Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 111

Willow slowly gripped her water glass.

The warmth seeped through the glass into her palms, and her racing heart gradually steadied.

This was exactly what she wanted to hear.

If she couldn't get it from Lawrence, she would get it from Jude.

Jude was much easier to manipulate than Lawrence.

Lawrence was too cold, too self-centered. When he offered resources, it was only because it suited him; if he took them back, it only took a single word.

But Jude was different.

Jude had ideals.

And people with ideals were the easiest to move.

As long as she made him believe he was doing the right thing, he would pave the way for her as far as she needed to go.

Willow handed him the water glass, her voice soft. "But I don't want to make things difficult for you."

Jude took the glass, his fingertips brushing against hers.

She didn't pull away.

But she didn't linger, either.

It was a perfectly timed fleeting touch, far more memorable than any blatant flirting.

"It's not difficult," Jude said. "I just don't think you should be constantly overshadowed by Wren."

Willow's eyelashes fluttered. "She isn't overshadowing me. I owe her."

"What do you owe her?"

Willow didn't answer.

She looked out the window.

In the night, the river surface was sliced into sections by the city lights, glittering like shattered gold leaf. Her profile reflected against the glass, and finally, a single tear slipped down her cheek.

"My mother really did wrong Vivian," she murmured. "And I know Wren has every right to hate me. But when I was born, I didn't know anything. I just wanted a home. I wanted my father to see me, to prove that I wasn't just some spare part."

Jude fell silent.

Willow rarely said these things to Lawrence.

Lawrence didn't like heavy baggage. He only wanted her to be compliant, attentive, and to exist by his side like a gentle, burdenless breeze.

"So, regarding the project, what do you think the next step should be?" she asked.

Jude pushed down the strange flutter in his chest and sat across from her, opening the file. "Stellaris's biggest weaknesses right now are public opinion and ethical compliance. Wren is too technically minded. She thinks genuine data and compliant procedures are enough. But the public doesn't care about that."

Willow nodded gently. "They only care about who looks like they're actually helping patients."

"Exactly." Jude pointed to a page in the proposal. "The Langford Recovery Project can start with the Voices of Recovery initiative, emphasizing the return to normal life post-surgery. You're the perfect face for it. You have a background in charity work and a natural affinity with people."

Willow stared at the words.

Voices of Recovery.

Return to normal life.

She suddenly remembered Julian York's sister.

Daisy York.

The name that hadn't officially surfaced yet but had already been brought up a few times within the Stellaris project.

If Stellaris could use a real post-op patient to move The Ethics Board, why couldn't Langford Medical do it first?

Willow lifted her gaze. "Jude, if we can find a highly representative patient, would that prove the Langford project has more heart?"