Chapter 5 : Working Together

*Amelia*

Adrian was seated behind his desk, a picture of poise and power. His tailored charcoal suit fit his frame perfectly, emphasizing the definition of his broad shoulders and narrow waist. Though he was facing away from me, I could feel the energy radiating from him like a force field.

His eyes met mine as he turned around in his chair, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat. His gaze was piercing and cold, sending shivers down my spine. There was something about him, something in his eyes that exuded danger, intimidation, and sex, a combination that left me feeling completely off-balance.

He motioned for me to take a seat across from him with a nod of his head before searching through some paperwork on his desk. My stomach twisted into knots as I sat there waiting for him to start talking; I had no idea what this meeting would entail, and my anxiety was running rampant.

I cleared my throat and spoke, "Mr. Chase..."

He interrupted me almost immediately, "Adrian, please."

I shifted in my seat and began again, "Adrian, thank you for meeting with me today. I organized my materials and evidence and am ready to share them with you. The only thing I ask is that you help me safeguard my sources. They're terrified of the repercussions of going against a multi-billion dollar company."

Adrian nodded, his expression unreadable. "I understand your concern," he said calmly. "Your sources' identities will be protected at all costs, but if the information they provide is vital to the case, then some of them may need to be subpoenaed." He paused and looked at me intently before continuing. "Safety is always an issue in cases like these, but at the end of the day, justice is still our bottom line."

I nodded and began to bring the multiple files and witness statements I had out of my leather briefcase, "I've been compiling evidence against MID for some time, and I believe I have enough evidence to show their negligence and dishonesty during the trials for their cancer medication. The company was aware of the many side effects of its drug but still went ahead with releasing it on the market without proper testing. They also attempted to influence the results of several studies to make their drug look more favorable than what it was."

I pulled out a thick stack of documents from my briefcase, "These are all witness statements that were taken from whistleblowers willing to step forward to bring justice. There are also emails from executives at MID admitting that they knew about potential dangers with their product but chose not to do anything about it and downplay its risks."

I pulled a few papers from the stack that contained emails from a head researcher that stated side effects they had encountered during the first month of human trials. I began to read it out loud. "During the first month of testing, we recorded a range of severe side effects which included insomnia, headaches, dizziness, and nausea. In some cases, seizures presented, as well as organ failure and coma. The most alarming side effect we saw was in the cases where the drug was used to shrink tumors."

My voice shook and my hands trembled as I recounted what had happened with my mom. "Initially, the tumors responded as they were supposed to, shrinking in size. The overall health of the patients seemed to improve. Then, their vitals plummeted, and the tumors grew exponentially, resulting in death 98% of the time. These side effects were documented in our animal testing, but the paperwork was altered, resulting in the human trials moving forward."

Adrian leaned back in his chair and ran his hand through his perfectly styled hair, "I've found similar evidence of my own. I’ve read reports of MID using deceptive marketing tactics to promote their drug and bribery and fraud to manipulate the results of clinical trials. They also paid off doctors and medical personnel to keep positive press about the medication circulating in the media. It's outrageous that they would go so far with their dishonesty."

He then presented me with some of his evidence, which included a few detailed accounts from former employees who had witnessed firsthand the corruption within MID. He had a few pieces that were damning, though far less than I had. That, or he wasn’t sharing everything.

Adrian gazed at me with a look of empathy in his slate-hued eyes, the first sign that there was something under his hardened exterior other than coldness. "I'm aware of the loss you have suffered with your mother's passing. With your sensitive connection to this case, you’ll serve as an eyewitness instead of a lawyer during the trial."

My body tensed, and my stomach dropped. Though I had been expecting this, it still broke my heart to know that all this hard work was for naught. I prepared to argue that it wasn't fair that I had done so much heavy lifting to pass over, but he looked at me like he expected this to be a struggle. Out of sheer will, I managed to bite back my response and nod in agreement.

He exhaled slowly, "The next phase in preparations seems to be one of the more difficult steps in the process. There are still a few witnesses that have been avoiding me, and I see in your notes that's much the same for you. We need to focus on getting them to talk so we can flesh out our case."

Adrian leaned forward in his chair, his eyes burning with determination as he finished his thought, "So let's get to work. We'll comb through the evidence until something jumps out at us. I want to read through your statements to see if you missed anything, and I want you to do the same for mine."

I nodded, my heart racing with nerves. This was it, the final push to bring justice for my mother and all the other victims of MID's corruption. I pulled out my laptop and opened the files Adrian had shared via thumb drive, ready to dive into the evidence.

The room around us was silent other than the hum of our electronics, and I appreciated that Adrian wasn't an idle chatterer. I scrolled through his notes and statements, and I couldn't help but feel surprised by his borderline neurotic attention to detail. I had poured my heart and soul into this case, determined to make sure that no one else had to suffer as my mother did, and it seemed he was as laser-focused as I was.

I read over one particular witness statement, and my stomach dropped yet again. I saw my mother's name in bold lettering: Emily Hartley. It was from a former employee of MID, someone who had been involved in the clinical trials for the drug. They had seen firsthand the devastating effects that the drug had on patients, but they had been too afraid to speak out. It wasn't until my mother's death made headlines that they finally found the courage to come forward.

As I read through their statement for the second time, I noticed something that I had missed before. A name mentioned only briefly.

"Adrian," I said, turning to him with newfound intrigue, "There's something here."

He leaned over to look at my laptop, his masculine scent filling my nose, his eyes scanning the words on the screen. When he saw the name I had highlighted, his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Dr. Jameson," he murmured, almost to himself. "I've heard that name before."

"Really?" I asked, my heart racing, "What do you know about him?"

Adrian leaned back in his chair and sighed, "There are talks that he was involved with a massive malpractice coverup at a hospital in New York. Apparently, he was the head of the department that was prescribing unsafe and unapproved medications to patients. There were numerous complaints filed, but when pushed by the FDA most of them recanted and then stopped talking altogether. There are whispers that Dr. Jameson and the drug company paid exorbitant bribes to cover everything up."

My mind was reeling with the implications of what Adrian had just told me. If Dr. Jameson was involved in this coverup, it would only strengthen our case against MID. I quickly searched through the files on my laptop, trying to find any connection between Dr. Jameson and MID. It didn't take long before I found what I was looking for.

"Adrian, look at this," I said, pointing to the screen. "Dr. Jameson was a consultant for MID during the clinical trials for the drug. They paid him over a million dollars for his services."

Adrian's jaw tightened as he read over the document, "Good catch, Amelia."

My cheeks felt hot and my heart skipped a beat as I listened to Adrian compliment me. I felt an inappropriate thrill course through me as my eyes lingered on his muscular physique, well-defined jawline, and jet-black hair.

The tense moment was quickly overshadowed by the gravity of the situation, though. If Dr. Jameson was involved in both the New York coverup and MID's negligence, it was highly likely that he had information that would be invaluable for our case.

"We need to find Jameson," I said, my voice laced with determination, "If we can bring the heat down on him, his testimony could be detrimental for MID's lawyers."

Adrian nodded, his eyes meeting mine. "I'll start digging. Be careful, Amelia. If Jameson has so little conscience that he's involved in both cases, he's dangerous."

The thought of getting mixed up with people who could harm others to keep their houses, money, and status was alarming. My thoughts began to spiral. How could someone be so desperate and selfish to do something so cruel? How do people end up that heartless?

The answer to my question, I realized, was complex and multifaceted. Some may have begun their careers with ambition and drive but were corrupted by greed. It’s a depressing thought that a person can go from striving for success to turning away from moral principles to get ahead.

It's even more heartbreaking when those suffering the consequences are innocent victims who do not deserve it. People like my mother, and by default, me. Rage blossoms in my chest at the thought that all of the heartache over the last few years were the result of money-hungry CEOs. It was despicable.

"Amelia?" Adrian's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Are you alright? Your face looks pale." I felt his hand land on my shoulder and goosebumps rose on my skin. My heart started beating fast. This was wrong.

I shook my head to ground myself, then answered, "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. It's just difficult to think about the motivations that led to such destruction. Selfishness and greed disgust me."

Adrian’s hand left my shoulder, he nodded at the same time. His eyes kept locked in mine and I didn’t know what I found there, but I knew that for a fraction of a second, it seemed like he cared. Just then, his phone buzzed and his entire demeanor changed as he read the text message.

"Amelia," he said, his voice serious, "I'm sorry, we'll have to cut this short."

He began to stack our files into neat stacks, then stood and helped me gather my belongings.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, feeling uneasy.

He bristled with annoyance at my question, and I saw him replace his emotions with a mask of indifference, "Of course, as I told you last night, I have things to do this morning."

He led me through the reception area and out the door, "We'll be in touch," he said as he turned around and left me standing bereft in the corridor.

I made my way to my office across the courthouse, my mind still racing with thoughts of the details Adrian and I had discussed. As I passed by a group of colleagues, I overheard them murmuring about Adrian Chase. My curiosity was piqued, and I slowed down and pretended to adjust my bag as I listened in on their conversation.

"People say he's like a mob boss. He doesn't lose because people are terrified their legs will be broken if they don't testify," one of them remarked, and the others nodded in agreement.

My heart sank as I listened. Was Adrian just an enigma who operated quietly, using speculation to shroud himself in mystery, or was he the monster some people seemed to think he was? It was too early to tell, but it seemed I was destined to work with him for the foreseeable future. I just hoped I wasn't getting involved in something I wouldn't recover from.