Selena leaned closer to Jaden and spoke softly, her tone laced with unease. “Yes… she’s Carley Rajar—the daughter of the Rajar family, one of the Southern Four. She’s also the CEO of Cathay Pharmaceuticals.”Jaden’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Rajar… I’ve heard that name before.”Selena nodded. “You have. They control a massive share of the South’s pharmaceutical trade. Ruthless, rich, and politically connected.”Her voice dipped lower, a trace of bitterness seeping through. “Three years ago, I attended a charity fundraising event on behalf of my family. Carley was there too.”Jaden could tell from her tone that what came next wasn’t a pleasant memory.“At that event,” Selena continued, “Carley donated eight million. The other attendees—businessmen, tycoons, even politicians—made sure to donate less than that. It was her moment. Everyone wanted to stay on her good side.”She paused, her lips tightening slightly. “But I didn’t know. Grandpa told me to donate ten million, so I did. Just fo

The bodyguards behind Carley lunged as one, a wall of suits and muscle barreling toward Jaden. The room tightened into a pressure cooker. Glasses stilled midair. Conversations died. Everyone braced for the violence they had expected all along.Then a voice cut through the thunder. “Stop!”Heads snapped toward the entrance. Professor Abraham Manuel entered with the calm authority of a man used to being obeyed. Rita Manuel walked at his side, pale but steady. Jason Moore followed close behind, eyes sharp. Morganna and a handful of Professor Manuel’s aides trailed them. Behind the group came another dozen armed guards, their presence like a steel fence around the professor’s party.Carley’s face, still red from Jaden’s slap, changed immediately. Hope flared in her expression. She pushed free of the hands that had steadied her and ran to the professor as if he were a judge who could issue an immediate sentence.“Professor Manuel,” she cried, voice high with self-righteous fury. “You came

Voices rose around the hall like a hive being rattled. Suit collars strained. Men who had come with checkbooks clenched them heavier. The objections were sharp and immediate."Her company is clearly inferior to ours. Why does she get the vaccine rights?""Yeah, exactly. Our corporation is bigger and we have deeper pockets. Our agency fee is at least three times hers.""Professor Manuel, aren't you being too hasty in your decision?"The room pressed in on Professor Manuel, but he did not flinch. He raised a hand and the din cut off like a switch."When I invited you all, it was because I expected a circle of professionals," he said, his voice steady and precise. "I retracted my invitation to President Chad Brandy of Leud Pharmaceuticals because of his indecent behavior. You saw him turned away. You saw Carley Rajar thrown out."He let that sink in. Cameras clicked. Notes were scribbled. The wealthy, the powerful, the entitled—all of them registered the same fact: Professor Manuel put c

The room held its breath as Selena finished her speech. She thanked Professor Manuel again, thanked the researchers and the donors, and promised Rift Pharmaceuticals would put every cent and every resource into making the vaccine affordable and accessible. She invited independent experts to monitor production and pricing. She spoke about responsibility, about lives saved, and about doing the right thing even when it costs money. Her voice was steady. Her eyes shone. People who had come to assess profits instead found themselves moved by a conviction they did not expect.Applause swelled until it became a roar. Photographers pushed forward. Executives who had scoffed minutes earlier clapped with polite smiles. Investors scribbled notes. The mayor and the medical board exchanged discreet nods. The announcement had changed the tenor of the evening. The vaccine was no longer just a product. For the first time since the news broke, a moral claim had been placed on it.From the floor, Jaden

For a full ten seconds, silence filled the room—nothing but the steady rhythm of their breathing. Jaden stood firm, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Morganna met his gaze, chin lifted, eyes flashing with defiance. Neither blinked.It was a silent war of willpower, and neither seemed willing to lose.Finally, Jaden sighed. The corner of his mouth twitched in reluctant amusement. “Fine. You asked for it. Don’t come crying to me when you regret it.”Morganna’s pulse quickened. The way he said it—calm, almost warning—made her chest tighten a little. But her pride wouldn’t let her back down. With a faint smirk, she folded her arms and said, “I’m not afraid. It’s not like you’re some bad guy.”Jaden gave her a long look, the kind that said you have no idea what you’re talking about. He almost laughed.Minutes later, the two left Winter Hall. Jaden climbed into the driver’s seat of his old Volkswagen Polo while Morganna slipped into the passenger side, adjusting her hair like she was