Two years later.
The new drug was approved for market.
The certification ceremony was in London.
I walked up to the stage in a navy blue suit.
In the audience were colleagues, investors, and the press.
And a lot of young women.
The host invited me to speak.
I stood at the microphone. The lights came down, soft and warm.
I began. "Five years ago, I lost a relationship that everyone thought would have a happy ending.
I also lost my studies, my reputation, my home.
And the people I thought would protect me."
The audience was silent.
"Later, I realized something. Suffering isn't the hardest part."
I paused before continuing. "The hardest part is when someone makes choices for you in the name of love.
"They decide what you should endure, what you should give up, and who you should
