Free Web NovelChapter 255: Chapter 255 Another Battle for the Spotlight
Alicia simply nodded. “Do you two know each other?”
Samantha chuckled softly. “We’re good friends.”
Alicia didn’t find that particularly surprising. She wasn’t very familiar with James’s personal affairs, so she simply smiled.
“What a coincidence.”
Samantha curved her lips into a smile. “I never expected the world to be so small. I’ve always admired Dr. Grace, and one of the reasons I wanted to join the National Center for Biomedical Innovation was so I could be closer to both Dr. Grace and Dr. Nathan.”
Alicia felt there was some truth to that.
After all, who in the medical field didn’t admire those two?
“By the way, is Dr. Grace feeling better now?” Samantha asked with concern. “It was a close call last time. Dr. Grace suddenly fell ill, and I helped provide emergency treatment. It really scared me.”
Alicia looked at her in surprise.
She hadn’t expected Samantha to have been involved.
Meeting the young woman’s clear eyes, Samantha smiled.
“After all, I was there too. I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. But...”
She frowned slightly, her voice carrying a trace of helplessness. “It was chaotic at the time. Someone else, trying to show off, wouldn’t allow me to perform advanced life support. We almost missed the critical treatment window. Fortunately, nothing serious happened.”
Alicia was momentarily confused. “Another person?”
The only person she could think of was Rose.
She didn’t know the exact details.
After thinking for a moment, she said earnestly, “I think there may have been a misunderstanding. No doctor can perform every procedure perfectly without making mistakes while saving a life. If that were possible, doctors would be no different from machines. Patients don’t always present symptoms exactly as they do in medical textbooks either.”
She smiled gently. “I think as long as the outcome is good, that’s what matters.”
After all, Grandma was fine now, wasn’t she?
“The process isn’t nearly as important as the result.”
With that, Alicia’s eyes crinkled as she smiled and waved.
“I’m going to eat now.”
Samantha watched her retreating figure, her brows knitting together slightly.
A feeling of displeasure began to grow inside her.
She hadn’t expected Alicia to be so perceptive.
Although she appeared innocent and naive, having grown up in a privileged family meant she clearly had her own opinions.
Samantha frowned.
She could only take her report and head toward Professor Black’s office.
As she approached the office door, before she could knock, she heard Leo speaking inside.
“Rose’s situation is rather unique. Once this project ends, she’ll most likely go directly to the National Center for Biomedical Innovation. It really has nothing to do with this university competition. Her current position is simply a stepping stone.”
“Won’t her contributions to the project still be evaluated?”
Leo replied, “She won’t have any problems with the project. Besides, she has performed steadily and reliably during her appointment as a professor. As long as no major negative incidents occur during her tenure, her position is practically guaranteed.”
A look of shock crossed Samantha’s face.
Rose actually had a direct path to the National Center for Biomedical Innovation without having to compete alongside the other neuroscience and medical teams.
Simply because she was a professor?
Although Samantha knew Rose might not necessarily stand out among the research teams from the seven medical schools, what exactly qualified her for such special treatment?
How could everyone possibly accept that?
Rose now possessed yet another bargaining chip.
As for the Knight family...
Samantha pressed her lips together, her eyes flickering for a long moment.
Then she quietly turned and left.
*****
That afternoon, Rose and Leo led the team out of the laboratory.
Just then, someone arrived carrying a variety of exquisite food and drinks.
“Thank you all for your hard work. These are compliments of our CEO Brown.”
The visitor mentioned Oliver’s name.
Rose looked over.
Her eyes met those of Oliver’s secretary, who smiled and bowed politely.
Only then did Rose begin to wonder.
Was Oliver actually doing this for her?
Was this his way of making peace?
Samantha happened to overhear the conversation as she approached.
She recognized Oliver’s secretary.
Looking at the room filled with tea and pastries, she walked over with a smile.
“Please help yourselves. My friend sent these. Everyone has worked hard today, so please enjoy them.”
Her earlier frustration after hearing Leo’s words had already disappeared.
Oliver was helping her build relationships.
After all, gifts were difficult to refuse.
Once everyone enjoyed the desserts her friend had provided, they would naturally become friendlier toward her.
As soon as Samantha said this, everyone finally reacted.
They all gathered around to thank her.
Samantha once again found herself surrounded by people as she smiled and accepted their gratitude.
Rose merely glanced at the scene indifferently.
She had no intention of exposing Samantha.
Nor did she intend to remind her.
She also had no interest in joining the crowd for dessert. Instead, she turned and continued discussing work with Leo and the other professors.
****
As for the project reports, NYU stood out the most, although the faculty and students from other universities had also submitted many excellent proposals.
Both Rose and Samantha ranked near the top.
Moving forward, each university would publish research papers and patents related to neurology.
Rose had very little except one thing—patents.
She had been researching this field for years and had already accumulated numerous patents.
As a result, she didn’t need to bury herself in additional research. Instead, she could devote her spare time to handling the follow-up work for G.S.’s surgical robot.
Although the initial launch had been a tremendous success, the marketing and promotion phase also needed to keep pace.
She had already made up her mind.
She planned to discuss a partnership with Diana’s television station.
By signing an agreement with them, she could place advertisements for the surgical robot during the station’s prime-time programs.
When she arrived at the station, Diana spotted her from a distance. Her hair was a complete mess.
“Come on. I’ll take you through the fast lane.”
Rose looked at Diana’s disheveled bun.
“How many days have you been pulling all-nighters?”
Diana looked like a zombie.
At those words, she immediately came back to life. “Five days! I haven’t gone home to sleep for five days! I can’t finish editing the footage!”
Without a word, Rose pulled a piece of candy from her pocket and stuffed it into Diana’s mouth, worried that this workaholic might actually collapse on the spot.
They went upstairs.
Diana’s immediate supervisor was a man named Kevin, in his early thirties.
He had a refined appearance.
Rose got straight to the point. “The advertising budget is negotiable. I want placements on all of your station’s flagship programs.”
Kevin had already heard about the wildly successful G.S. project and was eager to discuss it.
“All three of our flagship programs, plus our various high-traffic short-term shows? You want advertisements on all of them?”
Rose simply named a figure. “At this budget, place as many ads as possible.”
Seeing how straightforward she was, Kevin’s eyes lit up.
“It seems G.S. has indeed made a fortune with this device.”
Both sides were direct.
They practically reached an agreement on the spot.
It was rare for a broadcaster to sign advertising contracts covering so many programs at once.
Rose requested placements across all of the station’s flagship programs.
Drafting the contract took some time.
The next day, Rose returned to formally sign the agreement.
The two parties had just finished signing.
The office door suddenly opened.
Rose was still smiling as she held the contract when her eyes met the man standing at the entrance.
Ryan stood there.
Samantha was beside him.
The moment Diana saw them, she immediately stood up, her expression full of disgust.
She leaned close to Rose and whispered, “Bad luck.”
Rose, however, had already realized that seeing these two here could mean nothing good.
Kevin also stood up, walked over, and shook Ryan’s hand.
“Mr. Knight, my apologies for not greeting you sooner. Oliver informed me in advance that you would be coming.”
Ryan shook Kevin’s hand and nodded. “So Oliver already told you about the program?”
Kevin smiled and motioned for someone to bring coffee. “Oliver and I have been friends for many years. It won’t be difficult for him to arrange an exclusive solo program for Miss Hill.”
Rose’s eyes widened slightly.
