Betrayed I Upgraded to His Billionaire Brother novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Maybe he’d gotten used to me waiting for him, night after night, in that empty mansion.

But honestly? I had zero interest in guessing.

Standing inside the Berlin Cathedral, looking up at the sculptures, I answered Chloe’s call without hurry. “I don’t know. Not yet.”

I wasn’t anxious, but she was. “Aren’t you worried at all?”

“When the result’s gonna be the same no matter what,” I said lightly, “why bother worrying?”

“… Alright, point taken.”

Chloe had known me long enough. She sighed. “If my boss and every client were as calm as you, my job would be a whole lot easier.”

“That’s impossible.” I joked, “Part of your salary is literally hazard pay for dealing with their nonsense.”

After leaving the cathedral, dusk was settling in.

Seeing it was about time, I caught a taxi back to the hotel and ran into Elias just as I was heading to the elevators.

We went together to the restaurant the research institute had booked, Since Colton was a big name in the field, we were there as his representatives, so naturally, the reception was pretty solid.

The institute’s rep was really warm. “Thank you both for making the long trip. Please, have a seat.”

Elias was a natural at this kind of schmoozing, so throughout dinner, all I had to do was focus on eating.

He ordered all my favorite dishes–teriyaki chicken rice with its glossy glaze and a warm bowl of miso soup. It was such a thoughtful gesture, especially since Zane was allergic to soy, which meant anything containing it was strictly banned from the Grayson family table. But me? I’ve always had a thing for those forbidden flavors.

I glanced at Elias, my eyes crinkling into a slight smile. I didn’t need to say anything–he understood. He smiled back. “Dig in while it’s hot. Colton gave me strict orders to take good care of you.”

The

next day

I’ve always had a reliable internal clock. Jet lag wasn’t a thing for me. I woke up naturally, even before my alarm went off.

The opening ceremony kicked off at 9 AM sharp. The institute was in a prime spot, and the guest list was packed with real heavyweights in the medical

field.

Elias and I showed up at eight–an hour early. Better to get the lay of the land before the crowds swarmed in.

With so few young women making it to the top tiers of our industry, Elias and I inevitably drew looks as we walked in. After people learned we were Colton’s students, they naturally came over to talk, and the conversation quickly turned to the medications we’d developed.

At one point, a pharma exec even pulled me aside and made a bold offer to buy out my formula outright–for a staggering amount.

After a quick glance at me, Elias politely declined. “Sorry, but our focus is still on treatment and saving lives. A lot of patients at our hospital still depend on this medication.”

We’d been in this situation plenty of times before.

12:18

Betrayed? I Upgraded to His Billionaire Brother

13.9%

Chapter 20

The offers were always tempting, and I’ll admit, I’d been tempted once.

But once you sell to a big pharma company, you lose all say over the price.

So many patients at our hospital were already financially drained. I didn’t want to be the one to break them completely.

Later, I went to the restroom. On my way out, the rep from that company stopped me.

He handed me his business card, all kindness. “If you ever consider other opportunities, you’d be very welcome here.”

He’d clearly asked around about me before coming.

This woman was something else, they probably said. A real talent in pharmacology. The reputation of Elias’s private hospital? Probably owed as much to her as it did to Colton.

I gave him my usual polite smile. “I’ll consider it.”

After a few more pleasantries, I turned to leave.

But the moment I turned around, the smile on my lips froze.

My heart just dropped into my stomach. Was that… Gavin? Getting out of a black Bentley not far away, surrounded by a team of bodyguards?

Over the past three years, I’d wondered how it might happen–running into Gavin Windsor again.

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