After the Fall Read Online Free

in a start-up pharmaceutical company, Replica. While there, she discovered the mechanism of action of Immunone and its chemical analogs. In appreciation of her contribution and to entice her to stay, the cash-poor start-up gave her 5 percent of the company. It wasn’t worth much back then, but now that Keystone Pharma had acquired Immunone, the value of Replica stock had skyrocketed. The good news: when Adawia was able to cash out, she’d collect $7.5 million. The bad news: she’d return to Iraq.
    Jake grabbed a pillow, stuck it behind his head, and pulled Addie over, curving his arm around her. “Addie, you know FDA Advisory Committees are just that, they advise. They don’t approve. I can tell you the FDA still has a lot of questions. Mostly about safety. They’re talking about more data. More clinical trials.” This was all a lie, but he had to quell the elation that predicted the 100 percent positive vote of the Advisory Committee would translate into a speedy approval. Certainly, the loss of Dr. Fred Minn would slow the company down asthey struggled to address the drug safety questions he would manufacture for them. Jake may not have the clout of a medical review officer, but he controlled the project data; it would be no big deal for him to misplace or even tamper with the files.
    â€œNo, we don’t need more trials,” Addie stated, removing her hand from his. “Dr. Nelson presented all 500 patients receiving Immunone and another 500 on the placebo control. Double-blind. The patients treated with Immunone had a 70 percent reduction in rejection. Seventy percent. That’s huge, Jake. You know that. And no side effects.”
    â€œThe FDA is always leery of results that look too good to be true, Addie.”
    Jake felt her edge away from him.
    â€œMaybe they think someone cheated? Or they just don’t believe the data?”
    â€œLook, it’s late,” Jake said. “I’ll find out more when I go in tomorrow. We have to get some sleep.” He reached for her, pulling her down next to him, pressing his body to hers, breathing in her exotic scent. “Everything will work out.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    M ONDAY , F EBRUARY 17
    The beep of Tim’s alarm clock woke Laura at 5:30 a.m. She hadn’t slept well, her mind doing flip-flops, one moment dwelling on Tim’s proposal—how it would feel being married—did she want to be married—did she love Tim enough to spend the rest of her life with him? The next minute trying to imagine herself directing pharmaceutical research, walking away from the surgical career she loved—would it be possible to work for Keystone Pharma and still do surgery on the side? Her answer to that, a clear no. Surgery required total focus, at least the way she practiced it. There’d be no having it both ways. What would she tell Tim?
    He had leaned over to turn off the alarm and, when he rolled back, he pulled her into the crook of his arm. “Get any sleep, babe?”
    â€œNot much. Too much to think about.” But, she could have Tim
and
surgery. That is, if she moved to Philadelphia. Or, if he moved to Tampa.
Would he be willing to do that for her? Would she be willing to move for him? Maybe
. She’d lived in Tampa for twenty years, raised her children there, but they’d all moved. Her son Mike, a lawyer in Philadelphia, and her twin daughters, med students at the University of Pennsylvania. What was left for her in Tampa?
    â€œWhat about you?”
    â€œNo. I think I’ve always known I would ask you to marry me.I just never knew when. Should have done it years ago. But you know what? I’m glad I blurted it out last night.”
    â€œTim, I still can’t wrap my mind around getting married. You took me by surprise. I mean…”
    â€œYou promised me you’d think about it, Laura. But right now, I’ve got to get you up and out of here or you’ll miss your plane.