Chapter 546
“But now, you’re my woman, Lauren, and I won’t let you be treated unfairly like this,” Andrew declared firmly. Lauren’s eyes brimmed with tears, and she suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to cry. “Dr. Lloyd, you’re so kind.” Without warning, she hugged Andrew tightly.
Andrew felt increasingly uneasy. Was Tiana’s presence truly such a significant threat to Lauren? He had never seen Lauren cry before.
A discreet cough came from behind them. Lauren quickly let go of Andrew, wiped her tears in a hurry, and shot him a shy glare.
Andrew turned around, completely unbothered, and smiled. “Oh, my apologies, Mr. Chapman. I didn’t realize you were here.”
Marcus scratched his nose and chuckled awkwardly. “It’s fine. I should be the one apologizing for interrupting Ms. Rhodes and Mr. Lloyd’s moment.”
Andrew waved a hand. “No worries. I take it you’re here to discuss the Pharmaceutical Division?”
Marcus nodded solemnly. “Yes, Mr. Lloyd. I truly owe both you and Ms. Rhodes a debt of gratitude I can never repay. That’s why, no matter what, I’ll do everything I can to support Ms. Rhodes in reclaiming the CEO position that rightfully belongs to her.”
Andrew replied, “The Pharmaceutical Division is the bargaining chip Mrs. Rhodes put on the table. Between Lauren and Michael, whoever can stabilize and revive the department will take the top position. Our dear Mrs. Rhodes sure knows how to play her cards, doesn’t she? Dumping such a mess into our laps like this.”
Marcus nodded. “Mr. Lloyd, it’s now confirmed that the Pharmaceutical Division’s three most valuable formulas have been stolen. The best course of action is twofold. First, recover the formulas to prevent them from being leaked and neutralize the crisis entirely.
“Second, we must prepare for the worst–that the formulas are fully exposed. In that scenario, we’ll need to accept that other pharmaceutical companies will be able to manufacture what was once exclusively ours.”
Andrew frowned. “If that happens, the value of those three formulas will plummet. What was once Rhodes Corporation’s exclusive, groundbreaking product will become just another generic offering. How do we compete with that?”
Marcus gave a bitter smile. “Exactly. Once the formulas are out, they lose all competitive edge. This is why I brought up the second point–to ask you and Ms. Rhodes to start planning for the worst-case scenario. We’ll need to act immediately.”
Lauren, now seated behind her desk, shifted into work mode instantly. “Mr. Chapman, are you suggesting we abandon hope of recovering the formulas and instead focus on developing new ones?”
Marcus nodded. “Precisely, Ms. Rhodes. That’s exactly what I’m suggesting. In fact, when the Weller family started aggressively taking over our market share with their health supplements, I began to think along these lines.”
Lauren pondered for a moment. “That’s a good idea. The Weller family’s supplements have already made our Pharmaceutical Division less competitive, and our performance has been steadily declining.
“Now, with the loss of three major formulas, it feels like a disaster. But in reality, it’s just another blow to an already weakening department. Whether we’re slightly weak or significantly weakened doesn’t make much difference. I understand your reasoning, Mr. Chapman.”
Marcus smiled. “Exactly. That’s why I don’t see this crisis as entirely a bad thing. After all, if the Pharmaceutical Division is to break through its current limits and achieve new heights for the company, relying solely on old successes will never be enough. Only by continually innovating, developing new formulas, and creating superior products can we dominate the market with absolute authority!”