The Heart I Gave The Love I Lost

20

Chapter 6

Maggie didn’t know about Franklin’s return. Nobody had told her.

It had been half a month since she moved out of the villa. During this time, she had

gradually grown accustomed to and come to enjoy the quiet, leisurely life of living alone.

Today was weekend, and she had slept in a bit. After getting up and washing, she opened the curtains to find perfect sunshine outside.

She stretched, watered her plants, and was about to make herself a simple breakfast when the doorbell rang. It was Mrs. Smith from across the hall.

“Maggie, hope I didn’t disturb you?”

Maggie replied gently: “Not at all, I was already awake.”

“That’s good.” Mrs. Smith warmly said: “These are freshly made pies and pasta from our

home this morning. Brought some for you to try.”

“Thank you, this is too kind.”

“It’s the least we could do. If you hadn’t saved our Tommy from that mad dog the other day, who knows what would have happened.

We’ve been wanting to properly thank you, but my husband and I have been so busy with work, we couldn’t find the time… we feel quite embarrassed…”

“It was nothing, Mrs. Smith, you’re too kind.”

After some more pleasantries, Mrs. Smith left.

Back inside, Maggie ate breakfast while studying the algorithmic mechanism of an AI system she’d been researching recently.

In the afternoon, a news notification about T University’s centennial celebration popped up

Chapter 6

on her phone.

paused, checked the date, and realized it

she found several trending topics about #T

T University was the country’s top university, with every move closely watched, but also because this was its

celebration.

exceptional number of honorary alumni had been invited back

ceremony.

honorary alumni were prominent figures across

hands trembled holding the phone as she recognized several familiar faces

days flooded back. Her heart suddenly

right after completing her undergraduate degree, perhaps she too might have been among the honorary alumni invited back for today’s

her laptop and, after some hesitation, drove to T University.

was already afternoon. Many of the VIP guests invited to the ceremony had left.

aimlessly around campus, a familiar voice called out to her near the familiar laboratory

“Mag?”

minutes later, in a teahouse outside T

cup of tea: “How have you been lately?”

with a faint

divorce.”

Heart Gave. The

7.44.

hadn’t expected this answer, parsed.

“It’s fine

you

about it but

but spoke earnestly. “Mag, the company needs you. still a shareholder, and I hope you’ll come

You’re

serious expression, Maggie couldn’t express

But Al development had advanced so rapidly. She’d been away from the field for

if she returned now, she feared she couldn’t keep up with

Maggie had rarely met in recent years, even from their few encounters, he could see how far she had fallen from

used to be, Johnny never dreamed that the word “insecurity would

much about Maggie and Franklin’s married lite but he

suspicions, he didn’t voice them, instead speaking earnestly. “It’s okay to fall behind temporarily. Your ability and talent aren’t comparable to ordinary geniuses. Mag, as long as you still want to walk this