[CONTENT TEMPLATE HERE]
Chapter 664:
“Stay away from her,” Crawford said, turning toward the street where a black SUV was already pulling silently to the curb. “This is the only time I’ll say it. The next time I see you near her, there won’t be enough left to work with p>
The SUV’s door closed. The vehicle merged into traffic without a sound.
Brogan stood alone on the empty street, his shoulder aching, the discarded handkerchief at his feet. He thought of June upstairs — already changed, already reaching for some book or dataset, finding her own particular solace in the quiet. He thought of Crawford’s eyes, the absolute, unwavering possession in them, the conviction that bordered on something clinical.
And then he thought of something else: the look on June’s face when she had stared at Crawford across the suite. Not desire. Not fear. Recognition. The particular expression of someone who understands, at a cellular level, that they are facing something operating on the same frequency as themselves.
𝖲𝗁𝘢𝗋𝘦 𝘺𝗼𝘂𝘳 𝘁𝗁𝗈𝘶𝗀h𝗍s о𝗇 gа𝗹𝗇𝗈𝘃еlѕ.𝘤𝗼𝘮
This wasn’t simply a competition for her attention. It was a war of forces, and Brogan had been fighting it with the wrong weapons.
He picked up the handkerchief, dropped it in the nearest trash can, and straightened his jacket.
His phone buzzed. A message from his chief of staff: Urgent. Love Media’s M&A team is actively approaching our Series B investors. Possible hostile move in progress.
Brogan read it twice. Crawford’s three-month timeline had apparently been generosity. He was already moving.
Brogan got in his car.
He had a great deal of planning to do, and very little time to do it.
The Apex Bio boardroom smelled of coffee and tension.
Brogan sat at the head of the table, his face carefully neutral, watching his executives file in with the wary expressions of people who had caught fragments of rumor but none of the details. The emergency call had gone out at midnight. The meeting was scheduled for six. That alone told them what they needed to know.
“Gentlemen,” Brogan began, when the last seat was filled. “We’re making a structural change, effective immediately. All Love Media Group liaison duties are being transferred to Chloe Chen’s team. Dr. Erickson is to be removed from all external communications. Her focus—” he paused, choosing his words with precision “—is to be exclusively on the FDA Phase II trials p>
Silence. Then: “Sir, Dr. Erickson has been managing that relationship personally. The Love contract is p>
“Chloe will handle it.” His voice carried the absolute finality of a decision already made. “Any concerns from Love’s side, they can direct to me p>
He stood, ending the meeting before it could become a discussion. “That’s all. Thank you p>
They filed out — confused, unsettled, already recalibrating. Brogan didn’t linger on their expressions. He had perhaps seventy-two hours before Crawford’s financial maneuvering began in earnest. He needed June isolated from that particular battlefield before she could be used as leverage within it.
His phone buzzed as he reached his office. Unknown number. He answered.
“Brogan Clements.” Crawford Love’s voice, smooth and unhurried. “I believe we have something to discuss p>
“My office directed you to Chloe Chen. You’ll find her more than capable of p>