Free Web NovelChapter 64: Chapter 64 The Woman Behind Aetheris
Rose didn’t sleep well that night.
In her dreams, she relived the scene from the year they first got married, when she and Ryan were taking their wedding photos.
Ryan was a minimalist; he didn’t care much for so-called formalities. They hadn’t held a wedding ceremony, but Margaret, realizing she was at fault, had taken the initiative and insisted that Ryan pose for wedding photos with Rose.
Once he agreed to something, he followed through.
No matter what the photographer asked of him, he raised no objections.
Whether it was wrapping an arm around her waist, gently caressing her cheek, or...
The photographer said, “Mr. Knight, could you kiss the bride?”
She had been young back then, and facing the man she loved, her heart had inevitably raced.
She had expected him to refuse.
After all, their relationship had been nothing more than polite and formal.
But Ryan nodded calmly.
He bent down and tilted his head with practiced ease, searching for her lips.
He didn’t like closing his eyes. Instead, he stared intently at her flushed face as she held her breath, stiff with nervousness.
He raised an eyebrow casually.
“Rose, I’m your husband. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives together. What are you so shy about?”
A lifetime...
Human promises are, after all, worthless.
Feelings cannot withstand scrutiny or trials.
Rose opened her eyes with a start.
The corners of her eyes were damp.
Yet her expression was utterly calm and clear.
Thankfully.
She had been the one to take the initiative to end those seven years of folly.
Burning those once-cherished pillars of her spirit with her own hands, declaring herself a stranger to Ryan—that had been her most resolute decision.
Calmly, she raised a hand and wiped away the faint trace of moisture.
She reached for the phone on the nightstand.
Opening WhatsApp, she found Ryan’s contact and, without a moment’s hesitation, tapped Block.
Then she opened her contacts and blocked his phone number as well.
She had completely severed him from her life.
She sat up and went to wash up.
Today, she planned to visit her mother.
Her mother, who had remained unconscious ever since that car accident years ago.
She sat quietly beside the hospital bed for a long time.
In truth, she felt deeply depressed.
But she had nowhere to vent those emotions.
It was as if simply sitting there in silence allowed her to catch her breath.
Yet she didn’t have much time to sort through her feelings.
There was a Smart Healthcare Expo today, and she needed to attend it with Caleb.
In an era of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence, the healthcare industry had become one of the most competitive frontiers of innovation.
Hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, and medical device manufacturers were all racing to stay ahead.
The landscape of modern medicine was evolving faster than ever, and breakthroughs that once took decades could now happen in just a few years.
Rose wanted to be part of that change.
Morning arrived.
Rose and Caleb entered the exhibition hall together.
As she stepped inside, she couldn’t help marveling at how quickly the world was advancing.
“It’s never too late to come back,” Caleb said. “A genius like you will adapt faster than anyone.”
A trace of envy crept into his voice.
Anyone standing beside someone like Rose could easily feel overshadowed.
Rose, however, wasn’t nearly as confident.
The medical and pharmaceutical industries were filled with brilliant minds. No matter how talented she was, staying grounded was always the wiser choice.
“Come take a look,” Caleb said, gesturing toward one of the exhibition areas. “The rehabilitation exoskeleton system your research team developed at Columbia is being showcased over there.”
“The exhibits here represent some of the biggest medical and technological breakthroughs of the past few years,” he continued. “Many of them are already changing the future of healthcare.”
Rose nodded.
She decided to explore the exhibition on her own.
Before long, she spotted the rehabilitation exoskeleton on display.
It was a device she had personally designed to help restore mobility and independence to patients suffering from paralysis and severe spinal cord injuries.
She had long since sold the patent, and mass production had given countless patients a chance to reclaim their lives.
That was why she had named it New Life.
New Life.
She hoped it would help patients and their families move beyond despair and embrace a new beginning.
Standing before the machine she had once created, Rose felt a surge of emotion.
This was the very first prototype she had built with her own hands.
After years of collaboration with leading biomedical engineers and medical researchers, the design had been refined into the model that would eventually change so many lives.
Back then, she had only recently gotten married.
Researchers from the National Center for Biomedical Innovation had approached her more than once, offering her a place among the institute’s youngest principal investigators.
Many people believed she was destined to become one of the leading figures in modern medicine.
She had originally intended to balance both family and career.
But for some reason, she never received an acceptance letter.
Coupled with the Knight family’s strict expectations for their daughter-in-law, the matter gradually faded away.
Looking back now...
Being so blinded by love really deserved to be torn apart.
Only after being burned and shattered into a thousand pieces had she finally come to her senses.
Filled with nostalgia, her hand gently brushed against the robot’s frame.
“What are you doing? Have some sense!”
A sharp reprimand came from behind her.
Rose turned around.
She saw Samantha and Ryan, who had arrived at some point.
Oliver was chatting with Jordan nearby and looked over when he heard the commotion.
The moment Jordan saw Rose, a chill flashed across his face.
Rose looked only at Samantha, who had spoken, and calmly asked, “Did you join the security team? You seem quite dedicated to maintaining order.”
The remark was sharp.
Samantha’s expression turned cold as she declared righteously,
“The exhibits here are of extraordinary significance. They represent groundbreaking patents developed by the great Aster. If you damage them, it would be tantamount to disrespecting the hard work of countless researchers.”
Jordan glanced at Samantha.
Suddenly, he understood why she had won Ryan’s favor.
Principled.
Intellectually sharp.
Capable.
Charismatic.
In contrast, Rose...
She only had eyes for men who already belonged to someone else.
His expression darkened further.
Oliver looked at Rose in surprise.
“You actually have an invitation?”
This Smart Healthcare Summit was no ordinary event.
Yet Rose, an outsider, had somehow gained entry.
Since she was still Mrs. Knight, he was willing to give her a way out.
“Since you don’t understand any of this, just watch quietly. No one will laugh at you.”
Rose hadn’t expected that products she had spent years developing would now be treated as untouchable simply because of Samantha’s comments.
“If you’re interested, you can follow Sam and learn from her,” Oliver continued. “She’s bold, decisive, and always ahead of the curve. Earlier this year, she launched a robotics project focused on AI-assisted patient navigation—using intelligent systems to guide patients through screening, triage, and treatment pathways, helping bridge the gap between traditional healthcare services and emerging medical technologies.”
“With her extensive experience in pharmaceutical research and her recent push into smart healthcare, she’s proven herself capable in just about every field. You have a lot to learn from her.”
If Samantha succeeded in smart healthcare as well, would Rose still have the confidence to cling to the title of Mrs. Knight?
Oliver watched Rose expectantly.
He wanted to see embarrassment.
Self-doubt.
Humiliation.
But instead—
“Oh, that’s wonderful.”
Rose knew exactly what reaction they were hoping for.
She offered a polite, almost perfunctory compliment.
An AI-powered patient navigation and triage system was certainly an interesting concept. It could improve efficiency, reduce wait times, and help patients access the appropriate care more quickly.
It was a practical approach.
But personally, she didn’t think the technology itself was particularly groundbreaking.
Her own Aetheris Medical AI platform could easily stand shoulder to shoulder with a project like that.
Seeing Rose’s reaction, Samantha looked away dismissively.
“True. What’s the point of explaining this to you anyway?”
Rose wouldn’t understand its real value.
Oliver chuckled.
“Ryan will help you get the project approved. When the time comes, I’ll be the first investor.”
His grandfather was still talking about the person who had saved his life.
Once he invested in Samantha’s project, he could bring her to meet the old man.
If his grandfather was in a good mood, he might even receive a warmer welcome himself.
Rose couldn’t help glancing at Ryan.
Was he really planning to help Samantha with this project?
Jordan had been observing Rose the entire time.
The moment he caught her looking at Ryan again, a chill entered his eyes.
Still not giving up?
“Mr. Byrne.”
Samantha noticed Caleb approaching and stepped forward with a faint smile.
“I have a project I’d like to discuss with you. Once our joint research program is complete, perhaps we can explore a deeper collaboration.”
“I’m planning to develop a next-generation therapeutic device. Would it be possible to integrate it directly with your company’s Aetheris Medical AI platform?”
With her expertise in pharmacology, her ambitious vision, and Ryan’s support in expanding her resources, she intended to advance both pharmaceutical innovation and intelligent healthcare technologies at the same time.
The possibilities were endless.
And Aetheris Medical AI was the perfect partner.
As one of the most advanced medical AI platforms in the industry, it housed an enormous database of clinical research, pharmaceutical compounds, treatment protocols, patient outcome studies, and real-world healthcare analytics.
Combined with its intelligent diagnostic assistance and predictive modeling capabilities, it had become one of the most sought-after medical AI systems in the field.
That was one of the reasons Samantha had been so determined to partner with G.S. in the first place.
“I’ll meet that legendary Aster sooner or later.”
At those words, Caleb paused.
His gaze drifted toward Rose almost instinctively.
“Actually, there’s something I’m curious about.”
He turned back to Samantha.
“How exactly does Ms. Hill believe she’s qualified to negotiate this partnership?”
“Aetheris Medical AI is an industry leader. Countless companies and research groups are competing for access to its platform.”
“What makes your proposal different?”
Only then did Samantha let out a soft laugh.
“Wouldn’t I be the advantage?”
Ryan raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression calm as ever.
