"I'll go take care of some things, then quickly come back. You have my number. Call me if there's anything."
Silas felt reassured by Matthew's words. "That's good. Otherwise, I won't feel confident."
Matthew headed toward the door. "I'll leave first, then."
…
At Zen Coffee House, Rachel, Emmanuel, and Baxter sat by the window.
Rachel made a gesture of invitation. "Mr. Kendrick, Mr. Paulson, this is Zen Coffee House's Zen Coffee. It's said that drinking one cup brings you peace of mind. Since you two are coffee connoisseurs, please try it and tell me what you think."
Baxter smiled and said, "Mr. Kendrick is indeed a coffee connoisseur, but tasting coffee ideally requires one's full focus to slowly savor the notes. We're in the company of a beautiful lady today, so let's talk about something other than coffee."
Rachel detected the flirtatious tone in his words, and her eyes flashed with disgust. But she maintained her composure and changed the topic.
"Both of you are busy men, and your time is precious. Let's skip the small talk and get straight to business. In the past, Wealthwave Group's drugs were always staple supplies in your hospital. So why the resistance to the new drugs?"
Emmanuel knew that mere pleasantries wouldn't work on Rachel and that he couldn't take advantage of her. So, he decided to get to the point and gave a nod to Baxter.
Baxter got his signal and sat up straight. "Ms. Carter, in today's world, everyone is only after money. Our hospital is no exception. The previous drugs were favored because of their high prices and substantial profits.
"However, the new drug you developed is too cheap. For example, the willow bark extract—one box of injections cost 7.5 dollars, with ten doses per box. Three doses can cure a common cold, meaning 7.5 dollars can treat three patients. How do you expect us to make money?"
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