New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 400

Frank leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands as he listened to the potential client across from him drone on about his interest in partnering with Venus AMD. The guy looked like he was all business: slick hair, crisp suit, and the kind of grin that said he knew he could afford whatever he wanted.

"So," Frank said with a casual smirk, “why didn’t you go knocking on Metacortex’s door? They’re the ones always parading around their ‘groundbreaking’ technology, right?”

The man chuckled and waved a hand dismissively. “To be honest, Frank…I don’t trust it when a woman’s running the show,” he replied, his voice dropping like he was sharing some kind of secret. “Just doesn’t seem… reliable.”

Frank burst into laughter, nodding. “I’m with you on that one!” He leaned in, almost conspiratorially. “I can’t understand why Metacortex gets all the press. I mean, come on. Venus AMD has the real potential here, no scandals, no drama.”

The man raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Exactly what I’m saying. The last thing I need is my name tied to some mess because the other company couldn’t stay out of the tabloids.”

“Oh, we’re on the same page,” Frank said, leaning forward with a grin. “Venus AMD is the future—no-nonsense, no theatrics. Just pure, cutting-edge tech.”

The man chuckled and nodded, his gaze sharpening. “I have high expectations, Frank. I’m not just looking for flashy presentations. I need reliability, software that’ll do exactly what it’s promised, no glitches. I need the best.”

Frank nodded vigorously. “And that’s what you’ll get. I’ve got a team on it right now, working on our latest project—a robot that’s going to blow everything else out of the water. And when it’s ready, we’re planning a huge press release. I mean, once people see what we’re capable of, there’s no way they’ll pick Metacortex over us.”

The potential client tilted his head, curious. “Robot, huh? Tell me more about it.”

Frank grinned, his excitement spilling over. “It’s all under wraps for now but trust me—it’s a game-changer. We’re talking about capabilities that’ll put other AI and robotics to shame. This thing’s going to be the poster child of Venus AMD’s superiority over Metacortex.”

“So, Frank,” the man said, intrigued, “you’re saying this new software can analyze and adapt in real-time?”

“Yep. It’s all about learning, picking up patterns, and adapting. No more static responses, no more rigid commands—it’s going to act like it has its own intuition.”

The client was clearly impressed. “And it’ll handle multitasking?”

“Multitasking?” Frank scoffed. “That’s barely scratching the surface. You’ll see—it’s not like anything else on the market. Once we reveal it, people will be lining up for Venus AMD, and Metacortex? Out of sight, out of mind.”

The man leaned back, nodding thoughtfully. “Sounds incredible. I look forward to seeing it in action.”

The two men talked back and forth for nearly two hours, going over software specifications, technology trends, and all the potential the robot held. By the time they wrapped up, Frank could barely sit still. His mind was buzzing with ideas of fame, recognition, and the press coverage that’d make Venus AMD a household name. Finally, they shook hands, and Frank practically bounced out of the room, ready to see his team’s progress in the lab.

As he stepped into the lab, he barely had time to take in the sight of his employees huddled around the workstation before one of them, completely unaware of his presence, muttered, “We’re doomed.”

The leader of the tech team jumped in his seat when he finally noticed Frank. “Oh, uh, Mr. Frank, sir!” he stammered, turning to face him with wide eyes.

Frank raised an eyebrow, his smirk stretching even wider. “Relax, I’m not here to bite. Just checking in.” He gestured toward the huddle. “So, how’s the robot? Going well, I hope?”

The leader sighed, glancing toward the door to make sure Frank hadn’t somehow returned. “Okay, okay, let’s focus. We still have to try. Let’s see what we can put together by Monday, and if we’re lucky, maybe he won’t notice the missing parts.”

A younger tech raised his hand, grinning mischievously. “We could always, you know, say someone sabotaged it if things don’t work out. Fake news and all that.”

Laughter bubbled around the room, though a few cast wary glances at the leader.

The leader pinched the bridge of his nose but chuckled despite himself. “Look, let’s just get back to work and at least try to make it presentable. If Frank shows up here again, he’ll want to see some progress.”

Everyone sighed and reluctantly returned to their stations, the atmosphere a blend of nervous energy and frustration.

The young tech leaned over to his neighbor. “I mean, Frank’s all talk anyway. Half the time, he probably doesn’t even understand what we’re doing in here.”

The other tech snorted, muttering under his breath, “If he understood anything about tech, he’d know that robots don’t just magically get built by Monday.”

The leader shook his head, trying to keep the team focused. “Let’s just do what we can and pray he doesn’t show up tomorrow. Now, get those circuits tested and see if you can pull up the software interface. We’re gonna need all hands on deck.”

Everyone grudgingly got to work, muttering and sharing glances as they tackled each task. But they all knew the truth—come Monday, if Frank wasn’t impressed, it wouldn’t matter how hard they’d tried.