Chapter 86

Lethan glanced at Carlisle before heading for the stairs.

Carlisle sighed helplessly. He had done his best. Whether Lethan believed him or not was up to him.

After leaving the cafe, Carlisle withdrew all his money from his bank account and took a car to the studio.

Just as he arrived at the studio, he received a text message. It was from the chairman of Islo Clothing.

“You better not have lied to me, or I’ll make sure you get expelled from Riverland University!”

Carlisle wondered if he was being threatened and scratched his head in frustration.

Why should he, a person who was given a second chance at life, tolerate such intimidation? Was he to be pushed around by everyone now?

With a restless spirit, he replied, “I hope you can still talk to me like that in three days!”

In the living room of the studio, Heath had bought a variety of dishes, and there was a case of beer on the floor.

The four friends were enjoying their cigarettes shirtless.

“Carl!” All four stood up to greet Carlisle when they saw him arrive.

Carlisle was taken aback by the sight, knowing full well that it was Heath’s doing. Heath was genuinely eager to make something of himself by working with Carlisle.

“Have a seat, everyone…” Carlisle entered the living room with a smile, then took a moment to size up the

new programmer.

Hank had shoulder–length, unkempt hair and thick glasses. His frame was almost skeletal.

Carlisle had thought that programmers were supposed to lose their hair from stress. Hank, however, was losing weight.

As Carlisle was watching Hank, Hank was doing the same with Carlisle. When he realized Carlisle was

only about 18 years old, his eyes showed a hint of disdain.

Carlisle approached Hank and held out his hand. “Welcome to the team!”

Hank gave Carlisle a token handshake before going back to smoking on his own.

“Carl, take my seat!” Heath offered Carlisle his seat and pulled up another chair for himself.

Carlisle opened a bottle of beer and held it up. “Our team is really coming together now. Let’s drink to that!

Heath opened his beer. Benjamin and Owen followed suit and popped the caps off their bottles.

Hank picked up a bottle of wine from the floor and said nonchalantly, “I’ll stick to the hard stuff.”

The five of them clinked their bottles and took several swigs.

Hank downed a third of his wine in one gulp as if it were water.

Carlisle chuckled nervously, “Hank, can you still work after drinking that much?”

“Have you ever wondered why I’m unemployed?” Hank snorted.

Heath, caught between laughter and concem, explained, “Other companies won’t let him drink on the job!”

Carlisle’s mouth twitched. Was Hank drinking hard liquor on the job? Which boss would tolerate that? If it weren’t for the lack of suitable candidates and Heath’s sake, Carlisle wouldn’t have considered him.

Heath leaned in and whispered to Carlisle, “Don’t worry, the alcohol doesn’t affect him. Sometimes, he would get inspired after drinking and come up with weird but useful things.

“Back in July 2001, he hacked into The Legendary Tale’s main server, causing all their servers to go down for maintenance for two days!”

“Seriously?” Carlisle’s heart raced. He had struck gold. “Hank, drink all you want. We don’t have any rules here, and there’s plenty of booze!”

Carlisle happily tapped his beer bottle against Hank’s wine bottle.

Meanwhile, at the Warbane residence, Lethan returned to his room and sat at his desk. He stared blankly at a picture of his wife.

The woman in the picture looked to be in her mid–20s. She had impeccable beauty.

After a long time, he snapped out of his daze and sent a text message to his brother–in–law.

“Could you have your private investigator check on Quinn and John for me?”

“Have you come to your senses?”

“Yes.“”

“Josle and I knew that woman was no good from the start. But you turned against us for her, even going so far as to hit your sister!”

If Quinn and John are really having an affair, I need to know.”

His brother-in-law replied, “I’ll get on it right away. But be prepared for the worst.”

Lethan sat back in his chair, his mind swirling with thoughts and regrets. He had been blind to the signs, too trusting of Quinn. Now, the possibility of her betrayal loomed large over him, threatening to destroy what little peace he had left.

Meanwhile, at the studio, Carlisle and his team continued their brainstorming session. Despite the initial awkwardness, the group gradually fell into a rhythm, their ideas flowing more freely with each passing minute. The combination of beer, camaraderie, and creative energy sparked a sense of optimism among them.

Hank, who had been mostly silent up to this point, suddenly spoke up. “You know, we could integrate a feature that allows users to customize their avatars in real-time. It would add a personal touch and keep them engaged longer.”

Carlisle nodded, intrigued by the idea. “That’s brilliant, Hank. Let’s start working on a prototype and see how it fits into our current framework.”

As the evening wore on, the team grew more animated, their discussions punctuated by laughter and the occasional clinking of bottles. Carlisle couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and hope for the future. They were a motley crew, but together, they had the potential to create something truly special.