walter Lane, and she remembered how she had once stood before him like an ant, her cries for help falling on deaf ears.
But now, her heart was as still as water. She simply met his gaze with a tranquil expression.
"So you’re Cecilia Sterling," Walter Lane said, speaking first.
Cecilia’s lips curved into a smile as she nodded in acknowledgment. "I am. Hello, Mr. Lane."
"Since you know who I am, I’ll be direct," Walter Lane said with a grave expression. "I want you to stay away from Shawn Lane. Don’t get entangled with him again."
"Mr. Lane, I can’t be bothered to explain my relationship with Shawn Lane again. Your wife knows the situation perfectly well. If you’re not up to speed, you can ask her."
"I know you broke up," Walter Lane said, his expression unchanged. "But as long as you’re still at Lorcain Tech, you will inevitably have an effect on Shawn Lane."
"Then perhaps I should just leave the planet?" Cecilia couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh before retorting, "Your wife came to me and told me to break up with Shawn. I agreed, and I did it. Afterward, Shawn pestered me relentlessly, but I remained unmoved. Are you still not satisfied?"
"Are you now trying to force me to leave Lorcain Tech, or maybe even Lorcain itself?"
Timothy Rowe and Gavin Garrett watched the scene unfold with astonishment. They, too, had immediately recognized the man in the suit: Walter Lane, the chairman of the Lane Group.
Their eyes met, and a silent conversation began.
Timothy shot him a look. ’It’s Walter Lane. The Lane Group just got into artificial intelligence two years ago. This might be our chance.’
Gavin’s eyes widened in response. ’Now?’
Timothy urged him with a slight gesture. ’It’s a perfect opportunity! When else would we get to see him? If we miss this, it’s gone for good!’
Gavin’s face soured. ’At a time like this? It doesn’t seem appropriate, does it? The tension between Cecilia and Walter Lane is practically explosive!’
"I can compensate you. A hundred dollars?" Walter Lane said, looking at Cecilia.
Cecilia smiled but said nothing.
Walter Lane’s brow furrowed, a reaction finally showing on his face.
"Two hundred dollars!"
Seeing that Cecilia still wasn’t budging, Mrs. Lane couldn’t hold back any longer and snapped, "Don’t be shameless when we’re trying to be civil! Do you really think you’re worth that much? If it weren’t for..."
Before she could finish, Walter Lane silenced her with a look.
Compared to his wife, the one commendable thing about Walter Lane was that he knew arguing and humiliating the other party wouldn’t solve the problem.
But that was the only thing worthy of acknowledgment.
He looked at Cecilia again and said, "Or you can name your price."
"You two really are cut from the same cloth. Even your methods are identical," Cecilia said, a smile touching her lips as she recalled the ’ten-dollar check’ at the café. "It’s all equally disgusting."
Walter Lane’s gaze darkened. He watched as Cecilia continued, "Instead of wasting your breath trying to pay me to leave Lorcain, let me give you a better idea. Why don’t the two of you just send Shawn abroad? He won’t be able to see me, and I’ll be perfectly happy to have him out of sight and out of mind. It’s the best of both worlds!"