Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 162

Meanwhile, Julian Sinclair had also caught wind of the development.

He knew someone had stepped in to partner with Eugene Yates's firm, but he didn't know who. He immediately dispatched his assistant to find out, furious and eager to see who in New York dared to cross him and back the Yates family.

His assistant returned quickly. Julian had been expecting some clueless, minor-league company and was already drafting a cease-and-desist order in his head. But the moment he heard the name "Merit Biotech," he froze.

"From what I understand, Merit's maritime logistics division doesn't operate in New York," Julian said, his voice dangerously low. "Why would they suddenly partner with Eugene?"

Sensing his boss's foul mood, the assistant barely dared to breathe. "I heard it's a newly launched division."

"A newly launched division?" Julian scoffed. Why would Merit launch a new division and bypass the Sinclair Group—the biggest player in the city—to partner with a second-rate firm like Eugene's? It made absolutely no sense.

Did Eugene have some sort of personal connection with Silas Thorne? Unlikely. The CEO of Merit was notoriously cold and aloof, famously dodging personal engagements and social events. Julian himself had been trying and failing to secure a meeting with the man for months.

Julian pressed for more details, but when it became clear his assistant had nothing useful to offer, he waved him away in disgust.

Alone in his office, Julian's anger boiled over. He could have crushed any other company in New York, but Merit Biotech? He didn't dare strike at them blindly. Which meant he had just lost his biggest piece of leverage over Willow. She had slipped right through his fingers.

Foul-tempered and agitated, Julian left work and dragged Seth Sterling and a few others out for drinks.

Julian had pondered that too. "Go on."

"Think about it," Seth leaned in. "Silas Thorne is single. The Yates family has a daughter. Doesn't that strike you as suspicious? Merit has ignored the East Coast market for years, focusing on Seattle and international hubs. Suddenly, they drop millions into the New York biotech scene, and now they're partnering with the Yates family. Could it be..."

Julian cut him off with a harsh laugh. "No way. Silas Thorne can have any woman he wants." Julian had seen enough of their social circle to know how these things worked. "He snaps his fingers, and they line up. Why would he go to all this trouble, investing millions, for one girl? Plus, the guy has never had a single scandal. Nobody's ever caught his eye."

"Just because there's no scandal doesn't mean there's no action," Seth chuckled lewdly. "I've seen Jade Yates. She's not a knockout, but she's got fire. She's feisty. If Thorne wanted a little side piece to spice things up, she'd fit the bill."