Chapter 7 – You Are Beautiful

Adrian drove straight to the Immunology Research Division. The moment he stepped out of his car, tension rippled through the building. Staff members who had already clocked out quietly slipped back into their workstations, pretending to be busy just to avoid crossing his path. His presence was never subtle; it was heavy, commanding, and suffocating.

Without knocking, he flung open the senior scientist’s office door. The elderly man startled violently and nearly dropped the files in his hands. When he realized who it was, his shoulders sagged and his voice thinned.

“Good evening, sir. I wasn’t expecting you.”

“There is nothing good about this evening,” Adrian replied coldly, his jaw tight. “Take me to the lab. Now.”

The scientist nodded quickly and hurried ahead of him. Adrian followed, his polished shoes striking the floor in sharp, deliberate steps.

The moment he entered the lab and saw the emptied storage units and wiped systems, his anger surged.

“What exactly am I paying you people for?” he demanded, his voice echoing against stainless steel and glass. He turned sharply to the senior scientist. “Where was security while this was happening?”

“Sir,” the man replied carefully, wringing his hands, “security believed Dr. Vale was reporting for her regular shift. Her credentials were still active.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened further. The oversight had been his. He should have ordered her access revoked immediately, but admitting fault was never his instinct.

“So we lost everything?” he asked, his tone lower but more dangerous.

The scientist swallowed before answering. “Yes, sir. All data and primary samples.”

A dark fury hardened Adrian’s expression. “She will pay for this,” he muttered under his breath.

He stormed toward the security department.

“Block Dr. Vale’s access immediately,” he barked at the officers stationed there. “If anything like this happens again, I will hold every one of you personally responsible. Do you understand me?”

They nodded quickly, their faces pale and shaken.

From there, he drove to headquarters. Once inside his office, he poured himself a glass of whisky. It burned all the way down his throat, and he squeezed his eyes shut briefly before taking another swallow.

A knock interrupted him.

“Sir,” his secretary said carefully as she stepped inside, “the board of directors is waiting in the conference room.”

“Who called this meeting?” he demanded, lowering the glass slowly.

“They arrived on their own. They are requesting answers.”

“At this hour?” he muttered, irritation sharpening his tone. “Tell them I will be there in five minutes.”

He arrived in three. The murmuring stopped as he entered the conference room. He took his seat slowly, deliberately, making them wait for him to speak.

“Adrian,” one director began, adjusting his glasses, “we’ve heard troubling news about the lab. What exactly happened?”

Another leaned forward, his expression stern. “Dr. Vale is no longer head of research. Investors are uneasy. They are questioning the stability of Kane Biomedical and your leadership.”

Adrian cleared his throat, this was his arena, he knew how to manage fear and how to sell certainty.

“Everything you’ve heard is true,” he said evenly. “I personally assessed the damage. Our scientists believe the work can be fully recreated. They have assured me of that.”

The lie slid from his lips without hesitation.

“I have given them a strict timeline. We will recover, but I need your confidence while I restore investor trust.”

His phone vibrated against the table, he glanced at the screen. Daniella.

He turned it face down and continued speaking.

Inside Adrian’s house, shortly after he had left, the domestic staff quietly packed their belongings. Daniella noticed the movement and hurried toward them, her confusion turning to alarm.

“Where are you all going?” she asked sharply. “You were supposed to leave when the new set of domestic workers arrived.”

The chef paused at the doorway and looked at her steadily. “We were informed our services are no longer required.”

“But who is going to cook dinner?” she demanded. “You cannot just walk out.”

The chef’s expression hardened. “You are equally a woman, madam. Ms. Sabrina always did the cooking herself, and she did it well. Next time, learn to appreciate people, no matter how small their service to you may seem.”

A few of them exchanged glances before stepping out. Their quiet laughter stung more than open insult.

The mention of Sabrina burned. Daniella stood there, her hands clenched. She must have told these people to disrespect me, she thought bitterly. But I am still here.

Adrian’s meeting stretched past ten, then eleven. When it finally ended, he checked his phone. Twelve missed calls and several messages. All from Daniella.

When he arrived home, Daniella was waiting in the living room, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

“Where have you been?” she demanded the moment, he stepped inside.

“I was in an emergency board meeting,” he replied, loosening his tie. His voice carried exhaustion. “I couldn’t answer.”

“So you couldn’t spare a minute to speak to me?” she asked, her voice rising with anger.

Adrian remained silent for a moment, staring at her.

“Adrian, I am talking to you,” she said, stepping closer. “Or were you with another woman?”

He looked at her sharply. “You know where I was. That meeting was not ordinary. I could not answer my phone in front of the board of directors. It would have been disrespectful.”

“Why do you let those old men dictate your life like they own you?” she shot back.

“Because,” he replied sharply, “they are the reason Kane Biomedical still has funding. Without them, this company is nothing but empty laboratories.”

She rolled her eyes. “They think you cannot run it without Sabrina.”

“Please do not start,” he warned, running a hand over his face. “I am very tired.”

“And your mother called,” Daniella continued, refusing to back down. “When I told her you were not home, she called me a homewrecker. Adrian, I cannot keep living like this. You need to marry me. I will not be the woman people whisper about.”

His expression softened slightly. “I will speak to my mother. Give me time to stabilize things with the board. Once everything is secure, we will get married. I promise.”

She studied his face before nodding slowly.  “I am taking Noah to the dentist in the morning. His tooth is loose.”

“Did you cook?” he asked, his exhaustion overtaking him.

“Cook?” she snapped. “I am not your cook. The domestic staff walked out after you left. I begged them to stay long enough to prepare dinner. They refused. That is why I kept calling.”

“So what did Noah eat?” Adrian asked.

“Pizza and juice,” she answered curtly. “That is what he wanted.”

Adrian exhaled slowly. “Fine. Tomorrow the house will be sorted.”

“There are slices in the fridge,” she said coolly. “I am going to bed.”

She walked away, leaving him alone in the silence.

The next morning, Sabrina woke feeling rested for the first time in weeks. She showered, ordered breakfast, and reviewed the address Drake had sent her.

The headquarters of Laurent Global Holdings towered over the financial district, sleek glass and steel reflecting quiet authority.

Victor Laurent was already in his office. Billionaire investor, Founder and Chairman of Laurent Holdings, he was known for precision and control. He valued time and discipline.

He rose the moment Sabrina entered.

“Dr. Vale,” he said calmly.

“Mr. Laurent,” she replied.

They shook hands. His grip was firm but measured.

She sat and folded her hands together. “Before we begin, I owe you gratitude, but I also need honesty. Why did you intervene?”

Victor regarded her steadily. “Because injustice irritates me.”

“That is not a sufficient reason to involve the President,” she replied.

His expression remained composed. “I do not invest blindly. I monitor my investments. Kane Biomedical’s immunology division became profitable because of you.”

She blinked slightly. “You?”

“Yes,” he said. “You.”

Silence settled between them.

“When I saw you escorted out of that building in handcuffs,” he continued, “I knew something was wrong.”

Sabrina inhaled slowly. “You are very certain.”

“I do not make decisions on uncertainty.”

She leaned back. “So you pulled a presidential favor because you believe I am innocent?”

“I pulled a presidential favor because you are necessary,” he corrected. “Your ex-husband had influence over local authorities. I called someone above them.”

That unsettled her.

Victor walked to his desk and picked up a file. His voice shifted.

“My son,” he said quietly. He handed her the medical report. Sabrina read carefully, her professional focus taking over.

“How long has he been experiencing recurrent infections?” she asked, her brow tightening.

“Two years,” Victor replied. “It began with persistent respiratory infections and progressed from there.”

She looked up at him. “His immune system is failing progressively.”

The room felt heavier.

“Can you help him?” he asked. The authority in his voice was gone.

“Yes,” she said carefully. “But I will need a fully equipped immunology laboratory.”

“When can you begin?”

She studied him. “You speak as though laboratories appear overnight.”

“They do,” he said calmly, “when I require them to.”

She searched his face but found no arrogance, only certainty.

“Why me?” she asked softly.

He held her gaze. “Because when everything was falling apart, you did not fall apart. That kind of strength matters.”

Her throat tightened.

Before she could respond, the office door opened suddenly.

“Daddy!”

Elias ran inside and stopped when he saw Sabrina.

His eyes brightened. “You are beautiful.”

Sabrina blinked, surprised, then smiled gently. “That is very kind of you.”

Victor’s tone sharpened slightly. “Elias, we knock before entering.”

Elias stepped closer to Sabrina. “Are you Daddy’s girlfriend?”

Sabrina froze. Victor exhaled quietly. “No, son. She is the scientist I told you about.”

“The one going to fix my blood?” Elias asked.

Sabrina lowered herself slightly to meet his eyes. “I am going to study your immune system,” she said gently. “We will work to make it stronger.”

He grinned. “Like training?”

“Yes,” she said. “Like training.”

After Elias was led out, the room fell quiet again.

“He is brave,” she said softly.

“He does not yet understand enough to be afraid,” Victor replied.

A tear slipped down her cheek before she could stop it. Victor handed her a handkerchief without comment.

“I am sorry,” she said quickly. “He reminded me of a boy I once held.”

Victor’s expression softened. “Someone you lost?”

“Yes,” she answered quietly.

“I am sorry.”

Victor did not press further. Whatever had been taken from her was not his to interrogate. Instead, his gaze sharpened slightly.

“Where are you staying?”

She hesitated only briefly. “At a hotel.”

He frowned. “You will need to be close to the laboratory once we begin. My residence has space and privacy.”

She straightened. “Mr. Laurent, I will manage.”

He nodded once. “As you wish.”

When she turned to leave, he walked her to the door.

“Thank you, Dr. Vale,” he said.

She paused. “You can thank me when he is well, Mr. Laurent.”

For a brief moment, she saw something beneath his control. She saw his fear and it changed the way she looked at him.