Ever since her IQ test, Barbara's confidence had been explosive. In her view, there was no problem in the world that couldn't be solved and no person she couldn't handle.
That changed when she met Luke.
This guy, roughly her own age, was a complete bastard: smart, cunning, sinister, masterful at controlling people, and possessing absolute mental composure. In his presence, Barbara felt like a child with her hands and feet tied. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free, short of becoming a being like Superman and punching him into a vegetative state.
Of course, that was just a fantasy.
Seeing her look down and remain silent, Luke pressed her.
"Have you made up your mind? I don't have time to waste on you."
Barbara said bitterly, "Luke Shaw, you are a total scumbag. You slept with me, wiped your mouth clean, denied it, and now you want me to pay you back? Is that how a human being acts?"
Luke glanced at her tearful face, coldly smirked, and let her vent.
Sure enough, before she finished, Barbara spoke again, her voice thick with sobs, as if she were deeply wronged.
"You bastard! I don't want to say another word to you. Just tell me directly: what do you want from me?"
Luke shook his head speechlessly. Smart women were always like this—always avoiding the main issue, instantly changing the subject when the situation turned against them.
Frustrated, he went straight to the point.
"Sometime soon, I'm going to develop an Artificial Intelligence program. The process is complicated, and I can't do it alone. I need a team of computer geniuses to help, and you are one of the targets."
Barbara looked disbelieving. "You came after me just for that?"
"What else?"
The girl was furious. "Why didn't you say that sooner?"
Luke gave a cold, mocking laugh.
"I wanted to. Did you give me a chance? The moment we met, you pulled open your shirt to seduce me. When I noticed, you threatened me. When the threats failed, you started throwing a tantrum and playing dirty, using every trick to seize the initiative."
"Did you never consider that my purpose in looking for you wasn't about your father, but about your own talent?"
Barbara was speechless, her face turning pale and then red.
Luke continued, "There are many people in the world with an IQ over 150, but very few success stories. Do you know why? Because they are arrogant, reckless, and think they are superior. They like to use their 'reasoning' to dissect others while ignoring objective facts."
"Barbara, you are one of those people. Even if you don't suffer a loss now, your arrogant conceit will cause serious trouble for you in the future."
The words were like a sharp sword piercing the most vulnerable part of her heart. Barbara's cheeks instantly flushed, her neck turning red. Her breathing became quick and heavy.
On the verge of explosion, her behavior turned erratic. She picked up a tissue box and pulled out one tissue after another, tearing the white paper into countless shreds.
In a short while, the car was filled with paper scraps.
Luke didn't stop her. He just watched quietly until the entire box was empty.
"Have you vented enough?" he asked. "I can go buy another box if you need it."
Barbara wiped her eyes, looked up, and asked in a seductive tone.
"Luke Shaw, do you like me?"
Screech!
The Lamborghini stopped by the roadside. Luke said expressionlessly,
"Get out of the car."
"What?"
"Get out. I'm not saying it a second time."
Barbara was stunned for a moment. Once she was sure he wasn't joking, she thought for a moment, opened the car door, and stepped out.
Luke grabbed a handgun from the glove compartment and tossed it to her for self-defense.
"Wait here. I'll be back in a while."
By now, darkness had fallen. There were no signs of lights in the sparsely populated suburbs.
After watching the Lamborghini drive away, Barbara found a tree stump and sat down, staring blankly into the night.
To be honest, she didn't hate Luke. Even after everything he had done to her, she didn't hate him.
Nietzsche once said that all geniuses are lonely.
Philosophers like to exaggerate, but Barbara deeply agreed with that one statement.
Growing up, she was always the odd one out in her class. The way she thought about problems and her principles were different from other kids. She was a freak in the eyes of her classmates and a problem child in the mouth of her teachers.
Unfortunately, fate had given her a beautiful, voluptuous face and a graceful, sexy body. These two things represented the gold standard of public aesthetics, and she inevitably became the goddess in the hearts of the male students.
The boys tried every trick to court her, their clumsy attempts at flattery being intolerable. The girls grew jealous, secretly calling her a bitch and a man-stealing vixen.
Barbara could only look up at the sky. To avoid causing trouble for her father, she chose to go on the offensive, swallowing her disdain to help a group of busty-but-brainless female classmates win their boyfriends.
Then, she used those girls to deal with others. After a series of bewildering maneuvers, Barbara became a well-known figure in the school. Both boys and girls admired her.
However, the feeling of loneliness never disappeared; it only grew stronger.
All this came to an abrupt halt when Luke appeared. For the first time, she experienced what it felt like to be foolish, losing the advantage in every way, and even getting her body involved.
What was more infuriating was that when she aggressively seduced him, that bastard slammed the brakes at the crucial moment, giving her no chance at all.
"You hateful guy! Are you even a man?"
Barbara swore angrily, picking up a stone and throwing it with all her might.
"He does have a great body, though."
Remembering the motel incident, a blush crept across the girl's face, and her eyes grew hazy.
Time slipped by. An hour passed, and the Lamborghini still hadn't returned.
Just as Barbara considered making a phone call, her cell phone rang. It was her dad.
"Barbara, are you alright?"
"I'm fine. How's Sarah? Did you rescue her?"
"She was a little scared, but physically she's fine."
"That's great."
Barbara sighed with relief, the rock in her heart finally dropping. She asked,
"Dad, can you tell me who rescued her?"
After a brief silence, a stern voice came through the receiver. "A friend from the Extraordinary Affairs Division [FBI]. Also, I have a question for you: How did you know the kidnappers' hideout? Who was helping you?"
Barbara hesitated for a few seconds, then spoke playfully.
"Dad, don't worry about it. It's a secret, I can't tell you. The important thing is that Sarah is okay, so why worry about all the rest?"
"I'm worried you're being fooled."
"I only fool others; no one fools me."
The girl pouted dismissively, then added, "Is the 'Extraordinary Affairs Division' friend you mentioned the female FBI agent who came to see you that night—Emily Song?"
"It wasn't her; it was her subordinate. Don't ask any more questions about this. It's not your concern. It's getting late. Go home immediately."
"Oh!"
Barbara stuck out her tongue, hung up the phone, and stood up, looking into the distance with anticipation.
Soon, a bright streak of light drove toward her and stopped beside her.
Seeing the familiar face, her internal emotions erupted like a volcano. Barbara forgot everything. She stripped off her short top and shoes, tossing them into the car, and passionately kissed Luke's face.
"..."
"Don't talk!"
At this point, if Luke didn't respond, he truly wouldn't be a man.
He started taking off his clothes while tapping the screen, activating the car's Auto-Drive and Sleep Mode.
The seats slowly lowered and connected to form a single bed. Two young, vibrant bodies embraced, engaging in indescribable activities.
Under the silver moonlight.
The snow-white Lamborghini sped across the grass unrestrainedly. Suppressed, sensual sounds drifted from inside the car, startling a nearby nightingale. A passing raccoon raised its head, curiously looking in the direction of the noise.
Suddenly, a piercing cry came from the car, scaring the raccoon into running away.
After a long time, the Lamborghini came to a stop.
Sweat-drenched Barbara leaned against Luke's shoulder to rest. Thinking of something, she suddenly teased.
"If I called the police right now, how would they handle you, you rapist?"
Luke didn't speak. He responded with action to clarify the nature of their relationship. After another bout of vigorous activity, he whispered,
"Are you still calling the police?"
Barbara pouted, found a comfortable position, and looked up at the stars.
She had to admit, the moonlight tonight was truly beautiful. The star-filled sky was clear, and the enormous moon hung at the edge of her vision. If she reached out, it felt like she could pluck it from the heavens.
The two remained silent, holding each other and enjoying the rare night view.
After half an hour, a night breeze blew, making Barbara shiver.
Luke turned on the air conditioning and activated the warming mode.
Looking at the various function buttons on the display screen, the girl's expression suddenly turned strange.
"I get it now. You were the one my dad let go that night. You're the owner of the black Lamborghini."
Luke: "..."
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