Chapter 44 Want to Rely on Looks to Rise to the Top?
After hanging up, Daisy stood in the living room, gripping her phone, her emotions unsettled for a long time after the call ended.
The lab had been unsealed.
For the past two weeks, she’d been staying with Sophie, and taking care of the house. Though she'd been busy enough, it felt like a heavy weight was pressing on her heart.
The project was halted, the bacterial strains were dead, and the samples were gone. Everything she had poured her blood, sweat, and tears into, day and night were gone. The loss couldn't be measured in money.
She didn't dare think about it, she didn't want to. She could only keep herself busy, and leave no time for random thoughts.
Now, finally, there was a result.
That heavy weight in her heart had disappeared. She felt light as air, like she could float away.
Daisy was so shaken that she completely missed the strange look on her daughter’s face when she heard the news.
Early the next morning, Daisy rushed to the lab.
The police were already there. Several workers were tearing down the seals, and the equipment that had been confiscated was being brought back.
Amy and several researchers had also arrived, standing by the side, chattering away.
"Hey, Ms. Hart's here!" Amy spotted her and called out. The researchers all turned to look her way.
"Ms. Hart."
Daisy walked over and looked at everyone. "Let's go. Let's get inside and clean up. We start work tomorrow!"
Everything in the lab was just as she'd left it.
Equipment, reagents, bacterial strains, stacks of experimental data... everything was still there. They could start over again.
For the next few days, Daisy practically lived in the lab—taking inventory of losses, re-culturing bacterial strains, organizing data, contacting suppliers. There was so much to do she barely had time to drink water.
But her heart had never felt more settled.
This was her battlefield, her position. As long as she held it, she could keep fighting.
That afternoon, she was observing newly cultured cells under the microscope when her phone suddenly rang. It was Ethan.
"At the lab?"
"Yeah." Daisy leaned against the lab bench, rubbing her tired eyes. "What's up? Want to come by?"
"Yeah, I want to come see you." Ethan's voice carried a smile. "And tell you some good news. Is now a good time?"
Daisy smiled too. "You're the most important investor in this project. Anytime you come is a good time!"
Forty minutes later, Ethan appeared at the lab entrance.
He wore a dark gray trench coat, his hair freshly styled and slicked back with gel. Gold-rimmed glasses sat on his nose, making him look both distinguished and sharp.
He was also carrying a food container, which he lifted with a smile when he saw Daisy.
"Here, brought this for you. I figured you've been super busy these past few days and probably haven't been eating properly."
Daisy paused, then took the container and opened it. Inside was all her favorite food, still steaming hot.
"Thanks, Ethan." Her heart warmed. "How did you know I like these?"
"Oh right, I almost forgot to ask—what's the good news you wanted to tell me?"
Ethan smiled. "Eat first. I'll tell you after."
Daisy hadn't felt hungry before, but seeing the big food container, her stomach growled immediately.
She didn't stand on ceremony and sat down to eat.
Ethan sat beside her, watching her practically wolf down the food, his gaze gradually softening.
Daisy quickly wiped her mouth and looked at him.
"Can you tell me now?"
Ethan stopped teasing and pulled a document from his briefcase, handing it to her.
"Take a look at this."
Daisy took it and looked. All the blood in her body rushed to her head, and she sprung to her feet.
It was an appointment letter.
Ethan Reed, on behalf of Reed Corporation, was formally hiring her as a special consultant.
"This... this..."
The letter spelled everything out clearly.
Basically, whenever the project needed more funding in the future, it could proceed as a company collaboration project.
And Daisy herself could draw an additional salary—an eye-popping annual salary.
"Sign this, and from now on you just focus on research. Everything else, leave it to me." Ethan smiled.
Daisy's mouth fell open unconsciously. For a while, she was speechless.
These past two weeks, though she'd been taking care of Sophie, her mind had been on the lab the whole time.
She knew Ethan had been helping her deal with everything—the police, the insurance company, all those messy investigations. Everything she wasn't good at handling, he'd been running around doing, negotiating, solving.
She thought he was just doing his duty as an investor, but she never expected...
When she spoke again, her voice was hoarse. "Ethan, I really don't know how to thank you."
Ethan waved his hand. "Thank me for what? I'm an investor. I haven't seen a return on my money yet. I can't just watch the project fall apart."
"Besides—"
He paused, his smile suddenly fading, his gaze turning serious.
"Daisy, you're the most talented researcher I've ever met. This project deserves to continue. And you deserve better support."
Daisy's eyes were burning, her whole body felt hot.
She suddenly stood up, stepped forward, and hugged him.
"Thank you, really thank you."
Ethan stiffened for a moment, then gently patted her back.
"Alright, alright. It's not that big a deal."
There was suddenly a commotion at the door.
Daisy let go of him and turned to look. Several company employees were standing at the entrance, looking at them in shock.
"Mr. Reed..." one of them stammered. "We... we didn't mean to..."
Ethan's expression didn't change. He simply said coolly, "It's fine. You can go."
The group fled like they'd been pardoned.
Daisy felt a bit embarrassed. "Ethan, I... sorry, I was just too excited."
"It's fine." Ethan smiled. "Actually, there's a board meeting this afternoon. Come with me, and we'll announce your consultant position."
At two o'clock that afternoon, Daisy tidied herself up briefly and went to the company with Ethan.
Come to think of it, this was her first time attending a board meeting. The long conference table was filled with people—all company executives and shareholders.
Daisy sat next to Ethan, very nervous.
Ethan stood up and cleared his throat. "Everyone, I've called you here today to make an announcement."
He looked at Daisy. "Starting today, Ms. Daisy will serve as a special consultant to our company, and will be responsible for technical guidance and project evaluation in the biopharmaceutical sector."
The conference room went quiet for a second, then filled with whispers.
A middle-aged man suddenly stood up, pushed up his glasses down the bridge of his nose, and fixed his gaze on Daisy.
"Mr. Reed, forgive me for being blunt, but biopharmaceuticals are our company's main business. We can't be careless about it."
"As for the special consultant position, while there's no limit on numbers, it's still a technical role. Having some empty-headed beauty fill it seems inappropriate, don't you think?"
"Exactly." Another person chimed in. "If she wants to sleep her way to the top, secretary would be fine. But special consultant isn't a position just anyone can hold."