Chapter 360: Why Wait Until Now?

Alone in the office, their worry was evident.

"Do you remember what Pearson Group did last time they targeted us?" Colby asked, a flicker of concern crossing his brow.

Roxanne's forehead creased. She recalled Aubree's sabotage upon her return. Pearson Group had ordered all Horington medicinal herb suppliers to reject the research institute's partnership offers without explanation.

Someone was deliberately cutting them off. But who?

Roxanne's gaze darkened. Her mind raced.

They'd resolved Aubree's interference, so Roxanne assumed they wouldn't face the same tactics again. Colby, though unspoken, knew she was the target.

Seeing her distress, he patted her shoulder. "Don't overthink it. Call our partners personally and gauge their intentions. If they're unwilling to work with us, we need to find replacement suppliers quickly to keep our projects on schedule."

Roxanne snapped out of her reverie and nodded.

Colby produced the contact list. Roxanne began calling.

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Jarvis. While we've enjoyed our partnership, we can't fulfill your urgent ingredient needs…" "Dr. Jarvis? So sorry for the late notice. We're fulfilling a massive hospital order and can't accommodate the research institute's request."

Call after call yielded rejections, each excuse a thinly veiled refusal. They clearly intended to end the partnerships.

Roxanne clenched her fists, then dialed another number.

Seeing her distress, Colby gently patted her hand. "Don't bother."

Roxanne looked at him, confused. "It's clear someone has it in for the research institute. They seem as influential as, or even more than, the Pearson family. Continuing this will only end the same way."

Reluctantly, Roxanne agreed. After a moment, she hung up, dejected.

"Have you offended anyone lately?" Colby asked, concerned.

Roxanne stiffened slightly.

"I'm not blaming you," Colby hastened to add. "You solved this problem before. But given their actions, they might target you or the children. Be careful. Don't worry about the research institute; I can keep it going for a while."

He smiled reassuringly.

"Thank you," Roxanne said, her eyes grateful.

Still, she couldn't identify a likely culprit. Sonya was the only possibility. However, Roxanne had made things clear to Sonya at their last meeting and hadn't contacted Lucian since. If Sonya were responsible, she would have acted the day of their breakup, not now.