Chapter 1253 Selected

"Thank you, Ms. Luca!" Tommy thanked Luca and continued eating

Luke noticed that Luca was very gentle toward Tommy. Over the past three years, he knew that

many people had tried to be nice to Tommy so that they could get closer to Luke, but none of them

had managed to do what Luca did.

Her care toward the boy seemed to be genuine. She was not faking it at all

Luke picked up his fork and began to eat.

Luca felt slightly relieved when she saw that Luke had started eating.

It was the third time sitting at the same dining table as Luke. Every time, she could not process her

feelings.

Fifteen minutes later, all the plates were swept clean. Luca stood up and cleared the table.

Tommy yawned.

Luke noticed that it was already eleven o'clock. Usually, Tommy would have already been in bed, but

today was different.

"Tommy is sleepy, Mr. Crawford. You should send him home." Luca also thought it was already quite

late.

When Tommy heard that, he shook his head and said, "I'm not sleepy at all.”

He wanted to stay there for a bit longer. Somehow, he felt safe and comfortable whenever he was in

Luca's house.

Luke could see that Tommy was barely awake. He thought that Tommy really liked Luca.

He stood up and said, "Thank you for your supper.”

"You're welcome." Luca put the stacked plates and cutlery on the dining table once more. "Let me

see you out."

Luca saw them out at the door. After Luke took Tommy's hand and they went out of the house, Luca

closed the door slightly and watched them leave.

Tommy turned around and looked at her. He was reluctant to leave.

Luca waved at him.

Tommy waved back. "I'll be back to visit you again, Ms. Luca.”

Luca nodded but did not say anything. She only closed the door after watching them go into the

elevator.

She leaned on the door and looked at the stack of plates and cutlery on the dining table.

Other than feeling relief that Luke and Tommy had left her house, she also felt reluctance. She did

not want to see them leave.

Every time they met, Luca felt that she was becoming more and more inseparable from Luke...

She closed her eyes weakly, pretending that Luke was still in the house.

A week later, Luca presented her research findings during a meeting. She was the last one to

present, but she was also the researcher who showed the most progress.

After her presentation, everyone's gazes fell on Luke.

Today, Luke would decide on who to send to the off-site training in New York.

Luke did not immediately announce his decision. Instead, he looked at Cole. "Who do you think

should go, Dr. Kidman?"

Cole was quite confused. During the research period, Luca had been absent often, and she would

regularly take time off work. Why would her research progress the fastest?

Moreover, her research topic was not an easy one...

Cole thought that he would be one of the chosen, but it seemed that he could only be number

three.

He was reluctant to admit it, but he had to comply with the rules. "Mr. Crawford, according to the

rules set during this period, the people who should go to the off-site training shall be Dr. Albus and

Dr. Craw."

"It's decided then." Luke glanced at Luca. Even though Dr. Albus had come in at number two, his

research was far behind what Luca had done.

"Alright." Cole felt aggrieved, but he could not go against his boss's decision.

"Dismissed," Luke said.

Everyone stood up, and Luca left along with the other researchers. Only Luke and Jason were left in

the conference room.

While Jason packed up the meeting minutes, he could not help but say, "Dr. Craw seems quite

capable. She's only here for a month, but she’s already done so much. After this, she should be

applying for an independent laboratory and research team, right?"

Usually, many pharmaceutical research projects needed at least six to twelve months to show some

results. It was surprising that Luca had done so much within a month.

Luke stood up and put his hands into his pockets. "Back to the headquarters.”

"Yes." Jason took the minutes in his hands and left with Luke.

In the elevator, the other researchers gave Luca their congratulations. Luca returned their well

wishes one by one, though she could not help but sense their jealousy.

Even though they did not say it, she could tell that they were unhappy about the decision.

Many researchers there had thought that Luca managed to gain a spot in the company because she

had some illicit relationship with Luke. However, Luca had proven to them that she was actually a

very capable researcher.

They could not accept that their preconceived notions were wrong.

Back at the Technical Department, Luca went back to her office.

"Dr. Kidman, shall we go for a smoke?" Dr. Albus said while taking out a packet of cigarettes from

his pocket.

Cole nodded.

The two people stepped out of the elevator and went to the stairwell.

Dr. Albus handed a cigarette to Cole and lit it. Then, he lit another one for himself. He took a drag

and said, "I'm sorry, Dr. Kidman. I didn't expect that things would turn out like this.”

Dr. Albus had struck a deal with Cole so that his research progress was slightly faster than Cole's. He

did not expect that he earned a spot while Cole did not.

He was confident that Cole and he would be the two who were selected, and that was why he had

given some benefits to Cole so that Cole would let him take the first place.

Cole was not too concerned if he came in first or second. Moreover, he was willing to let Dr. Albus

win by a little.

However.

Their research progress was not too far apart from each other, but one got what he wanted, and the

other did not.

Cole could not do anything other than pat Dr. Albus's shoulder and say, "No one expected that.”

If he had to blame someone, then Talia was to be blamed. He had tasked Talia to spy on the other

researchers on their progress, but he did not expect that she failed at her job.

Talia had said that Luca's progress was about the same as the other researchers. Considering that

her topic was difficult and that she was frequently absent, Cole did not pay too much attention to

Luca.

Was it about the same?

Of course not.

Cole returned to his office and called Talia on the internal line.

Soon, Talia came over to his office, grinning. "Congratulations, Dr. Kidman."

Cole's expression instantly sank. "What are you congratulating me for?"

Talia was surprised. When she saw Cole's expression, she asked, "Weren't you selected for the off-

site training?"