The lip-reading script was enough for Diarmuid to get the picture— Abigail must have stolen vital research data from Mead Clinic, and was covertly taken back to Minerva.
The world certainly knew Minervans would never suffer any challenges to their interests, causing Diarmuid to worry for Abigail’s safety given that she was pregnant.
As for James, he actually felt that something was amiss.
“Shouldn’t we find out who published the papers? There’s no way she had connections with Hotmesh Research after she left the country for so long.”
Diarmuid suddenly remembered Abigail insisting on meeting Stephen Carr soon after they were reunited—it must have been about the research.
“Find Stephen Carr,” he growled with an undertone of rage.
“Yes, sir.I will send our men right away,” James replied.
In other words, they were bringing Stephen here immediately even if they had to resort to violence.
“Also, find out how they left,”
Diarmuid added—there was no way the Minervans could have left without leaving a trail.
“Yes,”
James left and got started.
With that, Diarmuid sent everyone away, including the happy waitress with her fat stack of bills.He sat alone behind a desk, his eyes as dark as bottomless abysses.
His fingers slowly clenched.
To think that he never sensed what Abigail returned to do…
To think that he believed that she was just taking part in the forum.
He actually regretted calling for the forum to be held in the country right then—he was the reason Abigail would risk herself bringing the research data to Zidonia.
Stealing sensitive data meant punishment.
It would be the same even if she did it in Zidonia.
Right now, the only thing he could do was to find out the whole story before heading over to Mead Clinic to get Abigail back.
Stephen was soon brought in by some goons, but James had not returned—he was heading to Hotmesh Research to find the one who had permitted the publishcation of the problematic academic paper.
Stephen, who still had no idea what happened, was naturally snappish to be abducted again.
“What do you want this time, Diarmuid Althoff?!”
Diarmuid leveled him a cold stare and cut to the chase.
“Abigail gave you something when she met you yesterday, didn’t she?”
Stephen had no idea why Diarmuid was asking and did not dare to reveal anything without knowing if it was good or bad.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.We were just reminiscing about the good old days.”
Diarmuid glowered.
Abigail clearly said yesterday that she wanted to meet Stpehen for something urgent!
Something must have happened, and Stephen was definitely lying!
“Then do you know that Abigail was abducted for stealing Mead Clinic’s research data? Tell me-who did you give it to?”
Diarmuid was doing all he could to restrain his temper.
Right now, what he must do was to get the full picture before coming up with an idea to rescue Abigail.He would have flipped out in an instant because Stephen was being secretive, but he ultimately managed to stay calm.
“What?!” Stephen exclaimed in surprise. “That’s impossible-the agreement was for Hotmesh Research to keep the data and develop a working prototype for the fully artificial
heart in secret before announcing it nationally-“
“Did you know that they already announced it?” Diarmuid showed him the publication right then. “They now have the attention of everyone else in the business now, too.”
Stephen’s eyes widened after he scanned through the paper and snapped,” They broke their promise! They’re throwing Abigail under the bus!”
“At least you get it,” Diarmuid growled furiously, even cursing, “Half-witted inbreds!”
Clandestineness was the best approach for this, and what good was announcing early to steal the limelight for a brief second? It would be a real slap in the face if they failed their development, too!
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Stephen asked, “They took Abigail? Is she in danger?”
“You think?!” Diarmuid was frustrated by the sheer stupidity surrounding him.” Who did you give it to?”
‘Tobey Kitsch,” Stephen replied. “He’s the deputy director of Hotmesh Research.”
That was when James returned with the man in question.
Since Tobey was an important man, James was not physically restraining him, instead staying behind him and keeping a keen eye to stop him from running away.
He did not have to worry either, since Tobey was walking in with his hands clasped behind his back, as if perfectly at ease.
Stephen, however, could not hold back and charged at Tobey the instant he saw him, demanding, “You agreed not to leak the data! How do you explain this academic paper?”
“The research is a successful one,” Tobey said flatly. “We naturally have to announce it to the public.”
“But is it yours?!” Stephen was almost left with a heart attack by the other man’s attitude. “This wasn’t what you said when I gave it to you!”
“What did I say?’ Tobey asked in return.
Stephen’s flabby cheeks twitched. Tobey was breaking every promise he made!
“Have you forgotten? We agreed that the data would only be used for research-it must also be kept under secrecy, made only available to key personnel of Hotmesh Research. So why has it been publicized in just a day?”
Tobey held Stephen’s gaze for a while and breathed a long sigh. “I did say that, but…”
“But, what? If you don’t explain yourself, you won’t find me so patient, let alone Diarmuid here.”
That left Tobey perplexed-why was Diarmuid getting involved?
What did this have to do with him?
“Mr. Althoff, everyone in Zidonia’s medical field is grateful that you brought the forum here, but are you really a part of this?”
“The doctor who brought US the data is an attending physician at Mead Clinic by the name of Jane Tanner, but that’s just an alias. She’s actually a Zidonian national by the name of Abigail Bernstein, and the wife of Diarmuid here. Care to wonder why he’s getting involved now? I guess you should know that Mead Clinic personnel had taken her away because of the paper you published, so you really should ask yourself what you’re going to do about this.”
Tobey might be a person of authority and respected in the medical field, but he was nothing to Diarmuid.
Tobey was certainly aware of that and why he had a personal stake in all this-he just did not expect things to turn out like this.
“Say something!” Stephen barked.
Tobey went for a last-ditch struggle. “It’s a decision voted for by the company…”
Diarmuid turned to James right then. “Call in their director.”
Tobey caved immediately. “Stop! Please, I’ll explain…”
“The director doesn’t actually know…”
Before Tobey could finish, Stephen had already cut him short. “You’re the deputy director, but you’re saying that you don’t have the director’s approval to publish that paper? Do you take US for idiots?”
“No, you misunderstand-what I meant was that the director does not know about the data,” Tobey admitted. “He’s at the age where he should retire soon, whereas I must contribute if I want to be promoted…”
“So you published the data and tried to pass it off as your own?!”
Stephen’s hands were clenched into fists-Abigail had trusted him so much and handed him something so important.
However, it was his own inability to find the right people that her effort went to waste, and now, she was in danger.
“Did you think you were going to make it just because you did this? I’ll talk to the director and tell him the truth!”
Stephen was beside himself with rage at Tobey’s betrayal and continued, saying, “I trusted you-handed you something so monumental on a silver platter, only for you to claim it for yourself! You could have done it while benefiting everyone, but you didn’t, did you? You don’t deserve to be a director, not with your character and attitude!”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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