The Poor Daughter They Ignored Was Actually A Billionaire Chapter 06
Nobody moved.
My mother’s smile froze.
“Elena, I was upset.”
“That doesn’t mean—”
A man’s voice interrupted her.
“Grandfather.”
I looked over.
Adrian Sterling stood near the side of the ballroom.
Julian’s cousin.
The other serious candidate to eventually run Sterling Pharmaceuticals.
He walked over calmly.
“There’s something you should know.”
Richard looked at him.
Adrian continued.
“Dr. Bennett didn’t decide to leave.”
“She was told to.”
Julian’s face changed.
“Adrian.”
Adrian ignored him.
“Her mother told her to get out.”
“Her brother told her to leave.”
“And Julian told her she was not welcome at his wedding.”
Richard slowly turned toward his grandson.
Julian swallowed.
“Grandfather, I didn’t know who she was.”
Richard stared at him.
That made the silence worse.
“You didn’t know who she was.”
Julian nodded quickly.
“Exactly.”
“I thought she was—”
He stopped.
Richard’s eyes narrowed.
“You thought she was poor.”
Julian said nothing.
“You thought she was uneducated.”
Still nothing.
“So you decided she could be treated like garbage.”
Sabrina stepped down from the stage.
“Mr. Sterling, Julian was defending me.”
Richard looked at her.
“That is not helping him.”
Sabrina went pale.
Julian took a step forward.
“Grandfather, please.”
Richard lifted one hand.
“No.”
Then he looked at Adrian.
“Effective immediately, Julian is off the oncology program.”
Julian’s face drained.
“What?”
“The cancer program.”
“You will not touch it.”
“Grandfather—”
“I will appoint a separate team.”
“It will report directly to me.”
Julian’s voice shook.
“This is my wedding.”
Richard’s expression did not change.
“And you just threw the only woman who can save my billion-dollar program out of it.”
Julian had no answer.
Richard turned to me.
“Dr. Bennett.”
“If you’re still willing, I’d like to speak privately.”
I nodded.
“Thirty minutes.”
Relief crossed his face.
“Thank you.”
My mother stepped forward.
“Elena.”
I looked at her.
She seemed to search for the right version of herself.
Angry mother?
Loving mother?
Proud mother?
She landed on desperate.
“We should finish the wedding first.”
“We’re all family.”
I said nothing.
Richard looked at her.
“The wedding can continue.”
“Dr. Bennett and I are leaving.”
Sabrina’s face twisted.
“Julian.”
She reached for him.
But Julian was staring at Richard.
At me.
At Adrian.
At the future of Sterling Pharma.
Not at his bride.
That told me everything I needed to know.
I picked up my clutch.
Then I walked out beside Richard Sterling.
Behind me, Sabrina called my name.
“Elena!”
I did not turn around.
We met in a private lounge at the Sterling estate.
Richard poured two glasses of wine himself.
“I owe you an apology.”
I sat down.
“For what?”
“For my grandson.”
He looked tired.
“He should know better.”
I took the glass.
“I don’t make business decisions based on whether I like someone’s grandson.”
He gave a small laugh.
“Good.”
“Then let’s talk business.”
He opened a folder.
Sterling Pharma wanted a license to my cancer-delivery platform.
They wanted exclusivity in two drug classes.
They wanted access to my research team.
I wanted equity.
Control over clinical use.
And a number large enough to make their board uncomfortable.
Richard listened.
He did not argue much.
He was a smart man.
He knew exactly how much leverage I had.
An hour later, we had a framework.
Eight figures up front.
Royalties.
Equity in the project company.
My team retained control of the core platform.
Richard closed the folder.
“You negotiate harder than half the bankers I’ve dealt with.”
I smiled.
“I’ve had practice.”
He studied me for a moment.
“Your family truly didn’t know?”
“No.”
“How?”
“They never asked.”
That shut him up.