Lullaby 278

“It’s fine.”

Elissa smiled. “People’s hearts are hard to read. Until something actually happens, you never really know.”

She paused for a moment, then asked for confirmation. “Did they say who put them up to it?”

She suspected Marcia was involved, but the logic didn’t quite add up.

After all, Marcia had been biding her time, just waiting to reap the benefits. Why would she send someone to sabotage the data?

“No one,” Zachary Jones replied. Worried he hadn’t been clear, he added, “No one gave them orders.”

Saying it out loud, Zachary felt even more embarrassed. “Those two

idiots just couldn’t stand that you’re younger than them. At first, Raymond wasn’t planning to go along with James, but after trying to cozy up to you and realizing he still wasn’t getting anywhere, he just—”

Of course, what they said was even nastier than that.

They couldn’t get over the fact that a woman like Elissa was in charge of

them.

Noticing the slight furrow in Elissa’s brow, Zachary remembered something and gave a quick grin. “By the way, we don’t have to worry about Marcia swooping in to take credit anymore.”

“Oh? How’s that?”

Wasn’t this supposed to be a government–backed joint research project?

Zachary pointed upward. “Our Mr. Murphy wasn’t happy about it. He personally made sure the joint project got canned, said we’d handle the research ourselves. Told everyone plainly that our team could get it done

on our own.”

Zachary was more than pleased at the news.

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10:27

That Marcia woman was all scheming and no substance, just waiting to swoop in and profit off others‘ work.

For people actually doing the research, nothing was worse than having to deal with someone like her.

Lab work was exhausting enough–having to waste energy watching your back for petty politics made it feel like the sky was falling.

Elissa was caught off guard. She hadn’t expected Rowan, with everything else on his plate, to care about this.

She was about to say something when Zachary dropped his voice, eager to gossip. “Even Director Murphy got demoted over this. From now on, all she gets is a share of the profits–no real authority left.”

Elissa had never dealt with the Murphy Group’s upper management, but she knew Karol was the head of R&D.

She also remembered that, no matter how arrogant Rowan was when he returned home, he’d always show Karol some respect.

But this time…

Clearly, Rowan was serious about this project.

A thought struck Elissa: if she managed to finish developing this drug quickly, maybe she’d have the leverage to negotiate with Rowan. Maybe she could get him to tear up that draconian contract.

This drug could bring the Murphy Group far more profit than three billion.

Way more than enough to cover any penalty fees, several times over.

The more Elissa thought about it, the more determined she felt, and her

motivation soared.

As evening fell and Elissa was preparing to work late and push the project forward, her phone rang. It was Paige Murphy, the matriarch herself.

Elissa set aside her work, walked over to the window, and pulled the

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10:27

blackout curtain shut. “Grandma.”

“There’ll be guests at the house tonight. You’ll be home for dinner.”

It wasn’t a request; it was a command.

The old woman’s style, as always.

Élissa gazed through the floor–to–ceiling window at the rush hour traffic below. Her tone was flat. “I don’t have time tonight.”

The matriarch’s voice pressed through the phone, cold and forceful. “Do you think that just because Frank’s protecting you, I can’t do anything

about it?”

Elissa silently drew a slow breath. “I really am busy.”

”