Untold Story ║ Book 1 of The Untold series

Chapter 2 - Dawning realization

Two days had passed since my discovery, yet there had been no word from Jared or even the CEO of Venus Biotech. It was a situation that should have grabbed the attention of the company's leader immediately.

"Are you still thinking about it?" Mike interrupted my thoughts, and I turned my head to look at him.

"How can they just leave me in the dark?" I paused, frustration is evident in my tone. "I mean, the contract clearly states that I own 45% of whatever is created in the lab. I'll go and confront him." With determination, I stood up and hurried to Jared Mitchell's office.

I pushed the door open without knocking, walking into a meeting between him and the CEO, Emma Julie Venus. I hesitated, considering whether I should retreat and wait for their discussion to conclude. However, my anticipation and the nagging feeling that they were discussing 'Light,' the name we had given to the experiment, pushed me to stay.

"How come I haven't been contacted or updated yet?" I asked, my voice carrying an undertone of demand.

If I hadn't been observing Emma at that very moment, I might have missed the subtle twitch that briefly flickered across her face, a clear sign of her annoyance. She responded with a smile, but it was evident that the expression was feigned.

"I was just about to head to the lab to see 'Light' for myself and discuss a potential deal," she stated, her smile remaining unnaturally constant. It was the first time I had ever witnessed Jared being so silent, seemingly intimidated by the presence of the CEO.

"A deal?" I questioned.

"Please, have a seat." I hesitated briefly, reluctant to comply, but ultimately chose to listen. "We've found a potential buyer who is interested in utilizing 'Light.'"

I couldn't contain my incredulity. "How could anyone use 'Light'? It's essentially a weapon." I noticed another subtle twitch on Emma's face, and it struck me that she was well aware of the destruction the virus could unleash.

Emma picked up on my realization, and her smile widened. I decided to voice my stance. "I won't sign off on this," I asserted. Emma's smile vanished completely, replaced by an icy expression.

"You only own 45%. You can't prevent this, but of course, you will receive 45% of the proceeds," Emma stated, her posture growing more imposing. In response, I stood up, though I still didn't reach her height.

"My assistant owns 6%, and he'll side with me. So, there's no further need for discussion." With that, I made my exit, determined to defend 'Light' and the potential disaster it might unleash on the world.

As I hurried down the dimly lit corridor, I heard Jared's approaching footsteps. His hand gripped my arm firmly, stopping me in my tracks.

"You'd better agree to this," he warned, his voice laced with a masked threat.

"Is that a threat?" I retorted, my eyes narrowing in suspicion, just as Emma Venus came into view. The CEO of Venus Biotech was known for her unpredictability, and her presence only added to my unease.

"It most certainly is not," she replied with a wicked grin, her eyes glittering with a hidden agenda. The ambiguity of her words sent shivers down my spine, and I couldn't help but fear the consequences that lay ahead.

With a determined stride, I broke free from Jared's grip and hurried towards Mike, who was engrossed in his work at a nearby workstation. I knew I had to reach him before they did, and I needed to alert him to the impending threat.

"Mike," I called out urgently, catching his attention. He turned to me, curiosity etched on his face.

I wasted no time and dove straight into the heart of the matter. "Don't agree with them on anything."