Lyra Solis paused outside the glass doors, her mind racing as she recalled the long-standing relationship between Blackwood Tech and TenOcean Pharmaceuticals. In fact, the very founding of Blackwood Tech owed a debt to TenOcean.
For any pharmaceutical company, there are two critical fronts—sales on the commercial side, and R&D on the technical side.
Without its own signature products, a pharmaceutical firm struggles to survive in the competitive market. Yet drug development is a monumental undertaking, well beyond the reach of most ordinary pharmaceutical factories.
Lyra's grandfather—founder of TenOcean Pharmaceuticals, the late Chairman Solis—had extraordinary foresight. When he established TenOcean, he immediately began seeking innovative R&D firms with which to grow.
It was around that time that Lysander Blackwood, a renowned figure in pharmaceutical research and development, came into his view. Formerly in charge of R&D at a leading U.S.-based pharma giant, Lysander had recently shown interest in launching his own venture.
Upon hearing of his intentions, Chairman Solis approached Lysander. Knowing that a man of his stature would never agree to join TenOcean as a subordinate, Chairman Solis instead offered to invest £500,000 in support of his startup.
Lysander, freshly entering the entrepreneurial world, was naturally short on capital. He was deeply moved by the generous support and, after a round of amicable negotiations, both parties agreed on a long-term collaboration.
That initial £500,000 became the seed capital for Blackwood Tech, enabling the company to get off the ground smoothly.
To express his gratitude, Lysander named the newly formed company Blackwood Tech: "Blackwood" from his own surname, and "Tech" to reflect the pharmaceutical lineage it shared with TenOcean. The name symbolized that Blackwood Tech and TenOcean were as one—family.
Moreover, once the company was officially established, Lysander offered Chairman Solis a 10% stake in Blackwood Tech as a return on his investment.
At the time, many people believed Chairman Solis had made a losing deal. But Lysander soon proved his worth. Within its first year, Blackwood Tech developed two urgently needed medications, making an explosive debut in the industry.
One was a treatment for coronary heart disease. Under a 60/40 profit-sharing model, TenOcean handled production and distribution, earning a net profit of over £4 million annually.
The second was a drug for Parkinson's in elderly patients. Sold via bidding, it was bought outright by an American pharmaceutical company for a staggering £8 million.
With these accomplishments, Blackwood Tech made a name for itself overnight. Top pharmaceutical firms across the globe began extending olive branches, eager to collaborate—especially after witnessing TenOcean's rise.
To their disappointment, Lysander had extremely high standards. He dismissed most offers outright, entertaining only elite-tier pharmaceutical firms. TenOcean was a rare exception.
With Blackwood Tech's backing, TenOcean experienced a meteoric rise. In just ten years, it transformed from an obscure local company into one of Britain's top 100 pharmaceutical enterprises by the time Chairman Solis passed away.
But with the old chairman barely in his grave, the partnership between the two companies was already unraveling—something that deeply troubled Lyra Solis.
"Ms. Solis, please come in."
Seeing Lyra hesitate outside the door, Alistair Ford approached with a courteous smile, pushing the glass door open and gesturing her inside.
Lyra snapped out of her thoughts and composed herself, stepping into the conference room. Evelyn Ward and the others followed close behind.
...
Upon entering the room, Lyra's eyes swept across the space. It wasn't a large conference room—perhaps four or five people were present. Among them stood Walter Shaw, director of TenOcean's R&D division, visibly furious as he glared at a balding man seated opposite him.
Lyra recognized the man instantly. It was none other than Lysander Blackwood, CEO of Blackwood Tech.
"Ms. Solis, you're here," Walter said, striding over quickly. He leaned in and whispered a few words in her ear. Though he kept his voice low, a few members of her entourage managed to catch fragments:
"…terminate the partnership… demand compensation…"
"…new terms… renegotiate shares…"
"…80/20 split… 20% of TenOcean's equity…"
As Walter spoke, Lyra's expression grew darker. She now understood why Walter had been so enraged.
Once he finished, Lyra turned her gaze on Lysander Blackwood. Though barely containing the fury that surged within her, she kept her tone even as she sat across from him.
"Mr. Blackwood, my grandfather has only just passed, and you're already moving against TenOcean like this? Don't you think that's a bit much?"
"Lyra Solis, or shall I say 'Ms. Solis'—this may be our first time meeting in person, but your name precedes you."
Lysander's face was emotionless as he replied coolly, "Our prior agreement was between me and Chairman Solis. Now that he's gone, it's only right that we revisit the terms."
"I'm open to renegotiating," Lyra said sharply, "but don't you think your new terms are outrageous? You want us to compensate you, rewrite the profit split in your favor, hand over 20% of TenOcean's equity—and return our stake in Blackwood Tech?"
She leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "I don't see a shred of sincerity in that offer. Do you think TenOcean is just a subsidiary of Blackwood Tech?"
Lysander chuckled. "Ms. Solis, you've only just taken over TenOcean, haven't you? It seems you've yet to grasp reality. The reason TenOcean has flourished in recent years is because of Blackwood Tech's unwavering support."
He sneered. "Blackwood currently provides TenOcean with three blockbuster drugs. Those account for over 60% of your total market share, don't they?"
He leaned back, voice growing colder. "Allow me to remind you: TenOcean holds the manufacturing and sales rights—but not the patents. The patents belong solely to Blackwood Tech. We can revoke your licenses at any time. If that happens…"
He didn't finish the sentence, but Lyra's face had already turned grim. The threat was as blatant as it was brutal—and it struck directly at TenOcean's most vulnerable spot.
"Well," Lysander said, rising from his seat. "I've made my position clear. I'll give you three days to consider. If you find the terms unacceptable, so be it. Our collaboration ends here."
He walked to the door, then suddenly paused and turned back with a smirk.
"Oh—and one more thing. I don't like you. If TenOcean wishes to continue working with us, perhaps you should step aside. I think Dorian Hale would make a much more suitable CEO."
With that, he let out a derisive laugh and walked out of the room. The rest of Blackwood Tech's representatives followed suit, leaving the conference room silent.
Only the TenOcean staff remained, each person exchanging uncertain glances, heads bowed in heavy silence.
Lyra stared after the retreating figure of Lysander Blackwood. Though fury churned in her heart, she kept her expression tightly controlled, betraying none of the storm within.