First Love Only? I Left Him First, Now the CEO Can't Let Go-Chapter 345: He’s Here to Woo the Girl

Caleb Lockwood’s hand slightly clenched into a fist.

In the past, whether it was a summit in the jewelry design industry or the topic of AI replacing humans, he had no interest.

He was even less likely to feel nervous.

However, at this moment, when all eyes in the industry were focused on Serena Jennings, he couldn’t help but hold his breath.

Enduring the gaze of everyone present, Serena remained composed, offering a calm smile.

"It’s nothing, just that Manager Sterling is really trying hard. To promote his company’s AI, he’s willing to go to such lengths."

"I’m making stuff up?"

Simon Sterling was exasperated.

"Even if you’re a master of piano series design, you can’t make such bold claims. It’s only a matter of time before AI replaces designers like you. If you don’t believe it, Ms. Jennings, you’re welcome to compete with Elena Lowell to see if her AI designs faster than you do."

After hearing Simon’s words, the smirk on Serena’s face became more disdainful.

"Does Manager Sterling think jewelry design is like short track speed skating?"

This statement brought out a few chuckles from the nearby designers.

Simon felt his face grow hot.

"The AI launched by our company doesn’t just have fast drawing speed. It has absorbed the styles of 99% of the world’s renowned designers, including Ms. Jennings... Whatever design you want, it can be completed in minutes."

As he spoke, Simon signaled to Elena Lowell, who immediately used AI on-site to design over a dozen intricate and exquisite pieces of jewelry.

"See? That’s the power of AI."

Serena shook her head indifferently.

"Manager Sterling, your company’s AI first needs to learn a series of disciplines related to jewelry design, such as physics, metallurgy, and gemology, to ensure the structural integrity and load-bearing capability of its designs instead of just talking on paper... I admit AI will be widely used in future jewelry design, but it’s impossible for it to replace humans... Take, for instance, the drafts you’re showing now. None of them can be made into actual jewelry; at best, they’re concept sketches, not CAD engineering drawings precise to the millimeter."

"Moreover, do you know how many of these designs directly plagiarize existing works of other designers? If this Elena Lowell truly produced jewelry from AI drafts, she might face countless infringement lawsuits, ultimately becoming notorious and being expelled from the industry."

Serena’s forceful words left Simon and Elena speechless.

Soon, applause erupted in the conference hall.

Serena turned her head and saw Caleb Lockwood leaning against the side door, standing in the corner.

She was taken aback.

Even in the dimly lit large conference hall, Caleb clearly saw the displeased expression on Serena’s face.

For a moment, he lowered his eyes, guiltily staring at the ground beneath him.

This reaction was like a child who had done something wrong, afraid of being punished.

"Isn’t that President Lockwood?"

"Why is Caleb Lockwood here?"

"Our industry summit... didn’t invite him, did it?"

"But with President Lockwood’s capabilities, surely he wouldn’t be without a seat?"

"Do you really think President Lockwood is interested in our jewelry industry?"

"If he’s not interested, why is he here?"

"He’s here to chase after a girl, what do you know."

The whispered conversations reached Serena’s ears, causing her to frown.

Caleb’s appearance here was indeed beyond her expectations.

Such a summit was unlikely to interest Caleb nor benefit The Lockwood Family’s business.

Therefore, Caleb was likely, as the onlookers said, here to pursue a girl.

Serena was reluctant to admit that the girl Caleb intended to pursue was her.

After being publicly challenged by Serena, Simon and Elena slunk off the stage, no longer daring to tout the theory of AI replacing human designers.

Soon, the summit reached its final phase—

The dining phase.

This phase was also for socializing and networking.

Serena wasn’t particularly interested in networking, focusing on eating her meal, but she couldn’t help as others kept coming over to toast her.

By the time she could eat her meal in peace, the food was nearly cold.

"Serena, may I have a word with you?"

Caleb Lockwood came to Serena’s table and asked softly.

Serena had actually noticed Caleb long ago.

After the presentation phase ended, she saw Caleb striding towards her table.

However, the guests nearby were closer to her, and they came over, one after another, to socialize with her.

Caleb had to wait patiently at the back of the line.

This was the first time in Serena’s memory that Caleb was so humble.

"Wait a moment, I want to eat,"

Serena said coldly before burying her head in her food.

As she ate, she continued to casually chat with the designers at her table, eating naturally at a slow pace.

Caleb was left waiting on the side, like her bodyguard.

The guests at the same table all knew Caleb and could see that Serena was deliberately ignoring him.

Back then, both Caleb’s marriage and divorce with Serena caused quite a stir, and naturally, everyone within the circle knew about their relationship.

However, none of the people present urged Caleb to sit down.

Because Caleb stood next to Serena, not taking his eyes off her, wearing a charming smile, seeming to enjoy the fact that Serena was eating, socializing, and talking while he could only stand by and watch.

Since Caleb seemed willing, the guests, naturally, didn’t interfere.

In fact, Serena was using this method to force Caleb to know when to give up.

She had nothing she wanted to say to Caleb.

As ex-husband and ex-wife, she shouldn’t have any more intimate contact with Caleb. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

But since things had already happened, and she couldn’t turn back time to the past.

Therefore, avoiding Caleb was the best choice.

After all, meeting and talking would only make things awkward for her.

However, Caleb stubbornly refused to leave.

Even if she took three hours to eat, Caleb was willing to wait for her for three hours, finding joy in it.

Finally, when the summit concluded, Serena stood up.

Caleb’s eyes instantly lit up.

"Let’s find a place to talk!"

Serena knew full well what Caleb wanted to discuss, so she picked a private club.

At this moment, the sun hadn’t set.

At this time, the club wasn’t very crowded, almost empty of guests.

Serena and Caleb walked one after the other into a private room.

Though it was a small room, it was still quite spacious, with just Serena and Caleb, a bit barren and the air was quiet.

Serena didn’t ask proactively.

Because she knew whether she asked or not, Caleb would speak.

Standing in front of her was still the same prominent capitalist capable of great influence, but the originally cold and powerful aura had softened considerably, looking even a bit awkward.

Caleb was racking his brain for an opening line.

He had always thought of himself as eloquent, but at this moment and for some reason, his tongue was somewhat uncooperative.

Finally, before speaking, he took something out.