When fate plays its hand

Chapter 0923

The night was deep, with the moonlight shining brightly.

The academic banquet was held in the hotel’s largest grand hall. It was chosen for convenience since the attendees could retreat to their rooms for a quick rest before returning.

There were no red carpets, no flowers, and no luxury cars. Only the drinks and food stations hinted at the “banquet” atmosphere.

Most men wore business jackets with suit trousers, and some even opted for plaid shirts after coming directly from the summit forum.

In contrast, the women paid more attention to their appearance. At the very least, their hair was styled, and their outfits were appropriate. Some wore casual suits, others wore elegant evening dresses, and many professors favored more formal, business–like attire.

However, the men outnumbered the women. There were also some younger faces, mostly students attending with their mentors and professors to gain experience.

Miranda walked inside with the invitation, accompanied by Paul. As soon as they entered, all eyes turned toward them,

Christine, who had arrived earlier, was momentarily distracted when she saw them walking side by side.

Paul was still in his suit, not too formal but with a relaxed, stylish cut, giving him an approachable and easygoing look.

Miranda wasn’t wearing makeup, but she had applied some lipstick to brighten her face. Her coat was a simple camel color, worn over a beige knit sweater. It was an ordinary and casual outfit, but her youthful and stunningly beautiful face drew all the attention.

She looked too young to be at such an event and too beautiful for anyone to believe she was a scholar in research and academia.

Paul cleared his throat, and his gaze, carrying a subtle pressure, made everyone quickly avert their eyes. Miranda sighed in relief.

Christine approached them and smiled as she embraced her. “Are you nervous?”

“…A bit.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll introduce you to some of my old acquaintances later,” Christine said.

“Okay.”

Paul watched as Christine led Miranda away and let out a barely noticeable sigh. Just then, someone patted him on the shoulder.

“Paul, what are you looking at so intently?”

“Hi, Dr. Linwood.”

Crosby Linwood smiled as he followed Paul’s gaze but saw nothing unusual. He turned back and cleared his throat. “So, how’s everything going? Any progress with your research?”

“Good.”

“Well, here’s the thing…” Crosby rubbed his hands together as he paused to choose his words. “I have a student named Whitney Hargrove in my lab. She’s just graduated with her doctorate and has been offered a position to stay at the university.” novelbin

Paul raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t sure what Crosby was trying to say, but he kept listening.

“You two were both at the International Physics Conference in Larkstone. Do you remember that?” Crosby asked.

Uh–oh!

“There were around 80 experts and scholars from the country who attended the event…” Paul had a good memory but couldn’t possibly remember each of the 80 people and recognize them by face.

Crosby seemed to realize this might be too much to expect, so he coughed lightly to cover it up. “Of course, it’s normal not to remember everyone. Anyway, Whitney was part of the group, and she remembers you. How about you exchange contact with her and get to know each other?”

Paul was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Crosby to play matchmaker. “Sorry…”

Crosby blinked in surprise. “Huh?”

“I…” Paul had intended to say he wasn’t thinking about personal matters right now, but after a moment’s thought, he added, “I already have someone I like.”

“…Huh?” Crosby had already been prepared to be rejected by him.