A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 398

Marcia, so focused on delivering a knockout blow, had overlooked that critical detail. Her hands clenched. "Corporate espionage requires proof," she said, struggling to maintain her composure. "The fact that I have this just proves how careless you were."

"You have a point there," Elissa said with a smile. "Unfortunately for you, what you went to such great lengths to steal from me was not the drug I personally developed. And it is certainly not the drug being presented here today."

From the moment the government had arranged for Marcia to collaborate with their project team, Elissa had been on guard. She knew Marcia wouldn't let such an opportunity slip by. So with every step she took, she dug a trap, waiting for Marcia to fall in.

"Impossible!" Marcia couldn't believe it, convinced Elissa was grasping at straws. "Then who developed this piece of junk you're trying to pass off?"

"…"

Cliff raised an eyebrow, took a microphone from a staff member, and admitted without a hint of shame, "I did. Ms. Carson, that ‘piece of junk' you're referring to is the product of my very dedicated research." His mentor had told him he was falling behind Elissa's pace and holding her back. He had suggested Cliff lower his standards and first figure out how existing cancer drugs were made. So, he did. And Elissa had stored his research on her laptop as a decoy. He never imagined it would be paraded around in public like this. Now everyone knew he developed junk.

A few people in the audience chuckled. Aaron patted Cliff's shoulder comfortingly. "It's not junk. It's just not as good as Elissa's."

"…" Cliff remained silent.

Marcia's face turned deathly pale, her legs threatening to give out. "No, that can't be!" If that were true, it meant her every move had been anticipated by Elissa.

Sensing their surprise, Elissa explained, "A drug's efficacy is closely tied to a patient's lifestyle and habits. Therefore, the results we announced publicly were based on conservative estimates."

Conservative estimates that already blew every other pharmaceutical company out of the water.

"Don't be fooled by her!" Marcia shrieked, refusing to admit defeat. This was likely her last chance to destroy Elissa. "Don't forget, she's only twenty-five! All of you are giants in the medical field. Do you really believe someone in her twenties could develop something like this? Did you know she only studied at Vistapeak University's Department of Traditional Medicine for four years? Does no one else find that suspicious?"

Marcia didn't believe a word of it, and she would make sure no one else did either.