Chapter 73 The Special Talent Candidate
The window table on the second floor was quieter than the main dining room.
Fewer guests. Softer music. A view of the river that stretched for miles. Veyra sat across from Dr. Harrison, her hands folded on the white tablecloth. Li Wei stood a few feet away, his back to the wall, his eyes scanning the room.
Dr. Harrison had ordered for both of them. Soup. Salad. A main course of sea bass. A bottle of sparkling water.
Veyra had not touched her fork.
"Dr. Harrison," she said. "You mentioned the university."
He nodded. He set down his napkin. His eyes were kind.
"I spoke with the president of Etland University of Medicine," he said. "I showed him your research. Your formulas. Your test results."
Veyra’s heart jumped. She set down her glass. "What did he say?"
"He was impressed. Very impressed." Dr. Harrison smiled. "He has agreed to admit you as a special talent candidate. Your lack of formal education will be waived. Your practical knowledge and research will serve as your credentials."
Veyra’s breath caught. "Special talent candidate?"
"It’s a designation for individuals who demonstrate exceptional ability outside traditional academic pathways. It’s rare. Very rare." He paused. "But you have earned it."
Veyra felt tears prick at her eyes. She blinked them away.
"When?" she asked. "When would I start?"
"The admissions office will contact you in the next few days. They will request your materials—identification, background information, a personal statement." Dr. Harrison reached across the table and patted her hand. "After that, they will send your admission notice."
Veyra’s hands were shaking. She pressed them flat against the table.
"I don’t know how to thank you," she said.
"You already have. You saved my patient’s life. You developed a drug that will save thousands more." He leaned back. "This is not charity, Mrs. Thorne. This is an investment. In you. In your future."
Veyra nodded. She picked up her fork. She took a bite of the sea bass. It was delicious. She barely tasted it.
"I want to treat everyone," she said. "To thank you. For everything."
Dr. Harrison laughed. "You already insisted on paying for this meal."
"I know. But I mean everyone. Li Wei. The bodyguards. The people who have helped me." She looked at Li Wei. He was pretending not to listen. "A celebration. When the admission notice arrives."
Dr. Harrison raised his water glass. "I look forward to it."
Veyra clinked her glass against his.
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes.
Then Veyra set down her fork. She wiped her mouth with her napkin.
"Dr. Harrison," she said. "I’ve been thinking about the licensing agreement."
He looked at her. "Yes?"
"I don’t want to sell the formula outright. For a one-time payment."
Dr. Harrison’s eyebrows rose. "What do you want instead?"
"I want to use my technology as an investment. Equity. Shares in the company that produces it." Veyra’s voice was steady. "I don’t want a lump sum. I want long-term growth. I want to be part of the process. Part of the decision-making."
Dr. Harrison leaned back in his chair. He studied her face.
"That’s ambitious," he said.
"I know."
"It’s also smart. A one-time payment is finite. Equity can grow. It can generate income for years. Decades."
Veyra nodded. "That’s what I thought."
Dr. Harrison was quiet for a moment. Then he smiled.
"You have a good head for business, Mrs. Thorne. I underestimated you."
"Most people do."
Dr. Harrison folded his hands on the table.
"Finding the right partner will not be easy," he said. "There are factors to consider."
Veyra leaned forward. "Tell me."
"Large pharmaceutical companies have deep pockets. They could pay you a fortune for the formula. But technology-based equity investment with them would dilute your shares. You would have a seat at the table, but no voice. They would make the decisions. You would collect the checks."
Veyra frowned. "That’s not what I want."
"I didn’t think so." Dr. Harrison continued. "Mid-sized pharmaceutical companies are different. They need blockbuster drugs. They need something that will put them on the map. Your SN1818 is exactly that."
He paused.
"You would have negotiating power. Leverage. They would need you more than you need them." He smiled. "But finding the right mid-sized company—one with integrity, resources, and a compatible vision—is not easy."
Veyra’s heart sank. "So what do I do?"
"You wait. I will release the news that a new cardiac serum has been developed. I will not mention your name. Interested companies will contact me. I will screen them."
Veyra nodded slowly. "How long will that take?"
"A few weeks. Maybe a month. Good things take time, Mrs. Thorne."
She took a breath. "I trust you."
Dr. Harrison’s expression softened.
"You trust me," he repeated. "That is good. Because I have ulterior motives for helping you."
Veyra’s pulse quickened. "What do you mean?"
He held up his hand. "I will not tell you now. Not yet. When I find you a suitable partner, I will explain."
Veyra studied his face. The kindness in his eyes. The lines around his mouth. She had known him for only a short time. But he had saved Lily’s life. He had believed in her formula. He had opened doors for her.
She decided to trust him.
"Okay," she said. "I won’t ask."
Dr. Harrison nodded. "Thank you."
Veyra picked up her water glass. She took a sip.
"One more thing," she said.
"Yes?"
"When companies ask about the developer of SN1818, I don’t want my real name used."
Dr. Harrison’s eyebrows rose. "Why not?"
"I have enemies. My ex-husband. His mistress. People who would try to take advantage of me or discredit me." She paused. "I want to protect myself. And the baby."
Dr. Harrison considered this. "What name do you want to use?"
Veyra had thought about it on the drive over. A name that was not hers. A name that would not lead back to Caspian or the Thorne family.
"Grace Tong," she said.
Dr. Harrison smiled. "Grace Tong. I like it. Very simple, elegant and unmemorable."
"That’s the point."
He pulled out his phone. He typed a note. "Grace Tong. I will remember."
They finished their meal.
The plates were cleared. The table was wiped. Dr. Harrison set his napkin aside.
Veyra leaned back in her chair. The view was still stunning, then she remembered.
"Dr. Harrison," she said. "On our way here. Xie Heng was waiting for you outside the building. He knelt. He called you ’Old Gao.’ What did he want?"
Dr. Harrison’s face darkened.