THIRD PERSON'S POV.
Orion leaned back in his office chair, fingers clasped behind his head as he stared out the window of his office building. The skyline loomed ominously before him, each building a reminder of the cutthroat corporate world that enveloped him. Running a pharmaceutical company was no easy feat; it was akin to navigating a minefield with a blindfold while trying to juggle vials of potential life-saving drugs.
In memory of his mother, he had poured every ounce of himself into developing their latest product—a breakthrough in antidepressants and painkillers that promised efficacy without debilitating side effects. The research and development phase had been grueling. Every iteration of the formulation had led to more questions than answers, and the path was fraught with regulatory hurdles. From preclinical trials to rigorous Phase III studies, every setback seemed to echo with doubt.
Just the previous month, they had conducted a series of double-blind trials that involved hundreds of participants. While the results were promising, Orion felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He had convinced himself that the world needed this drug; they needed a solution that didn't come with the weight of dependency or a cocktail of side effects that left users feeling worse than before. He envisioned a world where people could find relief without the scars of addiction; however, that vision kept him awake at night.
On top of all this, funding had been an ongoing nightmare when he started. The first few pitches had been met with skepticism. Investors were wary of a young CEO launching a drug that challenged the status quo—and rightfully so. They wanted proven success, not another ambitious dreamer chasing a potential fantasy. Orion had even considered liquidating his personal assets at one point, ready to risk everything just to keep the company afloat so that his father wouldn't use that as an excuse to take over the company.
When the merger offer came from an anonymous benefactor, he had been thrilled but wary. The pharmaceutical industry was rife with dubious deals lurking behind gleaming offers. Then came the revelation: Bishop Enterprise would serve as a representative behind the anonymous company. The legitimacy and reputation of one of the industry giants filled him with both hope and trepidation. He couldn't shake the feeling that their motives weren't entirely altruistic, and he hesitated to put his name on a graft that might burn him later.
That's when things took a bizarre twist. Mr. Bishop, Jr. outright refused to meet Orion's father, a man whose corporate presence was almost overshadowing the younger Bishop's claim over the family name. Orion was baffled but intrigued. The younger Bishop wasn't interested in the old guard; he wanted to work with Orion—only Orion.
Time moved swiftly. Amidst the chaos of deal-making and negotiations, Orion had encountered Harro, whose very presence became a reprieve from the relentless stress of his daily grind. But today wasn't about how well he worked with Harro, it was about surviving a PR crisis.
Orion had woken up to a flurry of notifications on his phone. His heart sank as he opened the first news article. "Stone Pharmaceuticals Under Fire for Alleged Bribery in Drug Approval Process." The headline felt like a punch to the gut. Not only was their hard work being turned into a scandal, but the allegations came with supposedly concrete evidence, fabricated but culturally potent evidence that their new drugs were incredibly addictive.
Inhaling sharply, Orion roused himself from his haze and hurried into the office, a storm brewing inside him. Within seconds of stepping through the glass doors, he was met with hushed whispers and concerned glances cast his way. His team was already scrambling, attempting damage control, crafting statements, and working on a public relations strategy that could spin the negative narrative before it spiraled completely out of their grasp.
Hours turned into an endless whirlwind. Calls with lawyers, meetings with the PR team, carefully worded responses turned frantic as each moment passed and the social media firestorm grew. He could feel the mounting pressure, his frustrations bubbling just beneath the surface. Dismissing the broader issues of trust within the industry felt like a façade; they had worked tirelessly to reach this juncture, only to be marred by rumors that held no shred of truth. Why would anyone do this to him?
As the day progressed and his team continued to falter against the rising tide of negativity, Orion felt eyes on him—particularly those of his father who had shown up uninvited. The tension was thick enough to cut. Chairman Stone with his usual air of authority tried to assert himself, suggesting actions that Orion felt were misguided.
"What we need is a hard-hitting statement," his father argued angrily, waving his hands as if directing an invisible orchestra. "We need to take the offensive!"
"No, we need to remain calm and factual," Orion shot back. "Panicking will only make the situation worse. Right now, we must focus on damage control."
It was a struggle. Balancing the expectations of a father who had never seen the value in his autonomy against the strategy he believed would salvage their reputation became a tug-of-war that left Orion exhausted and drained.
Finally, as dusk settled outside the windows and shadows loomed large, he made the decision to dismiss his employees. "Go home, get some rest," he said, his voice steady even as fatigue laced every word. "Tomorrow we regroup. We'll tackle this together."
With a heavy heart and lighter footsteps, he left the office, thoughts of the day's events swirling in his mind. The road ahead was uncertain, with the specter of fabricated allegations hanging precariously above them. But the comfort of home, the warmth of Harro's embrace, beckoned him forward.
As he stepped through the door of their shared sanctuary, the stress began to melt away, replaced by a sense of reprieve. Tomorrow would bring its challenges, but for tonight, he would breathe. And with Harro beside him, he would find the strength to face whatever came next. After all, this was just another bump in their journey—a journey that was far from over.