Lily searched high and low, but Thompson was nowhere to be found. She stood before the elevator, gazing up at the secretive top floor, inaccessible to all but a select few. The indicator showed the elevator descending floor by floor, finally stopping with a soft ding. The doors opened, revealing not Thompson, but Mike.
Mutual surprise hung in the air. Mike, recovering first, offered a casual, "Good morning."
"Morning," Lily replied, studying him. "It's still early, Mr. Corden. Did you just arrive, or were you working overnight?"
Without waiting for an answer, she continued, "Either way, as the largest shareholder, your dedication is truly impressive."
As the elevator doors began to close, Mike held them open before stepping out. He looked at her. "Lily, we're old friends. There's no need for this formality, is there?"
"Since we're old friends," Lily pressed, "why did you insist on joining this project? Why invest? Do you honestly believe in its prospects? What's the real purpose of this experiment?"
Mike's involvement had always been a point of interest. She'd assumed he'd given up when he stopped mentioning it, never expecting a direct investment, let alone majority ownership. She also didn't know who Mike had dealt with. She'd interacted solely with Thompson since the project's inception; La Beautรฉ Group was the primary funder. Mike had joined only after Alexander's company withdrew.
She suspected someone was pulling the strings behind Thompson, but their identity and intentions remained a mystery. Thompson had never revealed anything. The secrecy and suspicious activity led her to believe the project and experiment were far more complex than presented. Everything pointed to preparations for utilizing poisonous plants.
Mike stood, hands in his pockets, his smile unwavering. "You know far more about the experiment than I do. You've been here longer, more involved. As the expert, tell me the experiment's ultimate purpose and its prospects."
He'd deflected her questions with practiced ease.
Lily frowned. "Mike, we've known each other a long time, and you called me a friend. Is this how you treat people? If you don't want to, or can't, tell me, then let's not beat around the bush."
Mike raised his hands in mock surrender. "My apologies. That wasn't my intention. I don't know much about medicinal herbs or raw materials. I'm a businessman; I care about profit. I believe this project has a bright future, so I invested. And I believe in your abilities. Simple as that."
"Simple as that, huh?" Lily doubted him. Despite his earnestness, something felt amiss. "You didn't wonder why Alex pulled out if the prospects were so good? Or why La Beautรฉ Group stopped investing until you stepped in?"