# Chapter 52 What's There to Be Shy: An Unexpected Encounter
The room fell into a strange silence as Nicole watched the man before her strip his shirt without a hint of hesitation. His movements were mechanical, devoid of any embarrassment as he bared his chest and posed exactly as instructed. Nicole, the only woman present, felt her cheeks flush crimson. She quickly averted her gaze toward Gerard Lichman, her voice barely steady.
"What's this all about?"
Gerard's explanation came smoothly, professionally. "We're collecting various samples of the human physique to create different humanoid companions according to different preferences."
Nicole clenched her teeth, a bitter thought crossing her mind. *What an enjoyable job this has become...*
Before she could dwell on it further, Gerard's assistant rushed in and whispered urgently into his ear. Gerard's expression shifted to seriousness as he turned to Nicole.
"Vice President Nicole, please continue to stay and keep watch here for a while. I need to take some of these men with me."
In an instant, everyone followed him out, leaving Nicole standing there dumbfounded. She touched the "tiger" robot in her arms and muttered to herself, "Do we have to continue?"
There was no time to think. The next person entered the room. Nicole sat without lifting her head, her eyes fixed on the LCD screen on the table. She waited for the person to step forward and appear on the screen automatically, trying to calm her racing heart.
"Start stripping..."
Her voice came out flat, routine, perfect—just like the staff before her.
But the person in front of her didn't move.
Nicole frowned and urged him again. Still nothing.
Growing impatient, she spoke with more authority. "What's there to be shy about? It'll be quick..."
Finally, Nicole lifted her head—and her mind went blank.
Before her stood a man with deep, dark eyes that held a cold, piercing glint. It was none other than Eric Ferguson.
Her composure returned quickly, though a frown creased her brow. *Isn't Ferguson Corporation scheduled to come a few days later? Why is he here now?*
The atmosphere became thick and suffocating. Neither spoke. The silence stretched on like an eternity.
Fortunately, Gerard returned just in time. "Vice President Nicole, I forgot to tell you that..."
He stopped mid-sentence as he saw the two people in the room, immediately sensing the awkward tension. "Oh, you've met..."
*I was still a step too late...*
Eric's voice cut through the silence like a blade. "What's this about stripping?"
Gerard recovered quickly, forcing a laugh. "Oh, right! Mr. Ferguson, you have a great figure too. Why don't you take off your clothes so we can scan your body and take a sample? Vice President Nicole, are you also interested? I wonder who will have the opportunity to pick a robot with Mr. Ferguson's figure..."
Nicole stood up abruptly, her face expressionless. "I'm not interested."
She turned to leave, but the "tiger" in her arms suddenly jumped down and ran straight to Eric's feet. It rubbed its head against his shoes, tugged at his pants with tiny paws, and whined, "Papa... Carry me..."
Nicole spun around in shock. Eric's face was cold and sullen as he bent down and grabbed the tiger by its neck. The robot's four legs flailed in the air as it protested, "Don't grab me by the neck... It's so uncomfortable..."
Eric seemed annoyed but held the tiger in his arms with surprising familiarity—as if he knew its temperament well. He raised his eyes to meet Nicole's gaze, about to speak, but Nicole only glanced at the tiger coldly, let out a grunt, and turned away without looking back.
Gerard watched Eric's increasingly gloomy expression and couldn't help but laugh softly. "She was so into that tiger just now—I was worried she might ask for it. But once you touched it, she doesn't even want to look at it anymore..."
Eric shot him a freezing glare. Gerard wisely touched his nose and fell silent.
Once Nicole left the building, her phone rang. It was Yvette, inviting her out for lunch at a nearby mall. Still rattled by the earlier encounter, Nicole needed a distraction. She informed Logan and went to meet Yvette.
They arrived at a newly opened restaurant where Yvette had already reserved a table. They ordered a feast and were nearly finished when Yvette suddenly burst out laughing while looking at her phone.
She handed the device to Nicole. "Look at this dumbass Ian!"
Nicole glanced at the screen and saw Ian's latest post. He had cropped the photo of Nicole and Eric dancing and replaced Eric's face with his own. The caption read: *This is more like it!*
Among the people who liked the post was Keith.
But what caught Nicole's attention most was a comment at the bottom—left by none other than Eric Ferguson himself.
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## Reader's Impressions & Star Rating
This chapter was a masterclass in tension and awkward comedy! The scene where Nicole tells Eric to strip, completely unaware it's him, had me cringing and laughing simultaneously. The dynamic between Nicole and Eric remains deliciously complicated—she's clearly affected by him but refuses to show it. The tiger robot scene was brilliant; it reveals so much about Eric's character that he already knows that robot, and Nicole's cold reaction when he touches it speaks volumes about her hurt pride. Ian's ridiculous photoshop attempt and Eric's mysterious comment set up a perfect cliffhanger. The pacing was excellent, balancing professional awkwardness with personal drama.
**Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.7 / 5 Stars**
## Next Chapter Prediction
Given Eric's comment on Ian's post, all hell is about to break loose. I predict Eric will confront Ian publicly or privately about the photoshopped image, possibly revealing his jealousy or claiming Nicole for himself. Meanwhile, Nicole will be caught between Ian's desperate attempts to win her over and Eric's growing possessive behavior. The tiger robot might play a key role—perhaps it's a secret link between Eric and Nicole, suggesting he's been watching her more closely than she realizes. And with Keith also involved by liking the post, a love triangle (or square) is about to explode!