Page 3 of Tell Me the Truth

I open my eyes and calmly state, “I am Alexandra Seth. I’m badass. I am powerful. Strong. No one messes with me and gets away with it.” I reach over to open the lower desk drawer and grab two tissues. Closing the drawer, I use the tissues to dab at the tears near my eyes and down my face.

It takes several minutes for me to feel adequately composed, or at least composed enough, to walk out of my office and talk to Tracey.

“Who else knows about this?” I ask her.

She waits for a second before she answers, no doubt because my eyes are puffy from crying, and she likely heard the loud F-bomb through my closed door.

“Everyone.”

Chapter One

Ellis

Monday, TwoDays Earlier

Within the past hour, my Executive Board and I had just finished discussing the plan to buy 30% of Seth BioTech’s shares. In the last decade, it’s been our mode of operating at Brent-Sigma Pharmaceuticals. Buy up smaller drug companies bit by bit. Then once we have the majority, break the little guys up into unrecognizable pieces.

So, this morning, when I walk into the coffee shop, I know exactly who she is.

Alexandra Seth: Founder and CTO of Seth BioTech.

Why haven’t I seen her here before?A huge part of me is curious. I know the Seth BioTech offices are only a couple of blocks from here, but I have yet to run into her before today. And I’ve stopped in for a coffee every day for the past month. This morning, she is standing before me.

Since my company is trying to buy hers out, there are so many reasons why I should turn around and walk away. My Board and the SEC being the top two reasons. It goes without saying that if I absolutelyhave to havemy coffee, I should keep my eyes straight ahead while I’m standing in line, and I definitely shouldn’t say anything to her.

But it. Is. Too. Hard.

With all the pros and cons I’m throwing around in my head, all of a sudden I find myself standing behind her. As she moves, I can smell her shampoo. Raspberries and flowers. How can I resist, as I breathe in short, greedy whiffs? I look around to see whether anyone else notices.

Don’t speak to her. Don’t say a word.OK, I’ve got this. All I need to do is keep my mouth shut.

“You should see a chiropractor about that.” The words involuntarily slip between my lips, because I see her hand rubbing her neck.What the actual hell?But I can’t help myself, I want her to turn to me. Hear her speak. To look into her eyes.

I can do a little homework for the company. Talk with her, share a coffee, get to know what she’s thinking. But, who am I kidding? It’s well-known in the industry that Alexandra Seth stays on the science side of things.

Two years ago, she hired a CEO to lead the business side of things so that she could focus her energies in the lab. I know that any digging I might do regarding upcoming research will just lead me down a rabbit hole. There’s no way she would divulge her own company’s secrets.

Funny, dude, how you’re trying to convince yourself that this is a reconnaissance mission for company secrets.Hilarious, because she’s the one attacking my good decision-making skills. Not even with stealth. I feel like it’s all out in the open for everyone to see.

Shut up, dude. Let it go, Ellis. Why am I trying to engage her?But then she turns around and the reason is all too clear. I was a goner the moment I decided to walk into the coffee shop.

“Thank you, but I’ll be fine.” She responds. Her grey eyes are a striking contrast with her black hair, which she’s wearing in a ponytail. Her hair is cascading down in waves and when she turns, the scent of berries and flowers invades my space, acting like a signature that she can use to mark me as hers.

When she lifts her eyes to meet mine and finally notices me, I can no longer listen to any voice of reason I might still have. I am looking for anything that might convince me to leave this alone and bury it deep inside.

“I’ll have what the lady is having,” I say to the barista, letting out a small cough.

Alexandra Seth is dressed in khakis and a white shirt. I’m guessing that she wears a lab coat all day, so there’s no reason she needs to be dressed in office attire. Her casual clothing doesn’t hide her curves and my throat goes dry making it impossible to speak clearly. “Same, please,” I confirm with the barista, to make sure I was understood.

I haven’t been able to take my gaze off her, even though she looks away. Captivated. Intrigued. Mesmerized. Whatever the right word is for what she’s doing to me, it’s all the above.

“Are you sure? It would be a shame to see you having to make a doctor’s appointment for something that could be so easily fixed.”Can I be any more boring?I have zero moves. She makes me nervous and I’m struggling to think ahead to what I’m supposed to say to her. After all, she’s the smartest person in this room.

“And you know this because you’re a doctor?” She asks.

This makes me smile, but the universe would not be so kind to me as to make me an intelligent doctor. Someone worthy of her and up to her intellectual level.

The barista hands me my coffee. I nod in thanks, then look at Alexandra and say, “Well, not exactly, but I am familiar with the human anatomy.”What the hell?

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