Page 7 of Tell Me the Truth

“And before you plan a huge celebration, it’s not what you’re hoping for either. I still have no intention to cooperate with Brent-Sigma or to sell company shares.” Good start, but I still need more time to figure out the whole story of what I want to say. What I need to say needs to be heard by the entire Executive Board.

Instead of continuing with the details of my side of the story, I order, “Gather everyone you can to the board room in fifteen minutes.”

Incredulously, he states, “That’s not a lot of time.”

“Well, it’s all I’m giving you,” I answer back. “Make it happen.”

I take a seat on one of the plush leather sofas, tilting my head and raising my eyebrows to inform him that I will be waiting there in his office until the meeting starts.

Lance stands up from his desk and walks out of his office, no doubt to talk with his secretary who will organize the meeting. I know that he could have just picked up the phone on his desk and made the arrangements. However, I have no doubt he wants to say things he doesn’t want me to hear.

While waiting for the meeting to begin, I use the time in Lance’s office to skim through the photographs and articles that are causing my current difficulties. I pull out my phone, open the Internet app, and type my name in the Search bar.

Usually, when you type in my name and search for me on the Internet, the Wiki page about me comes up first, then the Seth BioTech website, followed by hundreds of industry articles about my research, the treatments and therapies that have already saved or prolonged millions of lives, and similar articles.

Instead, I feel like I am hit by a boulder to my gut when I see that the usual search results are replaced with today’s gossip pages.

Sorry Ladies, This Decade’s Most Eligible Bachelor is Taken

Seth BioTech and Brent-Sigma in Bed Together?

Alexandra Seth: Sold Out, but Won Big

Brent-Sigma Pharmaceuticals Boss and Seth BioTech Founder Seen Out Together On a Date. Are the Rumors True?

The list of articles flow down to the bottom of the entire first page and although I don’t click Next to see if they continue on to the second page or beyond, I figure that they do. And, they’d all contain the same type of information.

I scroll back up to the top of the Search page and click on the first article.

Sorry Ladies, This Decade’s Most Eligible Bachelor is Taken

Freshly seated CEO, Ellis Brent, was spotted this evening with Alexandra Seth, the founder of leading Biotechnology company, Seth BioTech. The two were spotted holding hands and with heads together, apparently laughing at each other jokes. Perhaps this is a new age for Seth and her cutting-edge biotech firm.

I click back and open the second article.

Seth BioTech and Brent-Sigma in Bed Together?

It’s a Cinderella story for Alexandra Seth as she appears to have captured the heart of Pharma’s newly-crowned King, Ellis Brent. After the couple was spotted at a coffee shop together and later at the posh Notre Terre, rumors started whirling. However, talks between the two heads of Seth BioTech (Alexandra Seth) and Brent-Sigma Pharmaceuticals (Ellis Brent) weren’t a surprising occurrence.

The couple’s status was confirmed with photographs of Ellis Brent leaving Seth’s home in the early morning hours before the sun even came up. Brent and Seth were photographed later in the day having lunch at an out-of-the-way diner and then at the movies. Sources close to the couple confirm their connection and say they’re taking it one day at a time.

Does this mean that Brent-Sigma will be the parent company of Seth BioTech? Or, will Brent-Sigma merge Seth BioTech into the fold to create an even bigger Pharma powerhouse?

The titles of all the articles in my search turn out to be versions of the same gossip. So, I don’t read anymore. It is all just as I feared.Well planned, I think to myself. Ellis has had it all figured out from the start.And to think I—

The door opens and Lance peeks inside the door of his office. “We’re all assembled in the conference room and waiting for you.” I get up from my seat and follow Lance into the conference room where I see that all the same players from the previous morning’s executive meeting are again assembled to hear my explanation.

“I assume that by now you have all seen pictures and articles that tie me and Ellis Brent together,” I announce when I place myself at the head of the boardroom table. Anyone who had risen from their seat when I entered the room has returned to their chair.

“I’m assuming you have an explanation,” one of them bites back, almost immediately. “You sat in that very seat and said you wanted to end every issue concerning Brent-Sigma. And it turns out…”

“It turns out that there still remains no business connection between Brent-Sigma and Seth BioTech.” I cut him off before he has a chance to finish. “It’s a ruse, but not a very clever one.” I don’t want to give them a chance to ask me why I was at the movies with the CEO of Brent-Sigma, so I just keep talking.

“This morning, in the lab, we verified the results from the research of our latest immunotherapy treatment and are excited to inform you all that our findings are a success. We are ready to move into the clinical trials stage.” After saying this, I can see a new sense of satisfaction cross the faces of most of the partners and executives.

With this news, they know that there will be a surge in company confidence, and with that confidence, there would be a rise in stock prices and interest in further investment. “I have already instructed my assistant to get that ball rolling. All departments should be receiving this information as I speak.”

“So, I’m not going to waste your time and mine justifying what you see and what you will read in the headlines. These are just tabloid stories. I hope that with our own research moving on in the development stage, you’ll remember that I continue to fulfill my promises to you.” I look around the table and feel accomplished to see that they are all sitting quietly, interested. “I hope you’ll remind yourself of that fact. Just in case you ever again think that we should sell shares to any Big Pharma company.”

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