Riley was the CEO of the Naysmith Pharmaceutical Group, so he knew a lot about medicine. As soon as he saw the change in his palm, he immediately realized that it was similar to the healing powder his company had recently developed.
The healing powder produced by his family was unique, and it had been responsible for his family's rapid accumulation of wealth, so he was extremely familiar with it.
"What medicine is this effective?" Riley asked, staring at his palm in disbelief.
"I suppose there's no harm in letting you know," Alex said, shrugging. "This is the unique blood-stopping medicine that I've developed. I've named it the Golden Health Powder. It can heal wounds and stop bleeding. So, now that you've tried it, what do you think?"
Riley's forehead wrinkled, and his expression grew serious. "Golden Health?" he mumbled. "How has it stopped the bleeding so fast? How has my wound healed so quickly? Is this medicine or magic? How is this possible?"
He was so surprised that he had completely forgotten that his pants were around his ankles. He stood in the cold wind and studied the jar that Alex had used.
"Three seconds to stop bleeding, ten seconds to stop pain, one minute to heal the scar, and then no trace at all after twenty-four hours," Alex said lightly.
Maryann was ecstatic and just as incredulous as Riley. She was a businesswoman, so naturally, she knew the commercial value of Alex's trauma medicine.
She was a little confused, though. Alex hadn't used any medicine when she had been injured. Instead, he had merely rubbed her palm a few times. Now there was no scar on her palm, and it looked exactly the same as before she had been injured. She couldn't explain it. Perhaps ordinary people just couldn't understand what Alex was capable of.
"No, I don't believe it," Riley said. "There are no drugs in the world capable of what I've just seen. It doesn't conform to science or medicine."
"Believe it or not, the facts are there," Alex said. "Just remember, the point was to show you that I don't need to rely on anyone else, right? Do you understand?"
Riley was completely shocked, but Alex was right. His palm told the whole story. With a medicine like that, Alex wouldn't need anybody's help. He could make billions.
As CEO of the Naysmith Group, Riley knew such an invention spelled death for his company.
"Are you going to compete with me?" Riley asked.
"Yes, of course I am," Alex said. "I'm testing the effect of the powder everywhere. From the palm of your hand, we can all see how well it works. I believe I can obtain the patent right away and carry out mass production through Maryann's funds, offices, factory, and workers. Do you think her father will be pleased?"
Alex's voice wasn't loud, but each word was like a blow to the head for Riley.
He didn't know what to say, and he felt completely defeated.
After taking a long time to compose himself, he gritted his teeth and said, "Don't get complacent."
Alex laughed. "I'm proud," he said. "And I have every right to be proud. Who's the loser now?"
Riley looked down and finally remembered that much of his lower body was exposed. He had been like that for so long that it almost didn't matter anymore. The sense of inferiority now came from the fact that he was clearly the underdog in medicine.
"When the time comes, the money I earn will be enough to destroy you," Alex said. "I've given it some thought, and I believe I'll buy the Naysmith Group and give you a job to take out my trash. But you'll have to beg me for it."
Riley broke out in a cold sweat. The crisis was real, and the winner would take it all. The Naysmith healing powder had completely annihilated its competitors, but now the tables were turning.
He had been so sure of himself, but now he knew what he was really up against. Alex's plan was so much bigger and better than his, and now Riley seemed doomed to failure.
He was shocked and terrified, but he was also in a serious hurry to find a solution.
"Get lost, Riley!" Alex said, issuing the order for him to leave.
Riley didn't hesitate. Instead, he quickly got into the car and made a quick calculation.
He was an expert schemer, and he quickly made his first call.
"Listen," he said to the underling on the other end. "Alex has a secret recipe for a healing powder, which is thousands of times more effective than ours. You need to get this secret recipe to me, no matter what you have to do or how much money it costs. It's called Golden Health healing powder. Remember that. Golden Health."
Riley's expression revealed how seriously he was taking Alex's new medicine. He knew that if it succeeded, his family's healing powder would be swept onto the garbage heap of history.
Alex and Maryann were left behind. They had a good breakfast together, and Maryann looked very happy throughout. But Alex didn't pay her too much attention.
After breakfast, Alex refused Maryann's request to stay, and then he rushed to the wellness suite to begin a consultation. At noon, he went for a drive to relax, and he happened to pass the headquarters of the Robinson Winery.
The building was surrounded by protesters. People held up banners with various slogans about how the company was lying, cheating, and swindling people out of their money.
The organizer was continuously shouting slogans to which the crowd would respond with a roar, attracting the attention of passersby.
Alex was very familiar with the scene. It had happened at the Robinson Winery before. On that occasion, it had turned out to be the work of the Murdoch family, so maybe they were at it again.
Alex concluded that, although Maryann had her flaws, morality was not one of them, so this must be someone out to make trouble.
Well, he thought. It's hard to be a strong woman in this world. There's always someone waiting to drag her down.
He wasn't responsible for Maryann, though, and he was about to drive away when his phone rang.
"Alex, don't leave," Maryann said. "Come and have a look since you're already here. Anyway, half of this is yours now, so you can't just turn away."
Alex was amazed, but looking out of his window, he saw Maryann waving to him from an upstairs office.
With a wry smile, he got out of the car and went in through the back door, since the front of the building was heavily guarded. They were obviously on alert because of the disturbances outside, as if they were facing a great enemy, but they were only guarding one side of the building.
I only went for a drive, Alex thought. And I end up getting involved in something. And once again, it involves a woman.