Chapter 69 - 68 Pulling Some Strings
CHLOE
Broken glass crunches under Julian’s expensive leather shoes. The sharp noise doesn’t distract him from the scent of a massive profit. The ruined state of my family’s living room fades completely into the background. Silas has been sending men here almost every week to remind my parents that they owe him money and payback was coming.
This past month has been a horrible experience for our family, and even though it was my parents who borrowed the money, I still blame Emily for all this.
Emily has been the bane of my existence since childhood. There wasn’t anything special about her, yet she still seemed to attract all the men, and she finally attracted the one I wanted.
Julian Thorne.
I shake my head and try not to think too much about the past.
I sit on a relatively clean dining chair and put my laptop aside. I wipe the remaining tears from my cheeks with a crumpled tissue and try not to think about the fact that Julian didn’t properly comfort me before telling me his problems. He loves me. I should remember that.
"I just checked the academic registries just to be sure. Dr. Aris is definitely the man leading the clinical trials for the new drug."
Julian stops pacing across the shredded Persian rug. His dark brown eyes shine with intense ambition. I’ve not seen him this excited in a long time. He adjusts the crisp cuffs of his pristine navy suit. "And your university mentor? Professor Chase. How well does he actually know Dr. Aris?"
A confident smile stretches across my face. I cross my legs and smooth the wrinkles from my skirt. "They’re incredibly close. Professor Chase and Dr. Aris collaborate on cardiovascular research papers all the time. They have an excellent, longstanding relationship."
Julian steps directly into my personal space. His expensive, spicy cologne masks the dusty smell of our torn velvet sofa. He leans down, planting his hands on the armrests of my chair. His closeness still makes my skin tingle, and I can’t help but be excited all over again that he chose me over Emily.
"I need an introduction, Chloe. I need Thorne Medical to secure the SN1818 patent. It will be a huge opportunity for us to make millions of dollars. Something like this has never been seen before on the market. Everyone is clamoring for it. I need an advantage. Will you recommend my company to him?"
"Of course I will," I say. I reach up and rest my hands on his broad chest. The solid muscle beneath his suit jacket feels incredibly grounding. "I’ll do absolutely everything in my power to help you."
He smiles, but he doesn’t immediately offer any gratitude or anything. He just seems too desperate to notice, so I cut him some slack.
"Should we drive over to his office right now?" Julian asks. He already reaches into his pocket for his car keys.
"No," I say. I gently push his hand down. "Showing up unannounced is completely unprofessional. Let me call him first. I need to set the stage."
I pull my phone from my pocket. I scroll through my contacts and tap Professor Chase’s name. I press the cool glass screen to my ear. The line rings three times.
"Hello, Chloe," Professor Chase says. The man always sounds gravelly and thoroughly academic.
I pitch my voice an octave higher. I inject pure, deferential sweetness into my tone. "Good afternoon, Professor. I hope I’m not interrupting your work."
"You’re fine," he replies. "What matter do you wish to discuss today?"
I glance up at Julian. He watches me with rapt attention so I put the phone on the table and put it on speaker. "I wanted to ask you about the rumors circulating the medical community that I heard recently. Is the existence of this SN1818 actually real?"
A heavy, tired sigh sounds through the speaker. "This is probably the tenth call I’m getting just today about it. I can assure you, Miss Vance, the drug is entirely real. I reviewed the preliminary data alongside some of my colleagues. Thirty years of my own cardiovascular research ultimately failed to measure up to what this developer, Dr. Grayson, has achieved."
I roll my eyes. I hate hearing my mentor sound defeated. "Professor, please. Dr. Grayson just got lucky. It’s a complete fluke in the laboratory. Your foundational research is unmatched and requires true brilliance."
A dry, wry chuckle escapes him. "You’re far too kind to an old man, Chloe."
"Have you actually met this Gemma person?" I ask. I keep my tone light and conversational.
"No," Professor Chase says. "Dr. Aris mentioned just yesterday that Dr. Grayson refuses to see anyone other than himself. The developer is completely isolated."
I pivot smoothly to the real objective. "You sound exhausted, Professor. I’m with Julian right now. Would you allow Julian and I take you and Mrs. Chase out for a wonderful meal tonight. My treat."
Professor Chase laughs out loud this time. "You clearly have a favor to ask me, Chloe. Don’t you?"
I pout my lower lip, even though he can’t see me. I force a playful, charming whine into my voice. "Can a dedicated student not just want to see her favorite mentor? Please? Just a short dinner."
"Very well," he relents. "Come to the house this evening. Skip the restaurant and the dinner. Let’s keep the visit more intimate to avoid unwanted talks and unnecessary attention."
"We’ll see you soon," I say.
I hang up the phone. I look at Julian. His face is tight with anticipation.
"Go prepare a gift," I instruct him. "I know Professor Chase likes tea. Buy the most expensive vintage tea you can find. We’re visiting his home tonight."
Julian doesn’t waste a single second. He turns on his heel and heads straight for the front door. He sets out to make the necessary preparations.
I spend the rest of the day doing as much research as I can. I pour all my energy into it so I can help Julian as much as I can.
***
The early evening air brings a welcome chill to the streets. I ride in the passenger seat of Julian’s luxury sedan. He drives smoothly through the upscale residential district. He carries an ornate, hand-carved wooden box resting on the back seat. It contains a block of incredibly rare Da Hong Pao tea.
We arrive at Professor Chase’s residence just as the streetlights click on. The brick pathway leads up to a solid oak door.
Professor Chase welcomes us inside. His home smells of aged paper, rich ink, and sharp jasmine. He is a slender man with a receding hairline. He wears a beige knit cardigan over a crisp white collared shirt. His wire-rimmed glasses sit low on the bridge of his nose.
He accepts the ornate wooden box from Julian. He runs his fingers over the detailed carvings. He nods in quiet approval at the extravagant gift.
We sit in his private study. Leather-bound books line the walls from floor to ceiling. Julian and I sit on the plush leather guest chairs. Professor Chase takes his seat behind a massive mahogany desk.
He doesn’t waste time. Having already agreed to assist us during our earlier conversation, he reaches for his desk phone right in front of us. He dials Dr. Aris.
The room is completely silent. I hear the muffled ringing through the receiver.
"Chase, my old friend," Dr. Aris says. His voice is barely audible, but I strain my ears to catch every single word.
Professor Chase exchanges warm, polite pleasantries for exactly one minute. He asks about the weather and recent clinic hours. Then, he cuts straight to the chase.
"Are you currently looking for a business partner for Dr. Grayson?" Professor Chase asks. He leans back in his desk chair.
"I am," Dr. Aris replies. Curiosity bleeds into his tone. "The list of interested parties is growing quite long. Why do you ask?"
Professor Chase looks directly at Julian. "I have a young man sitting in my study right now. Julian Thorne. I want to recommend him and his company to you. I can personally vouch for his impeccable character. The strength and infrastructure of Thorne Medical Corporation are top-tier."
I hold my breath. My fingernails bite sharply into the soft leather of my purse. I pray this works.
A brief pause follows. The antique grandfather clock in the corner ticks loudly.
"Thorne Medical does have a very impressive track record," Dr. Aris acknowledges.
A massive, triumphant smile breaks across Julian’s handsome face. He turns to me. His dark eyes shine with pure excitement. He reaches over and squeezes my knee tight. I smile back at him. My chest swells with pride. I delivered exactly what he needed.
Professor Chase maintains his relaxed, casual demeanor. He adjusts his glasses. "Would a collaboration with Thorne Medical be feasible for this project?"
I watch Professor Chase tap a silver pen against the mahogany wood. The rhythm is slow and steady. The smell of the brewing jasmine tea drifts in from the kitchen down the hall. It mixes with the expensive leather scent of Julian’s car still clinging to his suit jacket.
Julian leans forward slightly. He hangs on every single word coming through that telephone receiver. His ambition is a physical presence in the room. It radiates off him like heat from a furnace. This is why I chose him. He’s driven. He’s powerful. He’s everything Emily will never have.
Dr. Aris clears his throat on the other end of the line. "Feasible? Certainly. The infrastructure Thorne Medical possesses is exactly the scale Dr. Grayson requires for mass production and distribution."
My heart leaps against my ribs. I press my lips together to stop myself from laughing out loud in sheer victory.
Professor Chase smiles. The wrinkles around his eyes crinkle deeply. "That’s excellent news. Julian’s highly motivated. He understands the profound impact SN1818 will have on the global market."
"I have several meetings scheduled for tomorrow evening," Dr. Aris says. "I’m reviewing the prospectuses for the shortlisted candidates. I’ll add Thorne Medical to the primary consideration list."
"Thank you, old friend," Professor Chase says. "I appreciate you taking the time to listen."
"Always a pleasure, Chase. Have a good evening."
The line disconnects with a soft click.
Professor Chase places the receiver back onto the cradle. He looks across the desk at us. "The door is open, Julian. The rest is entirely up to your negotiation skills."
Julian stands up immediately. He buttons his suit jacket with a crisp, practiced motion. He extends his hand across the desk. "Professor, I can’t thank you enough for this introduction. You have my absolute gratitude."
Professor Chase shakes his hand firmly. "Just ensure the medicine reaches the patients who need it most. That’s all I ask."
We say our final goodbyes and step back out into the cool night. The heavy oak door closes behind us.
Julian turns to me the second we reach the sidewalk. He grabs me by the waist and pulls me flush against his chest. He kisses me hard. His lips are warm and demanding, and I open up to let him kiss me. My skin tingles all over, and I lean more into him.
"You’re incredible, Chloe," Julian whispers against my mouth. "You just handed me the key to the medical industry."
I wrap my arms around his neck. I look up at his handsome face illuminated by the streetlights. "I told you I’d take care of it. We’re going to win."