Page 51 of Love Under the Microscope
He tsks. “That’s no way to greet your friend.”
His voice creeps me out. Jack’s right. How did I ever get involved with him? Was I that lonely or just bored? I suppose we all make some terrible decisions, and he’s a big one of mine. “Again, what do you want, Nigel?”
“We didn’t get a chance to talk properly at the gala, and you seemed upset when I called you the last time, so I thought I’d reach out to you now.”
I touch my pounding chest, willing it to slow. It appears he hasn’t noticed we broke into his office. That’s the silver lining of all this. I’m still completely disgusted by hearing him have sex literally on top of me. It certainly hadn’t made me mourn our breakup. That’s because it made you want to climb Jack like a tree.
“I have nothing to say to you.” I wish I’d prepared what to say in advance or asked Jack what he thought I should say if Nigel called. But I hadn’t done either. Probably because I was exhausted.
“You’ll want to talk about this.” He sounds almost gleeful, which makes a boulder form in the pit of my stomach.
I would love to hang up, but I can’t do that. “What?”
“I have everything in place to start manufacturing my own version of Orchid.”
As I picture Nigel’s smug face, anger rushes through me, heating my blood. If smoke coming out of one’s ears were a literal thing, the fire alarm would be blaring. How dare he steal information and try to make it into something of his own? After so many have spent time, money, and effort on developing and bringing the product to market. He has no fucking right.
But I can’t lose it now. My hand clenches into a fist, but I need to keep my tone measured. “You won’t get away with it.”
“I already have. I mean, I have to go through the usual process to make it look like it’s all above board, but I’ll make sure that happens quickly. After all, I have all the information I need.”
“Zentello will launch before you can get a research team in place.”
“You do that, and I’ll claim you stole the idea.”
I grip my phone. “You already have.”
He chuckles. “You’ve always been a clever one, haven’t you? But it doesn’t matter in this case. I’ll bring about a lawsuit. The FDA will remove Orchid from the market during the investigation, and once they see I have the original formula, they may even penalize and fine Zentello.”
Just words. We’re years ahead of him with product development, and data forensics is cheap and easy to do. I just have to keep searching the archives and find what I need. That shouldn’t be too hard.
Still, Zentello would have due diligence to do. Well, me. And I can’t let Nigel hear that he’s rattling me in any way. I have to be smart to outsmart him. “Zentello won’t go down without a fight.”
“Really, Zelda, and what kind of fight would that be? Who would believe that a lowly assistant would take a ground-breaking formula home with her and just leave it in a cheap notebook for anyone to find? That makes no sense when you consider that Zentello has state-of-the-art security. If anything, they’ll think you stole the formula from your former boyfriend and gave it to your ex-husband.”
I don’t—can’t—reply.
He chortles. “Your silence tells me you believe I’m right. Just think, in a couple of months, your precious Nate and his Zentello might be out of business, all because of you, Zelda. Remind me to mention that to him when his world falls apart.”
The man is unbelievable. “Wait. You’re going after Nate?”
Nigel laughs emptily. “Nate thinks he’s the pharmaceutical industry’s golden boy, but that title should’ve always been mine. Now it will be.”
If only I had recorded these conversations. Hindsight at its best. “All this is because you’re jealous of Nate?”
“Yes.”
Jack’s right. Nigel’s revenge has nothing to do with me. It’s all about Nate. “So, you only wanted me because I was married to Nate?”
“Nate still wanted you, and you weren’t that bad to date.”
I cringe. “Gee, thanks.”
“You’re pretty to look at, and you have some brains,” he says with venom. “But as for the sex? Well, let’s say it was mediocre at best. No wonder Nate got bored of you.”
Ouch. That one stings. If Nigel wanted to get a direct hit, he’s struck the center of the bull’s-eye, even if it’s pure ego making me hurt.
“Bye, Nigel.” I grit my teeth. “I’ll see you in court, if necessary.”
