Dr. Osei calls another urgent meeting eight months after confirming my treatment's success, though this time her expression carries concern rather than the excited hope of previous updates.
"We have a problem," she says, gathering our extended family alongside Reyes, who's returned briefly from retirement given the significance of what Dr. Osei's about to share. "The treatment protocol I developed, someone's attempting to steal the research."
"Steal how?" Talia asks immediately.
"A pharmaceutical company approached my research institute last month, offering considerable funding for expanded trials," Dr. Osei explains. "Standard practice initially, until I discovered their actual intentions during contract negotiations."
"What intentions?" I ask, old instincts sharpening despite months
