The annual Global Technology Summit was being held at the Luxury Hotel.
Various media companies and reporters were waiting outside the hotel at the break of dawn with their equipment, eagerly waiting for two particular people to show up. One of them was a man troubled by his divorce, the future heir of the Moran family, and also the president of Moran Group, Ace Moran.
The other was a well–known researcher in the field of electronic chips, who also happened to be Crystal Group's largest shareholder, Mr. X. Mr. X attracted a lot of public attention not just. because of his mysterious identity and the fact that he'd never shown up in public, but also because he had a tight– knit relationship with Ace.
The chips created by Crystal Group were only sold to Moran Group, which meant that the Moran Group occupied 75 percent of the market in the electronics and technology industry. On top of that, Ace frequently met with a mysterious man in a hotel. It was rumored that this man was most likely the enigmatic Mr. X.
The venue was spacious, and the decorations were grand. Those who showed up were all celebrities and hotshots that actively appeared on Forbes' list of famous people. Different areas had showrooms by different companies, and they each displayed their own most advanced, popular electronics and technology.
Joanna represented Stellar Group, a 'new' company. They didn't have their own research and development department yet, so the company was somewhat overlooked in the Global Technology Summit where all the big names in the industry gathered. Their showroom was small and secluded, and they were very clearly snubbed by their peers.
However, Joanna didn't mind. The main reason she was here was to acquire the latest information in the industry, which was why she kept her mask on while she roamed around.
The two biggest showrooms naturally belonged to the Moran Group and Crystal Group, with each occupying an entire floor in the prime spots of the hotel. Both their showrooms were crowded and cramped, and it took Joanna a lot of effort to squeeze her way into Crystal Group's showroom.
A tall hostess dressed in a modern and futuristic outfit was introducing the company's newest product to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, this 5A chip is an incredible creation developed solely by Mr. X, the chief researcher of Crystal Group. It uses the most advanced semiconductor materials, as well as the qubit technology, to increase the chip's operating speed to 99.7 percent. Currently, it hasn't been released to the market in large quantities yet…"
As the hostess was speaking, there were a lot of excited discussions going on in the crowd.
"Crystal Group is amazing. They definitely have the best chip technology in the world. Mr. X, their chief researcher, keeps a low profile, but he always produces the most amazing creations!"
"Ah, so what? Small tech companies like ours won't even be able to get access to it… They only supply their newest technologies to Moran Group!"
"It's not because our companies are small. Clearly, it's because…"
A few people lowered their voices to discuss something, snickering every once in a while.
Meanwhile, Joanna was holding her phone up to take pictures of the completed 5A chips in the display cabinets. The chip was an amazing work of ingenuity, with its advanced technology, high–quality materials, large storage, and sleek appearance.
If Stellar Group could get its hand on this chip, reaching the turnover target of seven billion dollars requested by Starlight Group would be a piece of cake. Not only that, but the company would also easily occupy a majority of the market share in the electronics and technology industry.
Hence, Joanna was naturally drawn to what these people were discussing.
"I heard that Mr. Moran and Mr. X have already settled down in the hotel. I bet they're currently.."
Joanna's desire for gossip was at its peak. She immediately approached the group that was chatting and asked, "What are they currently doing?"
"What do you think two men might be up to if they're staying in the same hotel room?" Someone said teasingly, and the group started laughing again.
This 'rumor' regarding Ace and Mr. X had actually started out as a funny little insult within the industry. However, a series of coincidences made it sound like it was true.
"Besides, I heard that Mr. Moran didn't divorce his wife because he was cheating with another woman. That 'mistress' was actually a paid actor, hired by Mr. Moran and Mr. X…"
"No way!"
Joanna was dumbfounded. She immediately recalled her interactions with the man. The way he avoided women, how there were never any scandals involving him, and how he didn't smile often around her…
'It does feel like there's some truth in this rumor, but if he really was gay, why did he… do that to me the other night?' Joanna felt immensely confused, and opened up Google on her phone.
There were so many people around that Joanna was squeezed out of the crowd once the search results appeared. Unfortunately, she accidentally stepped on someone's foot as she stumbled around, and her phone fell out of her hands.
"I'm sorry!" Joanna instinctively tried to pick her phone up, but was having a hard time bending down due to her pregnancy.
The person whose foot she had stepped on reached down to pick up her phone, then handed it to her in a gentlemanly manner.
"Here you go," the man said dismissively. As he passed her the phone, however, his gaze incidentally fell on the screen. His eyes widened slightly, gleaming with interest.
"Thank you!" Joanna awkwardly responded, figuring that she should run away before she embarrassed herself any further.
Despite wearing masks, the moment their eyes met, the two froze in shock.
"It's you!"
'It's you!"
Both of them exclaimed at the same time.
"Julian, what a surprise! What's an idol like you doing here?" Joanna smiled, her eyes giving away just how happy she was to meet him.
but "It's an honor that you still remember me." Julian continued speaking in a dismissive tone, his cold eyes had visibly softened.
"What are you even saying? Of course I remember you! You're one of the very few people who are able to tie with me in a game! I'm still waiting for a rematch, you know?" Joanna said as she stared into the man's eyes, her heart fluttering slightly.
The man's eyes were similar to Ace's, but he seemed more tired in comparison. Moreover, there was also a tiny mole next to his eyebrow. If it weren't for that, Joanna would have accidentally mistook him for Ace, and she wouldn't even know how she'd react if Ace had seen the contents on her phone.
Meanwhile, the people behind her were still passionately discussing the relationship between Ace and the mysterious Mr. X. "I'm telling you all, they really are dating! Don't believe me?
"Just go to the Luxury Hotel and wait a little! You'd find shocking news for sure!"
Although the suggestion was made, nobody had the courage to take the risk. After all, it was simply foolish to wait around the famous Mr. Moran's hotel.
However, Joanna was brave enough to do it. She simply couldn't believe that Ace was gay. Hence, out of curiosity, and to obtain closure for her three–year marriage, she decided that she wanted to investigate.
"I still have some things to settle, Julian. We can talk later!" Joanna said as she left the crowd, heading towards the elevator to go to the suites within the hotel.
Julian followed behind her calmly, teasing her with a sly smirk. "Catching a paramour in the act is too much work for just one lady, you know? Why don't I come along?"
"P–Paramour?" Joanna found the word choice slightly odd.
"Isn't your husband's male partner considered a paramour?" Julian asked casually as he entered the elevator. He actually looked more excited than Joanna to do this.