Chapter 571 Charles Suspects James's Identity
Patricia was struck by a sudden insight. "Oh, right! Could you hold on for a moment? I need to speak with him."
Charles gave his assent, and Patricia carefully placed the phone on the coffee table before making her way to the balcony.
Upon hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, James instinctively glanced at Patricia's hands, checking if she was carrying the phone. When he saw that she wasn't, his gaze shifted to her face.
"Has the video chat ended?" he asked.
Patricia responded with a shake of her head, causing James to furrow his brow in confusion.
"Charles has completed the development of a new system," Patricia explained. "I'm not entirely familiar with it, so he would like to discuss it with you."
Still somewhat perplexed, James replied, "Switch it to a voice call. I'm not fond of video chats." He reasoned that without seeing his face and hearing his altered voice, Charles wouldn't be able to recognize him.
"I'll go switch to audio then," Patricia said, giving James a long, thoughtful look before turning to reenter the house. Once inside, she relayed to Charles, "Charles, he doesn't wish to video chat. He would prefer an audio conversation with you."
A flicker of suspicion crossed Charles's eyes. "Why is he against video chatting? It's easier to understand each other when you can see the person you're talking to."
Patricia offered an explanation, "He's not comfortable with video chats, and since you two are unfamiliar with each other, he might be anxious about the awkwardness. Let's respect his preferences."
Indeed, one couldn't force someone to engage in a video chat.
If James was uncomfortable with video chatting, they couldn't just drag him in front of the camera.
Charles's reluctance to video chat raised further doubts in his mind, but he didn't press the issue. He nodded in agreement, "Alright, I'll switch to audio. Have him come in."
Before Patricia could leave, he added, "And turn on the computer."
"Of course!" Patricia responded, heading off to retrieve her laptop from the room, leaving James's untouched on the couch. She powered it up and prepared for the call.
Once everything was set, she beckoned James in from the balcony.
Unable to see him, Charles tentatively called out, "James?" He emphasized the name, infusing it with an air of mystery.
James was momentarily taken aback, a flicker of guilt passing through his eyes as if he sensed Charles was onto something. He felt a sudden surge of unease.
Worried that Patricia might pick up on his discomfort, James quickly averted his gaze and responded nonchalantly, "Yeah! I'm here!"
Charles listened carefully.
The voice was entirely different from his father's.
His father had a deep, pleasant voice that could, in crude terms, make women swoon just by hearing it. Anyone listening without a face to match could easily fall for him.
But this James's voice was incredibly hoarse, as if someone had dragged a knife across his throat. It wasn't merely unattractive; it was genuinely unpleasant to listen to.
This wasn't something one could feign.
Could he have been mistaken? Charles couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
However, he remained focused on the task at hand, quickly launching into an explanation, "I've finished the new system. It's more robust than the previous one, and I've optimized many issues. Time was tight, and I only tested it for one day. I haven't had the chance to run a full test, but I'm confident in my abilities. There shouldn't be any major problems..."
He laid out the details meticulously.
James followed his instructions step by step as Charles guided him through the process.
Patricia sat beside James, her gaze focused on his work. She was completely absorbed, her earlier irritation forgotten in the face of the task at hand.
Time, as it often does when one is engrossed, slipped away unnoticed.
By the time they had finished their work, the early morning hours had already crept in.
Charles, with a playful grin, chimed in, "James, you and Mom seem to have a unique rhythm when you work together. I've never seen her so in sync with anyone else. You're the first."
Patricia was taken aback, unprepared for Charles' sudden comment.
A blush of embarrassment tinged her cheeks.
James cast a meaningful glance at Patricia, his response calm and measured, "Such understanding comes with time."
Charles chuckled, his laughter echoing in the room before he abruptly asked, "James, how old are you? Are you married? Perhaps my mom could introduce you to someone?"
At his words, Patricia instinctively turned her gaze towards James.
An unexpected wave of nervousness washed over her.
James, however, still had a question to answer. With a strained smile, he replied, "I appreciate your concern, but I'm not currently seeking a relationship."
Charles seemed ready to continue the conversation, but James cut him off. "Let's wrap this up. If there are any issues with the system, we can discuss them later. You should avoid staying up too late. Get some rest."
Without waiting for a response from Charles, James ended the call.
Charles was left in a state of confusion, his thoughts echoed by Patricia's own bewilderment.
James noticed Patricia's blank stare and snapped his fingers in front of her face.
"What's on your mind?"
Startled, Patricia quickly recovered, stretching lazily to ease the stiffness in her neck and hide her embarrassment.
James glanced at the computer clock out of habit.
"It's late. You should get some sleep. I'll discuss the details with Maximilian and inform you once we've set a time."
Patricia watched him, hesitantly suggesting, "You know, my son is quite amiable and friendly. He rarely initiates conversations, but I can tell he likes you. Perhaps you could try to be his friend."
James quietly closed his laptop, "I prefer solitude; I don't care for friendships."
"But you can't always be alone; it's good to have friends..." Patricia insisted, attempting to persuade him, but James clearly had no interest in continuing the conversation.
"Isn't it rather late? Aren't you tired?" he asked her.
Indeed, Patricia was exhausted.
Despite not having done much, she had been on the move all day and had worked late into the night. Her eyelids felt heavy, as if weighed down by lead.
James reminded her, "You have a meeting with Maximilian tomorrow. Get a good night's sleep."
His words brought back the purpose of her trip to the States.
"I'm off to bed then. You should rest as well!" She yawned, waving at James as she trudged towards her room.
James watched her leave before settling back on the couch. He reopened his laptop and began testing the new system from a consumer's perspective.
Meanwhile, Charles stared at his phone's black screen, frustration puffing his cheeks.
Despite all his efforts, he had yet to uncover a single misstep.
Was his opponent too crafty, concealing something skillfully, or was it all just a misunderstanding?
With determination, Charles accessed the information database through special means and typed James' name into the search bar.
Could this man be his father?
A simple search would reveal everything.
Soon, all the information he needed was displayed before him.
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