Chapter 46 Research
ANNA'S POV
“That’s really humble of you to do so, ma’am, and if it works then everyone would remember your name as something more.” The reporter said as she finally took her seat, her eyes lingering on me for a brief second before she adjusted the papers on her lap.
I gave a short nod in response, my hands resting calmly by my sides even though my shoulders were starting to feel stiff from standing there for so long. Before I could even take a breath, another hand went up in the air. Then another. It seemed like I was going to be answering a lot of questions today whether I wanted to or not.
I pointed lightly in the direction of one of the raised hands, giving a small nod to let her know she could speak.
“A quick question,” the reporter said as she stood up, her voice confident, almost sharp. “Research shows that you were once in a relationship with the current managing director of Greenleaf Med years ago, and now you’re building a pharmaceutical company that looks just as good and maintains the same high standards as Greenleaf Med. In any way, are you doing this to get back at Mr. James Reed for breaking up with you?”
There they go again.
Just like I expected, they were dragging my past into this. I had known it wouldn’t take long before James’ name was brought up, but hearing it spoken so casually, like my entire career was tied to a failed relationship, irritated me more than I expected.
Was this really what they came here for?
I slowly exhaled, keeping my expression neutral as I looked around the room. Some of the reporters leaned forward in their seats, clearly interested, while others held their pens in the air, ready to write down whatever dramatic response they were hoping for.
And how could she even think that I was opening this company just to get back at James? After everything I had said, after making it clear again and again that my focus was on helping people who couldn’t afford treatment, this was still the angle they wanted to push.
“Didn’t you get the memo in the beginning?” I said, my voice steady but noticeably colder than before. “I clearly stated that I’m not taking personal questions. If any of you think I’m doing this to get back at someone who is no longer in my life, even after everything I’ve said here today, then it only tells me that you came here for the wrong reason.”
The room went quiet for a brief moment.
I watched as the reporter’s confident expression faltered slightly before she forced a polite smile and slowly sat back down. Disappointment was written all over her face. They weren’t here to understand my work or my goals, they were here to look for stories, scandals, and headlines, even if they had to twist the truth to get them.
Another hand went up almost immediately, breaking the silence.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” a different reporter said as she stood. “Now that the launch is official, when will the company be open? When can patients start coming here to get treated?”
That was a question I was more than willing to answer.
“The company will be open to the public starting from tomorrow,” I said, leaning slightly toward the microphone. “If you’re sick and seeking treatment, once you come in, there will be a medical professional assigned to you who will guide you through the entire procedure.”
I paused briefly before continuing.
“Our prices will be displayed on our official website, which is already live. But in case you’re unable to check it right now, I’ll say it clearly — one full box of the medication required to treat the virus will cost two hundred dollars.”
The reaction was immediate.
I saw eyes widen, mouths part slightly, and a few reporters exchanged glances with one another. The disbelief in their faces was almost impossible to miss.
“Wow,” one of them said, unable to hide her shock. “That’s surprisingly low compared to the current cost of hepatitis C treatment, which can run into thousands of dollars.”
“Like I said earlier,” I replied calmly, “my cure is accessible to all. That has always been the goal. We’ll be open from ten a.m. tomorrow.”
That seemed to be the confirmation they needed.
Without waiting for another question, I turned back toward the building entrance. One of the staff members handed me the large ceremonial scissors, the red ribbon stretched tightly across the glass doors in front of me.
I positioned the scissors carefully and cut through the ribbon in one clean motion, officially opening the company.
A small round of applause followed. I turned back to the crowd with a composed smile, gave a brief wave, and held my posture long enough for the cameras to capture their shots before I turned around and walked into the building.
Outside, security immediately stepped forward, preventing the reporters and media from entering the premises. Since I was done taking questions, they understood it was time for them to leave.
Inside, the building felt quiet
There were no patients, no doctors moving around yet, no receptionists behind the desks. Everything was ready, perfectly arranged and waiting. The medications were stocked, the equipment was in place, and every room was prepared. Apart from my personal assistant walking beside me, the space was empty. The rest of the staff will start work tomorrow.
My phone vibrated in my hand.
I glanced down at the screen and saw Dan’s name.
Hey, how did the opening go? I wish I could have been there. By the way, I’ve bought the shares you asked for in Greenleaf Med.
A small smile tugged at my lips.
That was good news.
That part of my plan had worked perfectly. There was now an unknown investor inside Greenleaf Med, and from here on, I would keep scaling higher, slowly but surely, until I reached the level I wanted. Once that happened, exposing James Reed for the fraud he truly was would only be a matter of time.
Of course, climbing up to that shareholder level wouldn’t happen overnight. It would take patience.
But until then, I had something else in mind — something small. This wasn’t the real deal yet. Just an appetizer.
Ever since I discovered that Greenleaf Med was having issues with the formula James stole from me, the idea had been sitting quietly at the back of my mind. I created that formula years ago, and I still remembered it as clearly as if I had worked on it yesterday.
Now that my pharmaceutical company had officially launched, I was going to recreate that same formula properly. I was going to fix it, refine it, and permanently cure the patients that James’ flawed version had failed.
The medication was one of a kind.
If people were smart, they would eventually notice the similarities. They would start asking questions. They would begin to wonder how James Reed had “created” something years ago that was now being done better — cleaner by me.
And when that realization finally hit them, they would know the truth.
James Reed took credit for my work