Chapter 1816: Sudden Price Hike
During the night, Roxanne chatted with Madilyn until she fell asleep. Afterward, Roxanne felt abdominal pain, the onset of her period, which always caused considerable discomfort. She often endured the pain while working. She assumed Lucian was asleep, but he surprised her by emerging from the kitchen with a cup of sweet ginger ale.
“Drink this,” he said. “When you’re finished, I’ll give you a foot massage. What do you think?”
Roxanne was stunned by his unexpected gentleness. His usual demeanor, as CEO of the Farwell Group, was stern and cold. After she took the cup, he instructed her to wait for it to cool slightly before drinking. Then, he fetched a basin of water.
As she sipped the ginger ale, the abdominal pain subsided. It was surprisingly sweet. She understood Madilyn’s earlier complaints about Jonathan, realizing the stark contrast with Lucian’s kindness. A smile touched her lips; she felt incredibly lucky.
Lucian returned with the basin of water, helped her sit comfortably, tested the water temperature, and began massaging her feet.
“Once you’re done, I’ll help you,” Roxanne offered, pleased by his consideration.
“I don’t need it,” he replied. “My legs are stiff from standing all day at the research institute. A foot massage helps relieve fatigue and prevents swelling, right?”
She nodded. He was right, and she was still marveling at his unexpected tenderness.
The next morning, after sending her children to kindergarten, Roxanne prepared to go to the research institute when Linda called.
“Dr. Jarvis,” Linda said, “I’ve noticed something wrong with our raw material prices. Our costs have skyrocketed! The Damaris family’s medicinal herb suppliers have drastically increased their prices, and the purchasing department didn’t inform me!”
Roxanne furrowed her brow. “How much?” she asked. She had assumed the Queen family's acquisition of the suppliers would prevent this. Jonathan wouldn't suddenly raise prices, would he?
“At least fifty percent! Some are up to two hundred percent! We’ll lose money on our latest medicine!” Linda’s voice was laced with frustration and anxiety.
“I understand,” Roxanne said. “Please compile a price comparison of the affected materials and send it to my phone. I’ll investigate this before returning to the institute.”
After the call, Roxanne considered the situation. Did Lucian know? She decided against asking him at the office and instead called him to suggest a meeting at a nearby café.
She received Linda’s files before he arrived and showed them to him immediately. After a quick review, he frowned.
“Something’s wrong,” he said. “I instructed the Queen family to acquire those companies to control supply and pricing. They’re behaving no differently than Jack if they’re hiking prices like this.”
“Don’t worry,” he added. “I’ll speak to Jonathan.”