Chapter 531 Martin Watcheds Patricia SilentlyFrom Afar
Joseph was forcibly escorted by Ryan to a coffee shop just across the street from Patricia's condominium. Patricia and Alan had arranged to be there together and sat across from Joseph and Ryan.
Alan extended his hand in a friendly gesture. "Mr. Robinson, it's been a while. Good to see you."
Patricia nodded in greeting as well. "Mr. Robinson, hello. I'm Patricia, Martin's wife. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Joseph was dragged here against his will, his mood sour and his expression glum.
After the pleasantries were exchanged, he forced a smile and said coolly, "I know why you want to see me. I only showed up out of respect for Carter. Since we've here, I'll be clear. I'm aware of the head engineer's defection to HT Corporation. Our intention to collaborate with them is strong, so there's no need to waste your time on me."
Alan patiently explained, "I understand your concerns. Though some engineers have left our team, our foundation remains intact. They may have taken people, but they couldn't take the actual data and the equipment."
Joseph retorted, "Really? They can't take it with them?"
Alan furrowed his brows. "Of course."
He felt a pang of insecurity, yet his face didn't betray a hint of it.
Joseph sneered. "The data you mention is etched in their minds. Even if they didn't take physical copies, they could still replicate it."
Alan found himself at a loss for words.
Patricia quickly intervened, "But our company's strength, background, and core technology accumulated over the years are something HT Corporation can't match. You've been in partnership with us for so long—you know our company well. It's better to stick with the devil you know than the one you don't. If you were to switch partners, it would take a long time to establish a new rapport. After years of partnership, we've developed a seamless understanding."
Joseph pursed his lips. "Sorry, I'm in business, so I assess things from a profit standpoint. We weren't familiar with your company at the start of our collaboration either, but didn't it eventually work out?"
Seeing him so unyielding, Patricia felt a lump in her throat, unable to speak for a moment.
"So, what will it take for you to give the Langley Group a chance?" she pressed.
Joseph didn't mince his words. "Unless Martin comes back to life, the team that left returns, or you show me a chip that no other company can match, I'll sign with HT Corporation."
Patricia clenched her fists, fighting to control the anger raging inside her. He was a sly one, offering an opportunity on the surface but actually setting an impossible condition. The demands he set forth could have been more achievable in the short term.
Joseph dusted off his pants and stood up. "I'm signing with HT Group officially in a week. You've got until then to prepare. Meet any one of my three conditions, and I'll consider partnering with you again."
He was about to leave when Ryan, fuming with irritation, called out to him, "Hold on."
Joseph paused, turned around with a smile, and said, "You see, I'm not unreasonable. I'm giving you a chance. Whether you seize it is up to you. You can't expect me to gamble with the whole company. Thousands of employees rely on me for their livelihood. I have a responsibility to them."
He walked away without looking back.
The retort took Ryan aback, and he was speechless. The truth was, the guy had a point. It wasn't right to bully someone into cooperating.
Patricia looked ashen. "We only had a week to win the bet with Max, and now we're down to three or four days. How can we possibly develop an irreplaceable chip in such little time?"
Alan said gravely, "Mr. Robinson clearly isn't as easy to handle as Mr. Roberts."
Patricia slumped, deflated like a balloon.
Alan said, "Mr. Roberts and Mr. Robinson both have the same demand—they want us to deliver a top-notch chip. Instead of wasting time, we need to let our capabilities and facts do the talking."
Realizing the implication in his words, Patricia looked at him and agreed, "You're right. We need to speak with the results. Let's visit the lab tomorrow."
Alan nodded in agreement.
"If there's anything I can do to help, just tell me. I'll give it my all," Ryan offered.
Patricia nodded in appreciation.
The next day, Patricia and Alan headed to the lab. After a thorough look, they were even more disheartened.
Developing a chip required seven steps, from design to launch, all of which were incredibly complex and time-consuming. It could take years—or, at best, a year. Forget a week; it wasn't doable even in a month.
In other words, not only were Mr. Robinson's demands unmet, but so were Mr. Roberts's.
Patricia sat despondently on the bench at the base of her apartment building, her eyes red with tears. She felt utterly useless, unable even to preserve Martin's legacy.
The bet with Max was just around the corner.
Was she really going to stand by and watch as they snatched the company from under her?
Her hands clenched into fists, head bowed, and tears fell unbidden. She didn't know how long she had been crying when suddenly, a young girl's voice came from above.
Patricia lifted her head at the sound. To her surprise, a little girl had appeared before her, seemingly out of nowhere.
The girl, around seven or eight years old, had dimples on her cheeks that made her smile exceptionally sweet.
She held out a handkerchief to Patricia and said sweetly, "Are you crying? A man asked me to give this to you. He said to tell you that in life, no hurdle can't be overcome. Look forward, whatever the challenge, it will pass."
"A man?" Patricia furrowed her brows.
The girl turned and pointed to a large tree not far behind. "He was standing over there watching you. But where did he go? He was just here."
Patricia's suspicions arose. "What did this man look like?"
The little girl gestured with her hands. "The man was very tall, even half a head taller than my daddy. He wore a hat, a mask, and sunglasses and was dressed in black. He was so thin that his clothes hung loose on him."
Patricia ran through her memory but couldn't place the figure described by the girl.
"Thank you." She took the handkerchief from the girl, got up, and walked behind the tree the girl had pointed to. After looking around, she found no sign of anyone.
Bringing the handkerchief to her nose, she detected a strong medicinal scent.
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