Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter 27
Lucian immediately set aside his work, a furrow deepening between his brows. “Who is he?” Images of Roxanne leaving the night before with a stranger flashed across his mind, fueling an unsettling feeling in his chest.
“The man’s name is Colby,” Cayden responded cautiously, noting the change in Lucian’s demeanor. “He’s the person in charge of the VR Research Institute. He also treated Mr. Farwell previously.”
Lucian’s jaw tightened as his thoughts raced. The name “Colby” didn’t give him much, but the mention of Roxanne’s connection to him made his mind whirl with unanswered questions. Cayden noticed Lucian’s discomfort and continued, choosing his words carefully, “Colby is still single. From what I gather, there’s no indication that he and Ms. Jarvis have any romantic connection. It’s possible they knew each other from university—they both studied medicine.”
Lucian’s expression softened slightly at the thought, his initial concern shifting, but a new question arose. “Anything else? About Roxanne?”
Cayden hesitated, visibly uncomfortable with the lack of concrete information. “This is all we know about him. As for Ms. Jarvis, she only recently returned to the country. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to dig up any details on what she’s been doing or where she was before her return.”
Lucian’s eyes darkened with frustration, his displeasure evident at the vague answers. But he dismissed it, knowing that pursuing more information right now would be futile. His thoughts veered to another matter. “How is Old Mr. Queen doing?”
Cayden’s face shifted to one of concern. “It’s not looking good. They’ve consulted with all the top doctors, both local and international, but none of them have been able to help.”
Lucian nodded, his expression hardening as he processed the news. “Reschedule my plans for tomorrow night. I’ll go visit Old Mr. Queen.”
“Understood,” Cayden replied quickly, nodding before he turned to leave.
Once Cayden had gone, Lucian’s thoughts drifted back to the events of the past few days, particularly Roxanne’s return and the situation with Colby. The unease he felt only seemed to grow.
VR Research Institute, The Next Day
Roxanne and Colby were hard at work, contacting every medical ingredient supplier in Horington. Time was running out for the institute—they were running out of supplies, and their ongoing projects were at risk. The clock was ticking, and the pressure was building.
Colby had tried reaching out to suppliers before, but his previous requests had been swiftly rejected. However, now that they were desperate, they had no choice but to try again.
“VR Research Institute? We’ve already had this conversation,” came the immediate rejection on the other end of the phone line. “Your asking price is too low. We’re not interested in collaborating.”
Roxanne’s grip on the phone tightened, her frustration mounting. “We can increase the price from our original offer. What about an increase of half a decimal point? There’s always room for negotiation—let’s work out a feasible plan.”
The person on the other end didn’t hesitate. “Still too low. We need at least a three-decimal-point increase, or we’re not interested. Take it or leave it.”
The boldness of the demand made Roxanne’s blood boil. With no time to waste, she hung up abruptly, her eyes flashing with annoyance.
Colby, standing nearby, was equally grim. He had been getting the same responses all day. “I’m so sorry, Dr. Galloway. All of our supplies have been booked already. We don’t have any extra at the moment.”
The excuse was clearly just that—an excuse. Colby’s face darkened, but he responded with a simple, “Understood.”
The phone calls dragged on for the entire day, but by the next afternoon, nothing had changed. Some suppliers were polite, some impatient, but the result was always the same: No one was willing to collaborate. Worse, one supplier outright told Roxanne they would never work with the VR Research Institute. They didn’t provide a reason, but the implication was clear—it wasn’t just business; someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.
As Roxanne hung up yet another fruitless call, she exchanged a glance with Colby. They both knew what was going on.
“It’s Aubree, isn’t it?” Roxanne muttered under her breath, her voice laced with a quiet fury.
Colby nodded grimly. “It’s the only explanation. She’s using her influence to shut us down.”
The realization settled heavily in the room. Aubree, despite everything, had enough sway to disrupt their operations. And now, they were being forced to navigate the aftermath of her silent sabotage.
Roxanne’s jaw clenched in frustration. “We can’t let her get away with this.”
Colby sighed deeply. “We’ll find another way. Horington is big—there has to be someone else willing to work with us.”
Roxanne gave him a tight, determined nod, but the worry still gnawed at her. How long could they keep up this fight before their research, and the future of the institute, fell apart?
