Chapter 5
HarperTech Group's private lab building sat right in Eastgate Tech Park.
Victor was already waiting for me in the lobby.
He looked younger than I'd imagined.
He was in his early thirties, rocking a dark gray suit, with a document in his hand.
"Welcome, Ms. Nolan," he said.
I replied, "Call me Susan."
He skipped the pleasantries and handed me the paperwork. "The one billion dollar transfer; first 0.5 billion is already in the account. The rest will be paid within three business days after the patent office finishes the transfer."
I flipped through the pages.
The terms were crystal clear. There was no hidden traps anywhere.
Jessica had already double-checked everything for me.
"How fast can the patent office get the transfer done?" I asked.
He replied, "It's already in motion. Normally, it takes seven business days, but if we rush it, three to five days."
In other words, in five days tops, those three patents would be completely cut off from LaneBio Group.
Meanwhile, Andrew was still at home, cluelessly waiting for me to sign his 300,000-dollars licensing deal.
He had no idea his entire product line was about to be gutted.
"Susan," Victor called out.
"Hm?" I replied.
"I need to confirm. Are you sure you won't change your mind because of your husband?"
I looked at him. "Mr. Harper, you're dropping one billion on my patents. Aren't you worried I might bail?"
He gave a faint smile. "If you were going to back out, you wouldn't have called me the same day he offered you that 300,000-dollars licensing deal."
I didn't say anything else.
He took me up to the third floor.
He opened a door.
Inside was a sparkling new lab.
It was easily three times the size of the one at LaneBio Group.
Every piece of equipment looked cutting-edge, straight out of a tech magazine.
"I had this lab built to match the specs from your published paper," Victor said, leaning casually in the doorway. "Your focus was targeted anti-aging peptides, right?"
I turned to face him. "You actually looked up my papers?"
"Susan, one billion dollars. I don't throw that kind of money around without knowing who I'm dealing with."
He paused for a moment. "Honestly, I probably know more about you than your husband ever did in three years."
That made me pause for a few seconds.
He continued,"Your master's thesis was on peptide synthesis, with Professor David Shaw as your advisor.
"During grad school, you published four papers in SCI journals; one of them had an impact factor over ten.
"You were all set to go for a PhD, but Andrew said he needed you, so you dropped out and joined LaneBio Group's lab.
"In three years, you developed three core technologies. LaneBio Group's entire product line is built on your formulas.
"But your name never once showed up on LaneBio Group's website or any of their public materials."
He looked at me. "Susan, the 3 billion isn't for your patents."
"Oh? Then what exactly are you buying?"
"You."
I couldn't help but frown at that.
"Not in that way," he clarified, taking a step back. "What I mean is, I want you to join HarperTech Group as our Chief R&D Officer."
Chief R&D Officer.
CRO.
I wondered what my grand title at LaneBio Group had been.
"Deputy Director of the Third R&D Lab."
Deputy Director.
"Salary, equity, bonuses, everything's negotiable." He slid a business card onto the lab bench. "No rush. Think it over and call me when you're ready."
With that, he turned and walked out.
I stood in the brand-new lab, staring at the gleaming equipment.
David once said something to me, "Susan, you're the most talented student I've ever had. Don't let yourself be buried."
I'd buried myself for three years.
But there wouldn't be another three years like that.