Page 19 of Cocky Tech God

“If they’ve signed on for the premium package, yes.” A buzz of excitement hummed through every part of my body, and, though it was terrible timing, I imagined all the things I shouldn’t, but all the things that stayed at the forefront of my mind.

“And what about clients who haven’t signed on for the premium package?”

“Only about five percent of our clients aren’t premium-package clients. But that five percent are always notified of an upgrade and are given an offer to update to the most current version at a discounted price. To circle back, that client who had the breach is a premium subscriber. No non-premium clients have suffered a breach since we opened doors eight years ago.”

“So, would you say you spend more resources in tech support or in research and development?”

“I’m sorry, but may I ask what your point is?” Calista interjected, taking the microphone.

The room became silent enough to hear a pin drop.

Calm and collected, Lucia shifted her gaze to Calista. “I’m merely questioning if a software that requires twenty-four-hours-a-day tech support is more valuable than a proven, stable software that intelligently adjusts to the environment using AI technology, and thus finds and corrects breaches involving no human interaction.”

Damn, she was good. Her software was innovative. No one in the cybersecurity field offered an intelligently adjusting software such as hers. It was almost like a living, breathing thing that executes to precision.

“It sounds like a question of trust in technology and AI development. How cutting edge is the client willing to be in securing data,” I said, feeling the weight of Calista’s eyes on me.

“Precisely.” Lucia lifted an eyebrow. With one question, Lucia had accused the tech world of being untrusting of technology, unwilling to advance into new territory with confidence.

Calista took the microphone again. “In a world of sensitive information, I can’t trust a software to always be iron-clad, mutable, or fixed. There will always be the human aspect. And I’m not sure what AI technology will look like in securing healthcare data in the long run.”

The moderator interrupted. “Thank you, Lucia. Great discussion. We have time for one more question.”

Lucia sat, her eyes pinning mine. And in them, I saw her drive to win the Morgan Financial Holdings’s contract.

War had been waged, and I couldn’t wait to make my next move.

Lucia

The first day of the conference had ended, but my mind was elsewhere. If I retained any information from any seminar I attended, that was yet to be seen.

I couldn’t afford to be this mindless. Not for the thousand dollars for the entry fee I paid. And certainly not for the bleak future I’d have if I didn’t start making connections.

But there was one thing I couldn’t get off my mind. Hansen. And Calista. Everyone knew about their fling. Even I’d heard about it, and I didn’t go to the Tech Conference in Sydney. Would they have a round two? I normally wouldn’t feel anything about Hansen being Hansen, but it left me winded to think he might trade our bed for hers. And why wouldn’t he? He’d get a cozy bed…and sex.

Win-win.

We had a lose-lose thing going on in our room.

I was being ridiculous. I shook off all images of Hansen and walked down the carpeted corridor toward the cocktail reception in the main ballroom. There, I’d put my best foot forward and leave this nonsense behind. I had networking to do. The pressure was on, and I worked very well under pressure.

The space was crammed with people. Loud, jovial voices echoed in my ears. Fellow attendees tapped on my shoulder as I whizzed by them—some I knew, others I didn’t. But outside of the polite nods and hellos, I didn’t give anyone the time of day because my focus was to find Graham Morgan and get him alone for a moment.

I finally spotted him wearing a pin-striped suit moving at a fast pace through the crowd and quickened my steps as to not lose track of him. I couldn’t quite get to him even though my legs were moving double speed. He stopped several times to greet people—everyone knew him. Literally, everyone wanted to work with his company.

Everyone included Hansen. And I wasn’t thinking about him, but he popped out of the crowd and came into my proximity. My stomach fluttered. But I didn’t have time to entertain him.

I lifted my hand. Not now, Conqueror. I had bigger fish to fry.

The crowd sucked him up again, and he was gone without a trace. Thank God.

“Mr. Morgan,” I called, confident he was close enough to hear me. If he responded, that was another issue.

I called again, just for good measure and he turned. His eyes met mine and his eyebrows lifted in curiosity. For a moment, I was taken aback with how handsome he was.

“Miss Mendez, hello.”

He remembered my name. Good sign.

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