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‘Célia, thank you for coming today.’
She tried to keep the frown from her face, as it sounded as if he had known that she would be here. A quick glance at Annabelle’s beaming face seemed to suggest that her plan was going winningly. A plan that was—contrary to her assurance—not some great surprise to Loukis.
‘Five years ago, when you were working on the technical specifications for a drone tracking system, what were your hopes?’
‘I’m not sure what you—’
‘What was the intended use?’
Célia could give him this. She could see that he was trying to resolve the implications made the last time she was here. Felt somehow soothed by the fact that he was giving her the chance to explain. Even if it was too late.
‘To help improve the tracking and data management of agricultural drones in drought-affected areas.’
‘Areas such as...’
‘Parts of Africa, Australia, areas in Pakistan...there are many places in the world that are drought-affected and that number is only increasing with global warming.’
‘And you had no intention of that technology being used by the defence industry.’
‘No. It was coursework for my degree but I had been using some of the equipment and time at my internship at Paquet.’
‘And as such it was considered to come under their intellectual property disclosure.’
‘Yes.’
‘In fact, the use of the designs caused you great emotional stress?’
Célia bit the inside of her cheek before responding.
‘Yes.’
‘In what way?’
‘I... It just did,’ Célia replied, not quite sure what he wanted from her.
‘In fact, it severely damaged your relationship with your father whom you were estranged from for nearly five years, it led you to leave a promising future in computer sciences and...it made you doubt yourself.’
His eyes bored into hers as if to say that he hated this. Hated hurting her. But she would bear it. For him.
‘Yes.’
‘Why did you leave me?’
The abrupt turn in questioning made Célia’s stomach lurch.
‘Excuse me?’
‘Why did you break our engagement and leave?’
‘I... Do we have to do this here?’ she asked somewhat desperately.
‘Yes,’ he pressed resolutely. ‘Why did you break our engagement?’
‘Because it would risk your guardianship over Annabelle.’
‘And why was that so important?’
Célia stared at him. As if she could demand to know what he was doing. Why he was putting her through this.
