Chapter 2 First Encounter

• Upon hearing this, Mrs. Agnes immediately put on a stern face. "Why are you so serious about your work? Are you starting to take more responsibility now?"
• The caregivers couldn't help but think about the irony in Grandma's words, mainly when she talked about the young master in such a manner.
• "Grandma is right. I humbly seek your advice and will strive to make the most of my time," Ronan responded with a smile instead of anger.
• "Don't get cheeky with me." Mrs. Agnes, known for her strictness, couldn't help but feel proud of her grandson's respectful response.
• She retorted, then changed the subject. "I just called Vina. Tonight, I'll help you arrange a dinner date with her. You'll pick her up yourself and get a gift for her on the way. Do you hear me?"
• Ronan paused with the hand holding the documents and nodded. "Okay, send me the address. I'll go pick her up after work."
• Two years ago, without his consent, Mrs. Agnes took it upon herself to arrange his marriage to a woman named Vina.
• After they got the marriage certificate, Mrs. Agnes had an accident on the way home. She remained in a vegetative state for two years.
• After careful treatment by doctors, she had finally regained her ability to speak and only recently informed him of what had happened.
• Because Mrs. Agnes's health was frail, Ronan didn't want to disappoint her, so he accepted the marriage calmly. Seeing her grandson so obedient lifted Mrs. Agnes's spirits quite a bit.
• "Vina is still at work. She'll call me back later. I'll send you her address then. Since you married, we have been neglectful and have not kept in touch with her. After you meet tonight, you better apologize sincerely. Don't let her think we've been playing games with her."
• Ronan agreed, "Okay," just as a knock came at the door.
• "Grandma, a few staff members are coming in for a discussion. I'll talk to you later!"
• Ending the call, Ronan's expression turned serious as he coldly said, "Come in!"
• Davina entered, followed by several colleagues from the AI intelligence team.
• The CEO's recently renovated office features futuristic white geometric furniture.
• Ronan sat upright behind a massive desk, his gaze serious as he observed them.
• He didn't say or do anything. Just his presence alone was enough to command respect and awe.
• Davina gathered her courage to meet his gaze and took a step forward. "Mr. Fenwick, I'm Davina, the product manager at Quantum Xenon Tech. I oversee all Quantum Xenon Tech products, and these behind me are the core members of our AI intelligence team."
• She stood tall, trying to appear poised and confident, masking any hint of nervousness.
• However, the colleagues behind her were all tech programmers, mostly suffering from social anxiety.
• Faced with someone like Ronan, a big shot, they all cowered like mice in front of a cat, avoiding direct eye contact.
• Davina took it upon herself to introduce them to Ronan one by one. "This is project engineer Charlie, responsible for project planning and management. This is technical director Thomas, overseeing technical development and implementation. This is data engineer Caleb, handling research, development, and model training. And this is test engineer Dexter, responsible for..."
• Davina noticed Ronan's deep eyes staring at her intently without blinking as she spoke.
• Being so close, she could see his features—his face was almost flawless.
• Oddly enough, she felt she had seen him somewhere before but couldn't recall where.
• Little did she know that Ronan was the adult version of the young man on her marriage certificate.
• "Davina?"
• Ronan silently repeated her name in his mind, feeling like he had heard a similar name somewhere before.
• His gaze lingered on Davina briefly before casually asking, "How old are you this year?"
• "Just turned 25, Mr. Fenwick," Davina replied confidently.
• "Hmm, and yet you're already a product manager." Ronan's gaze held a hint of meaning.
• Davina was familiar with that look—it seemed even the world's wealthiest had the same judging eyes as everyone else.
• The role of a product manager demanded high qualifications, typically held by someone in their thirties. Tall and attractive, Davina took the position at a young age, often facing doubts about whether she had used her looks to advance, which bothered her.
• "Mr. Fenwick, despite my youth, I have a solid academic and professional background. I entered university at 17 and graduated from my master's at 23. My undergraduate degree was in computer science, and my master's was in business administration. I not only understand technology but also business management and sales. I am fully qualified for this position based on my own merits."
• Davina succinctly presented her resume, and her determination was evident to Ronan.
• Impressions mattered; Davina's youthful vigour was the first thing Ronan noticed about her. He didn't dislike her straightforwardness.
• He pursed his lips slightly and calmly said, "Don't misunderstand. My inquiry about your age isn't questioning your competence. To enter a tech company and hold such a position as a product manager, you must have exceptional qualities. However,"
• Ronan's eyes fixed on her, his voice carrying weight, "Young lady, you still need to learn patience."
• His words left Davina feeling awkward, and she suddenly realized she might have been overly sensitive. She wanted to say something to smooth over the situation, but Ronan's gaze had already shifted away.
• "Because of its advanced AI algorithms, I invested in Quantum Xenon Tech," Ronan declared, his voice radiating authority. "This technology holds immense commercial value and promising development prospects. I expect all of you to fully immerse yourselves in it, unleash your imagination, and explore the various possibilities of AI development. Cost is not an issue."
• His clarity of thought and powerful speech put immense pressure on the programmers present.
• Each of them felt internal anxiety. What if the CEO valued the AI project so highly that it failed?
• Seeing the timid programmers behind her growing even more apprehensive as if facing a great calamity, none dared to speak up.
• Inevitably, Davina had to step forward again as their representative. "Mr. Fenwick, please rest assured. The AI intelligence team has been continuously exploring and innovating. We will spare no effort in pushing AI technology to its limits and will not disappoint your expectations!"
• "Yes!" the programmers chorused in agreement with Davina.
• Ronan nodded slightly. "Excellent. I'm eager to see what you'll achieve."
• He then fixed his attention back on Davina. "You stay. Everyone else, you're dismissed."
• Upon hearing they could leave, the socially anxious programmers showed relief, quickly bidding farewell to Ronan and hastily exiting the office.
• Soon, only Davina and Ronan remained in the office.
• No employee enjoys being alone with their boss, and Davina was no exception.
• She had to steel herself and face him with a smile. "Mr. Fenwick, is there something else you need?"
• She had assumed Ronan wanted to discuss work matters by keeping her back.
• However, as she contemplated what to say next, Ronan unexpectedly asked a question that caught her off guard. "What kind of gifts do you like?"
• This question left Davina feeling puzzled for a moment, sparking various speculations in her mind. Would the CEO actually be planning to give her a gift? Could it be ... he had taken a liking to her?
• Frowning slightly, she replied awkwardly, "Mr. Fenwick, I'm married."