"A single research paper, and suddenly she''s better than my sister?" Leah


    thought, biting back the words before she could say them out loud.


    But before she had the chance, Vesta jumped in, her tone smooth andposed. "Mr. Ferguson''s right. If there''s an opportunity, I''d love to learn from Ms. Ross," she said.


    Vesta really knew when to swallow her pride.


    Stewart listened, smirking internally. He knew Vesta and Charlene didn''t get along, so suggesting Vesta seek out Charlene for advice was basically a p in the face.


    Dalton''s expression soured. Al wasn''t his field, so he couldn''t really judge the value of Charlene''s paper. But hearing Stewart rub it in made him as irritated as Leah. Seriously, even if Mr. Smith praised her to the skies, so what? It was just a paper-was it really that big a deal?


    Maureen''s face was frosty, too.


    Leah was fuming-she''d wanted to p back, but Vesta''s intervention had cut her off. As annoyed as she was, she held her tongue.


    Just then, Stewart''s assistant, Chester, leaned over and said, "Mr. Ferguson, Kevitt Smith just called. He said he''ll be flying over from the States in a couple of days, and he hopes to meet with both you and Ms. Ross."


    Stewart barely looked up. "Tell him I don''t have time to meet."


    het


    "Understood." Chester turned to Charlene. "Ms. Ross, Mr. Smith said if Mr. Ferguson can''t meet, he''s happy toe all this way just to speak with you. He was really impressed by your paper and would love to have a deep conversation with you about it."


    Charlene replied calmly, "I''m afraid I''m busy as well. Please let him know for me."


    "Of course."


    At that, Dalton and Leah''s expressions shifted. Kevitt Smith was a giant in the Al world. It was one thing for him to rmend Charlene''s work, but he actually wanted to fly out just to see her?


    Was her paper really that groundbreaking?


    Vesta, more than anyone, understood what Kevitt Smith''s endorsement meant in Al. So


    hearing that her own mentor w


    practically begging to meet Charlene made her look even more


    ufortable than the one


    others.


    Meanwhile, Moran had no idea who Kevitt Smith was or how big of a deal he was


    in Al. But he did know how to check trending topics online.


    f.n


    As the group in the private room buzzed about Charlene''s paper, Moran took out his phone, curiosity piqued, and started scrolling. He quicklysaw that "Charlene Ross''s Paper" was trending near the top, withments gushing about her work. People were saying Charlene and Stewart were breaking Golnd''s monopoly on Al, ushering in a new era, and rewriting the rules of the game. It was dizzying.


    He nced over at Charlene, then edged over to Thorne and whispered, "Wait,


    Charlene''s actually this much of a big deal?"