Chapter 20: Backup
When Davina heard my response, her soft face stiffened noticeably.
She didn’t manage to say a word for a long while.
It was Fletcher who couldn’t stand it
anymore. He gave me a faint, disdainful look before saying, “You are who you are, no need to learn from anyone.”
When Fletcher said the word “anyone,” his sharp gaze landed on my face.
Clearly, he was making a veiled remark.
Davina looked at him with wide–eyed
admiration, her lashes fluttering.
1/15 .
Chapter 20: Backup
5 Points
I guessed she was touched.
I didn’t want to waste any more time on this kind of melodrama. I gave a brief “excuse me” and turned to walk away.
I really did find the dry cleaner Davina mentioned.
At 3 p.m., I received a call from the owner of the dry cleaner, saying the suit was ready.
I thought for a moment before dialing Winston’s number.
After a short pause, the call was answered, and I heard Winston ask in a low voice, “Lena, what’s going on?”
He sounded tense.
It was then I realized the timing of my call
2/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+5 Points
might not have been ideal. I apologized, “Are you free tonight? Your jacket is ready, I can drop it off.”
“Yes, I am,” Winston replied decisively. “How about after 6?”
“Sure.”
After confirming the time, I took the suit and headed to Raven University’s campus.
It had only been two years, but standing in this place, filled with memories of me and Fletcher’s entire youth, I still felt like I was in a different world.
Under the teaching building, Winston walked towards me in a light brown trench coat, panting a little. “Have you been waiting long?”
3/15
Chapter 20: Backup
& Prints
“No” I handed him the suit jacket and asked, “Did I interrupt your work?”
Winston gave me a sideways glance. “Got too caught up in coding? It’s after work hours now.”
I thought it would be awkward to just leave like this, so I suggested, “Then, Winston, let me treat you to a meal.”
Winston smiled contentedly. “I’d love that.”
But I didn’t expect Winston to take me to the student cafeteria.
“Chicken Marsala?”
I was a little surprised.
It was one of my favorite dishes from college -cheap and delicious, but how would
4/15
Chapter 20: Backup
Lee Joo
+ 5 Points
Winston know?
Once we sat down, Winston even got me an extra cup of hot milk.
“Winston, are you trying to save me some money?”
Winston handed me the fork and replied, “Not really, I’ve just been wanting to try it for a long time.”
Seeing my silence, he reminded me, “Finish it, and drink the milk, okay?”
Suddenly, a memory from college flashed in my mind–Winston holding the discipline book, urging everyone to do morning exercises, when classmates used to joke and call him “Mr. Strict“. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
5/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+ 5 Points
Winston looked at me in confusion, and I explained, “I just suddenly remembered your glorious history of taking care of the class.”
Before I could finish, Winston raised his finger and lightly tapped my forehead. “Charlene, eat your food.”
After the meal, I returned to the studio, but when I walked in, I unexpectedly bumped into Fletcher.
I instinctively took a step back, but his cold voice pressed against my ear. “Date’s over?”
Date?
I was puzzled.
Just then, Davina walked out with her chain bag. When she saw me, her eyes froze for a moment before she smiled and said,
6/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+5 Points
“Charlene, are you in a relationship with Professor Fleming?”
She actually called Winston “Professor Fleming“.
But why had she suddenly changed the way she addressed Winston?
“We…”
“I get it,” Davina cut me off before I could finish, winking at me. “It’s all over the forum, saying that you and Professor Fleming are a perfect match.”
I didn’t know how a trip to Raven University had turned into such gossip, but considering Winston, I still explained, “Winston and I are just friends.”
“Oh.” Davina replied, her tone still playful,
7/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+ 5 Points
“But I don’t think Professor Fleming feels the
same way.”
Her tone was sweet and innocent, like she was just having fun.
Fletcher interrupted our conversation. “The concert’s about to start.”
Davina smiled brightly and waved at me. “Well, Charlene, we’ll be off now.”
Once they left, I immediately opened the Raven University forum.
The pinned post caught my eye right away –“Is Raven University’s Most Handsome Professor, Winston, Already Taken?”
It was accompanied by a photo of me and Winston having a meal in the student cafeteria.
8/15
Chapter 20: Backup
Fonts
I had to admit, the poster was good at capturing moments–our smiles, the way Winston had tapped my forehead, even 1, the person involved, could tell there was something fishy about it.
The replies were a mix of everything.
[Oh my god, is this the legendary
talent–and–beauty couple? Charlene really is so pretty!]
[Yeah, how can someone be both sweet and cold at the same time? The last time I saw such an angelic face was Jennifer Connelly!]
[We accept this marriage proposal for Professor Fleming!]
The more I read, the more ridiculous it seemed. My eyes finally stopped at one
9/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+ 5 Points
reply.
[Isn’t this the Charlene who used to chase after the Finance Department’s genius?]
Not long after the reply was posted, it only got a handful of likes.
I thought about it for a moment, then decided to hack into the forum and delete that post.
A misunderstanding about me was fine, but I couldn’t let Winston’s reputation be ruined.
By the time I finished, it was already late at night.
As I stepped out of the elevator, I spotted a slim figure standing by the window, holding a half–burnt cigarette between his fingers.
10/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+ 5 Points
The bare branches outside swayed, and the man’s face was hidden in the backlight,
obscured in shadows.
But from the familiar outline, I recognized
him–it was Fletcher.
I was a little surprised.
Wasn’t he supposed to be at the concert? Why was he here, downstairs at the office?
I pretended not to notice and walked forward with a neutral expression, but as I got within two meters of him, I heard him speak.
“Just a project, is it really that important?”
I was slightly confused. I stopped, raised my gaze to look at Fletcher.
Our eyes met, and I heard him say in a
1/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+ 5 Points
mocking tone, “Or is it that you programmers are best at making backups?”
Backups?
I was even more confused now. I decided to speak up. “Mr. Lynton, feel free to speak your mind.”
Fletcher slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes narrowing sharply. He replied, “Leon is only humoring you two because of the Fleming family’s connections. You don’t really think, with his status and position, he would actually care about your project, do you?”
My heart skipped a beat as I finally understood the underlying meaning behind Fletcher’s words.
It seemed he had figured out the real reason
12/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+ 5 Points
Kaitlyn and I was getting close to Leon.
And in Fletcher’s eyes, my approach to Winston was nothing more than a way to use him to secure more investment.
“Mr. Lynton,” I said calmly, “I don’t think this violates any of the agreements we made with your company, does it? But, I must still thank you for thinking so highly of me.”
Climbing up by any means necessary, even through flirtation, in some twisted way, was almost a compliment.
But my gratitude seemed to displease Fletcher. He stared at me quietly, frowning. “Stop wasting your time on these
meaningless things. Lynton Group won’t treat you unfairly.”
I nearly laughed in exasperation.
13/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+ 5 Points
So, Fletcher had come all the way here. tonight, just to lecture me?
I met Fletcher’s icy gaze and asked, “You say Leon looks down on our project, but if I may ask, how did you end up choosing it in the first place?”
Fletcher froze for a moment, caught off guard, and couldn’t respond right away.
I couldn’t help but smirk, adding, “Could it be that you’re so taken with Davina, you’ve lost your better judgment?”
At my words, the man’s face stiffened, his pupils narrowing slightly. “So, you plan to follow her example?”
I was caught off guard by his question. My temper flared up unexpectedly, and I shot
14/15
Chapter 20: Backup
+ 5 Points
back, “What does that have to do with you, Mr. Lynton?”
Fletcher was silent for a long time, but the pressure of his powerful presence made it hard for me to breathe.
Just as I was at a loss, he finally spoke, his voice laced with mockery. “Charlene, you really are something.”
15/15
