Do Us Part

21. "Retreat II"

Chapter 21

Natalie

"It's a pleasure to finally put a face to the name. I heard impressive things before you came and I'm especially glad that you lived up to the hype, Ms. Bryce." Mr. Peters, a major investor said.

"Oh...Thank you, Mr. Peters."

"I was especially happy to hear that a representative from a reputable company like Toymotors will save us from further  embarrassment in the future like the one caused by Sam here last time." He frowns at Sam who suddenly looked easy.

I read about the last fair where someone hacked his code, and deleted it, leaving him very embarrassed and his company getting a lot of backlash in the weeks that followed.

"Indeed." Another investor, Mr. Griffin added. "I told him not to develop that thing but no, he decided to make a big announcement about it and then lost the work." The two other investors seem to agree with them as well.

"Shut up, Griffin," Amanda says, irritatedly and everyone's attention turned to her.

"Samuel worked so hard on the showcase last year and especially on that code. It was not his fault his work got hacked and why are you so antsy, you did get your money back, didn't you?"

She dropped her glass on the bar table rather loudly and continued, "And this year's project you like so much? Sam anchored that so I'd suggest that you stop criticizing an error that wasn't his fault and focus on all the money you could gain since that is all you truly care about." She completes and the man kept mute, obviously embarrassed.

Damn girl...

____

"You and Sam must be close." I said to Amanda and took a sip of my drink. We are both sitting at the bar.

"Hmm... I like to think so. Why?"

"Just...the way you spoke up earlier...It was admirable."

She smiled and finished her wine in a gulp. "I didn't do something extraordinary. Those old men have had it coming for long."

She gestures towards the bartender to bring a whole bottle. "Ever since the incident, they have continuously spoken against and taunted Sam every chance they've got and I just got tired of being quiet all the time."

When he hands her the bottle, she dropped it on the table. "He shouldered the losses alone and paid them back for every cent with his money and yet, those assholes still..." She trailed off and drank again.

"Speaking of which, if you don't mind my asking, what exactly happened? I read articles and watched some interviews about it but you know how false news travels faster than the truth?"

"Well...they were not wrong about the code getting destroyed but they were about the carelessness claim." She poured herself another glass and offered to pour mine. I held my cup to the side, and after she filled it with glass, I thanked her.

"Sam...he is the most meticulous person I know. He was careful and he gave his all to the algorithm. He won't show it but I know it haunts him till today." She says, and we stare at him, making conversation at the right end of the room.

"He wanted to create something that would change the world and he did but that bastard stole it from him."

"Bastard? Do you know who did it?"

"I have a pretty good idea." She drank from her glass.

"Does Sam know?"

"Of course. We saw this coming but Sam..he just didn't listen to me."