Chapter 8
On the third day, Andrew didn't bring up the agreement again.
He didn't come home.
He was nowhere to be seen.
But LaneBio Group was starting to make moves.
Jessica texted me: [LaneBio's legal team is combing through your patent files, trying to find anything that shows you used company resources. If they do, they'll say the patent belongs to them.]
Susan: [They won't find anything.]
Jessica: [I get it, but you really did your research in LaneBio's lab back then. If they pull up any internal lab records...]
Susan: [Jessica, all my main research data is on my own laptop. I never uploaded anything to the company system. What I did in the lab was some peripheral tests for verification.]
Jessica: [You were already covering your bases that early?]
Susan: [It wasn't about being cautious. David taught me. Never let anyone else get their hands on your core data.]
Jessica: [Your mentor really knows his stuff.]
Susan: [He had his own patent stolen back in the day.]
I asked myself what Andrew would do next if the legal team came up empty.
The answer came that afternoon.
My phone buzzed with a news alert: [LaneBio Group founder Andrew Lane gave an interview to a business channel:
[The core technology is the result of the whole team. No single person can claim credit for the company's achievements.]
I clicked on the video. Andrew was sitting in the studio, dressed to the nines, talking like he owned the place.
"LaneBio's core formula is the result of three years of hard work by our entire R&D team. No single person can take credit for it. All this so-called personal patent stuff is pure fabrication."
The host asked, "There are rumors online that the core formula patent isn't actually under LaneBio's name. What do you have to say about that?"
He smiled, "Rumors. Our legal team is already on it, and we'll be making a public statement soon."
I stared at his smug grin on the screen.
Rumors, huh.
Team effort. What a joke.
I grabbed my phone and shot Victor a message: [How's the transfer coming along?]
He replied almost instantly: [It's a rush order. We'll have the results by tomorrow.]
That was two days earlier than I'd expected.
Susan: [Victor, can I ask you for a favor?]
Victor: [Go ahead.]
Susan: [Once the transfer's done, can you help me set up a press conference? I want it in the HarperTech lobby at Eastgate Tech Park.]
Victor: [When?]
Susan: [The day after tomorrow.]
Victor: [What's the announcement?]
Susan: [I'm planning to go public with the patent transfer and let everyone know I'm officially joining HarperTech.]
Victor: [You accepted the CRO offer?]
Susan: [Yeah.]
After that, I shot Andrew a quick text: [Let me think about the agreement. Let's talk the day after tomorrow.]
He texted back in a flash: [Alright.]
I set my phone down.
The day after tomorrow.
That's when he'll finally get a taste of his own medicine.