Chapter 330

Verena leaned in, her elbows settling on the desk as she laced her fingers together. Her steady gaze radiated a sense of unwavering professionalism.

"I want to really get a feel for how things are running across the company," said Verena. "Let's start with each department. Fill me in on what everyone's responsible for and how the teams are structured."

She glanced at Molly and continued, "I'm also curious about how everyone's doing at work, not just the day -to-day, but the atmosphere too. Teamwork and morale matter a lot for our growth."

Her eyes sharpened as she added, "I'd like a breakdown of where most of our customers are coming from-both the industries and the regions.That's going to be key for planning out our next moves in the market."

Verena leaned back, her tone becoming gentler."I know that's a lot to cover, so there's no rush to give me everything now. Just take your time and put together a thorough report. When it's ready, send it over so I can review all the details carefully."

Molly managed a polite smile and answered in a low voice, "Understood."

Verena spun her pen between her fingers, her gaze thoughtful. "One more thing-what are the top projects we're working on right now? How are they progressing? Have we run into any big problems lately?"

Molly hesitated at first, but honesty won out as she replied, "Because of the spike in flu cases this season,we've created a new treatment. It's almost ready for release-just a few last steps before it hits the shelves."

Verena offered a quiet nod. "The flu making the rounds this year isn't like the old ones. People are dealing with more than just coughs and fevers-muscle aches have become a real problem. This new formula should help with that specifically."

She lifted her head, her eyes focused. "So, what do the latest clinical trials show? Does the new medication actually relieve these symptoms? Have we encountered any setbacks or complications in development?"

Distracted thoughts flickered across Molly's face, but when she looked up and met Verena's eyes, she forced herself to stay focused.

She gave a nod before saying,"The early results from the clinical trials turned out better than expected. The data strongly support the drug's safety and how well it works. Production is already lined up, and both the packaging and marketing efforts are moving along without a hitch. As soon as we get through the last stage of approval, we'll be ready to roll it out into the market."

She paused, sneaking a look at Verena, who seemned deep in thought, her brow slightly creased in concentration.

A flicker of doubt crossed her mind, but Molly quickly composed herself. "You can count on this. The whole team has poured their energy into bringing this medication to life. From the earliest stages of research right through to clinical testing, we've given every detail our full attention. I promise, there won't be any mistakes."

Verena regarded her in silence for a heartbeat, and then allowed a gentle smile to form. "Thank you, Miss Kirk. I see how hard everyone's been working. I trust your judgment, and I'm excited to see the launch go smoothly. That's all for now. Please continue with your day."

Relief washed over Molly as she got up, maintaining a steady, confident smile. "You have my word. I'll be on top of everything, every step of the way."

Without another word, she slipped out of the office. When the door clicked shut, the smile faded from Verena's face,replaced by a thoughtful stillness.

She leaned back, letting the leather chair turn toward the sprawling cityscape outside the window.

Towering buildings lined the busy streets, cars moving in endless streams far below.

A faint frown touched her brow as she drifted deep into her own thoughts.

With her background in medicine, Verena understood just how many hurdles stood between a promising compound and a finished product. Every new drug traveled a difficult path-from experiments in the lab,through rounds of testing on patients, all the way to the daunting stage of market approval.

There was no illusion that any of this would be easy.

Earlier, Verena had fired off three sharp questions, one after the other. Molly's answers to the first two were sharp and on point, each word careful and deliberate.

But when the conversation shifted to the setbacks and complications in development, Molly's response grew vague,her words skirting around the heart of the issue.

Was Molly dismissing those challenges as trivial? Or was she keeping something out of sight,maybe even "You got it, Mrs. Bennett," said Zeke, his tone crisp and steady.

...

As evening painted the city in neon colors, Verena sat in the back of the car, her face set in deep concentration. The world outside the window was just a blur as her thoughts spun.

A moment later, Zeke's figure appeared on the sidewalk. He rapped his knuckles softly against the glass.

Jolted from her reverie, Verena lowered the window.

Without a word, Zeke passed her a slim folder.

Verena accepted the file, her eyes scanning the street for signs of prying eyes before she spoke quietly."Was anyone watching?"

If word got out and the drug team had anything to hide, they would waste no time erasing the evidence.Chasing answers would become a nightmare.

Zeke reassured her, saying, "No need to worry,Mrs.Bennett. I picked it up when the place was empty.Nobody saw a thing."

Zeke didn't take the situation lightly. He knew exactly how fragile Verena's standing in the company had become,and that awareness made him tread carefully with every step he took.

Verena gave a quiet nod and said, "I appreciate what you've done, Zeke."

As the car drifted through the city,streaks of neon spilled over Verena, painting her features in shifting colors.

She flipped open the folder and pulled out a small,sealed bag-inside, the new pills sat untouched and gleaming.

Setting the bag down, she turned to the stack of documents, leafing through page after page while the faint sound of paper echoed inside the car.

With every new line she read, her brow furrowed a little more.

At first glance, the drug's formula looked by-the-book, yet something about the ingredient ratios struck her as odd.

Just reading through the report wasn't enough to put her suspicions to rest.

Verena exhaled quietly, placing the papers aside as her eyes drifted to the unopened packet. Clearly, she would have to dig much deeper.

Back at Sampson Villa,lights glowed brightly into the night.

With Luis away handling business, Verena lingered after dinner, sharing quiet conversation with her parents in the living room.

By the time she slipped back into her room, the clock was already creeping toward ten.

Steam still clung to her skin after a quick shower, and she toweled her hair dry before settling at her desk.The sealed bag lay waiting.

She poured one pill into her palm, rolling it between her fingers, curiosity sharpening her gaze.

Raising it to her nose, she drew in a faint whiff of medicine.

She snapped the pill in half-an even,crisp break that left a fine powder clinging to her fingertips.

Turning the pieces over in her hand, she examined the shade, the consistency, and the grain of the crushed medicine.

A frown began to form, her confusion clear.

For all the fuss over this new formula, it felt oddly familiar. Everything about it, down to the scent and texture, reminded her of nothing more than ordinary cold medicine.