Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 131

But she wouldn't let that happen.

Silence for too long, and others would define the narrative for her.

Wren checked the time. "Back to the office."

The atmosphere in the Stellaris office was even heavier than before they left.

The news of the IRB delay had spread quickly. A few members of the tech team were gathered around a desk, the screen still displaying Langford Medical's latest post. When someone saw Wren walk in, they immediately closed the page.

That sudden closure somehow made it sting even more.

Wren didn't place any blame.

She walked over to the conference area and connected her laptop to the projector.

"Meeting in ten minutes."

Phoebe looked at her. "What are you going to say?"

Wren placed the Ethics Board's conclusion on the table. "I'm going to say that we lost this round."

Phoebe paused, then stepped aside without stopping her.

Ten minutes later, the entire project team had gathered.

Maya still wore a deep scowl, Liam from the tech team kept his head down, and the two clinical liaisons looked visibly anxious. No one spoke first.

Wren stood in front of the projector and displayed the words "Review Delayed" on the screen.

The conference room grew even quieter.

She didn't beat around the bush. "The Ethics Board did not approve it. The pilot hospital has suspended patient pre-communications. For at least the next three weeks, we cannot enter our originally planned pilot."

Liam couldn't help but ask, "Does this mean the project is going to be stolen by Langford Medical?"

The question was brutally direct.

Many people's faces paled.

Wren looked at him. "It's possible."

A collective gasp echoed in the room.

Phoebe also shot her a glance.

Wren continued, "But if we just sit here cursing Langford Medical and complaining that the Ethics Board is unfair, we will still lose three weeks from now."

Maya frowned. "Then what do we do? Sell sob stories like Langford Medical?"

"No," Wren said. "We will not exploit the patients."

She wrote four words on the whiteboard.

Patient Advisory Board.

The atmosphere didn't heat up instantly.

But something finally began to flow again.

Wren looked down and jotted the assignments in her notebook when her phone suddenly lit up.

It was Lawrence.

[The project was delayed.]

Just four words.

No trace of concern.

It felt more like he was confirming the battle casualties.

Wren glanced at it and didn't reply.

The second message arrived quickly.

[Wren, a medical project cannot run on reckless courage alone. Drop the lawsuit now, and Stellaris and Langford Medical might still be able to negotiate.]

Wren stared at that line of text and suddenly let out a faint laugh.

It was incredibly light.

Phoebe noticed her expression. "Who is it?"