54 Expo Encounters and Silent Signals
Elara’s POV
The exhibition hall buzzed with activity as tech enthusiasts and industry professionals moved from booth to booth. I stood beside Yandel at our YodaVision display, answering questions about our latest Al innovations.
“So the algorithm adjusts based on user behavior?” A woman in glasses asked, examining our interface demo.
I nodded. “Exactly. Unlike static systems, ours learns continuously from each interaction, making it increasingly intuitive.”
Yandel stepped forward. “Dr. Vance designed the core adaptation protocols herself. They’re what sets our system apart.”
The woman looked impressed. “I’ve heard your name before. Weren’t you at Thorne Industries previously?”
“Yes,” I answered simply, steering the conversation back to the technology. “The adaptive learning curve here shows how quickly the system optimizes.
I’d grown accustomed to these moments–brief references to my past that I needed to navigate around. Today, I was Dr. Elara Vance, Al specialist, not Mrs. Thorne, the
invisible wife.
“Dr. Vance, could you help with this query?” Another YodaVision team member called from nearby.
I excused myself and moved to assist, grateful for the distraction. This expo represented my full return to the field I loved. Every successful interaction affirmed that my decision to leave Damien’s shadow had been right.
Across the hall, near the main entrance, a flutter of activity caught my peripheral vision. Even without looking directly, I knew Damien was there. Years of tracking his movements in rooms had created an almost supernatural awareness.
I deliberately focused on the technical question before me, explaining a complex feature to a potential investor. My voice remained steady, my hands gesturing confidently as I walked him through our system architecture.
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“That’s exactly what we’ve been looking for,” the investor said, smiling broadly. “Could we schedule a more in–depth demonstration next week?”
I passed him my business card–crisp and new with just my name and YodaVision
credentials. No mention of Thorne.
“Dr. Vance would be happy to arrange
ir converat,” Julian said, appearing beside me and
seamlessly joining our conversation.
After the investor departed, Julian leaned closer. “You’ve drawn quite a crowd today. People are impressed.”
I smiled, allowing myself to enjoy the moment. “It feels right to be back in this world.”
“Your world,” Julian corrected. “You’re not just back–you’re thriving”
Across the exhibition floor, Lucas Sterling stood beside Damien, his gaze fixed in our direction. He nudged Damien and said something, gesturing subtly toward me.
Damien turned slightly, his eyes finding me instantly among the crowd. Our gazes connected briefly before I looked away, returning my attention to the presentation
materials.
“Incoming,” Julian murmured, but Damien made no move to approach.
Instead, he remained where he stood, observing from a distance as I continued explaining our technology to another group that had gathered. I could feel his eyes on me but refused to acknowledge his presence again.
The expo attendees around our booth grew more animated as I demonstrated a practical application of our Al system. Their questions were insightful and challenging -exactly the kind of engagement I’d missed during my years as Damien’s corporate
wife.
“You’ve got them eating out of your hand,” Yandel whispered approvingly as applause followed my demonstration.
I laughed softly. “They just recognize good technology when they see it.”
When the group dispersed, I allowed myself one quick glance toward Damien. He was still watching, his expression unreadable. For a moment–so brief I might have imagined it–his lips seemed to curve into a faint smile.
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54 Expo Encounters and Silent Signals
I looked away immediately, dismissing the thought. Damien Thorne didn’t smile at me. Not anymore. Not ever, really.
*Damien seems interested in your presentation,” Julian noted casually.
“He’s probably just surprised I remember how to speak tech jargon,” I replied, arranging our brochures. “It’s been years since he’s seen me in this environment.”
Lucas approached Damien, saying something that made him nod slowly. Their eyes remained fixed in my direction, their conversation clearly about me.
“Should we go say hello?” Julian suggested, his tone neutral but his eyes watchful.
I shook my head firmly. “No reason to. We’re here professionally, and so is he.”
“He keeps looking over, Yandel observed, no longer pretending not to notice.
“Let him look,” I said, straightening my shoulders. “I’m done performing for Damien Thorne’s approval.”
A young woman approached our booth with technical questions about implementation timelines. I welcomed the interruption, diving into specifics about our rollout schedule and compatibility features.
As we spoke, I was acutely aware of Lucas watching us, his expression thoughtful. After
a few minutes, he returned to Damien’s side, leaning in to speak directly into his ear.
“What do you think Sterling is telling him?” Julian asked quietly when we had a moment alone.
“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” I replied, though the words lacked complete conviction. even to my ears.
Julian raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
置
The crowd shifted, revealing Vivienne entering the hall, drawing attention as she always did. Her cream dress complemented her flawless complexion, and her smile. captivated those she passed. She moved directly toward Damien, who turned to greet
her.
Their body language spoke of familiarity and intimacy–the casual touch of her hand to his arm, the way he bent slightly to hear her words. They looked right together. They always had.
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I turned away, focusing on reorganizing our display materials. The sting was less acute now, more a dull ache of what could never be rather than the sharp pain of loss.
“Dr. Vance?” A distinguished older gentleman approached our booth. “Professor Bryson, MIT. Fascinating work you’re doing here.”
I smiled genuinely, recognizing the name instantly. “Professor Bryson, it’s an honor. Your algorithm theory paper changed the direction of my doctoral research.”
We launched into an animated technical discussion. For those minutes, I forgot about Damien and Vivienne completely, lost in the intellectual exchange that had once been the center of my world.
When Professor Bryson finally moved on, promising to continue our discussion later, I noticed that Vivienne was now engaged in conversation with Alistair Dubois, her father. They both glanced briefly in my direction before turning toward where Professor Bryson had headed.
“Isn’t that Professor Bryson?” Alistair asked loudly enough for nearby attendees to hear. “I believe we met briefly at the Cambridge symposium.”
Professor Bryson paused, turning toward them with polite interest.
Vivienne’s expression brightened as she approached him. “Professor, I’ve been hoping to speak with you about your recent paper on quantum algorithm applications. The implications for medical imaging alone are groundbreaking,”
Professor Bryson seemed pleasantly surprised by her knowledge. “You’ve read my paper?”
“Of course,” Vivienne replied smoothly. “In fact, Dubois Medical Technologies has been exploring implementation possibilities for your theoretical framework.”
I watched as Vivienne effortlessly engaged Professor Bryson in conversation, her
charm working its familiar magic. Her father joined them, adding comments about potential collaborations between Bryson’s research and Dubois technologies.
Julian appeared at my side. “Quite the networking pro, isn’t she?”
“Always has been,” I acknowledged quietly. “Vivienne knows exactly who to target and how to approach them.”
As their conversation deepened, Vivienne led Professor Bryson toward a nearby
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54 Expo Encounters and Silent Signals
display, pointing out features and asking insightful questions. Her father followed, hist expression revealing clear approval of his daughter’s initiative.
Damien observed from a short distance, that same unreadable expression on his face. For a moment, his eyes shifted back to me, catching me watching the interaction.
I held his gaze briefly before deliberately turning away, returning to a conversation with a potential client. I would not let him see any reaction–not interest, not jealousy, not anything.
The exhibition continued around us, a swirl of innovation and ambition. Vivienne and
Professor Bryson remained deep in discussion, moving from exhibit to exhibit, their conversation growing more animated with each display they examined.
“She’s making quite an impression on him,” Yandel noted.
I nodded, keeping my voice neutral. “Professor Bryson’s research would be valuable to any medical technology company.”
As I turned to answer another visitor’s question, I couldn’t help noticing that Vivienne had positioned herself and Professor Bryson directly in my line of sight. Whether intentional or not, the message was clear: she was securing connections that would benefit her family’s company while simultaneously displaying her value to Damien.
I focused on my own work, on the people genuinely interested in YodaVision’s innovations. This was my arena now–not competing for Damien’s attention or battling Vivienne’s maneuvers, but building something meaningful on my own terms.
Yet as Vivienne’s laughter carried across the hall, punctuating her increasingly productive conversation with Professor Bryson, I couldn’t help but wonder what new advantage she was gaining, and how it might reshape the complex landscape we all navigated.
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