Chapter 31

Bella

"Okay, I'll start," began Leah, holding up her wine glass. "I'm thankful for my darling Tanya who lights up my world, for Embry whose pushing has given me a great ass, and for coffee, all coffee."

Everyone laughed and took a sip of their drinks. It was wonderful to have a house full of friends for our first ever Thanksgiving.

"Thanks, Babe," said Tanya, blowing a kiss in Leah's direction. "I'm thankful for you too. You make me feel love I never thought I'd feel. I'm also grateful for Embry too, or else I'd be the size of a mountain. I'm also thankful to have my bestie Edward so close, and for lovely Bella who loves him the way he deserves."

"I'll go next, since I feature in both of yours," piped up Embry. "I'm thankful for Central Park, I'm thankful for my best girls Leah and Tanya. Thanks for having so many fat lawyer friends so my business is booming, and for introducing me to my gorgeous Riley. It's only been a month but it's been the most awesome of my life." He leaned over to give Riley a quick kiss before taking a sip of wine.

"My turn!" clapped Riley, so loudly that Jake barked. "I'm thankful for the main man, Professor Hottie himself, Edward, for making me embrace my inner neuro-geek. I'm truly happy for the first time in a long time. Of course, I also gotta give thanks for having Bella back in my life, and for the whirlwind that is Embry Call. I love you, Hunky."

"That's the first time you've said that to me," Embry looked shocked.

"Yeah, I know." Riley looked down at his lap.

"I love you too, ya know."

Riley looked up with a beaming smile and kissed Embry with all his might.

"Whoa, little bro, parents in the house!" laughed Katie, clutching Randall's hand. "Don't get too carried away."

"Ha, they love it!" He looked to Carlisle and Esme, who both smiled brightly. "See! You go, Katie-kins."

"Okay, I'm thankful for the British invasion. Edward and Bella, it's so amazing to have you here, and thank you for introducing me to Randall. I'm also thankful for ice cream, my family, for my Stanford Education and for getting a PhD place ... At Tufts."

"Katie, you're moving back to Boston?" Carlisle asked in surprise.

"My baby girl's coming home?" added Esme, tearing up.

"Yep. I got early approval, based on my junior year finals."

"That's bloody fantastic!" Randall wrapped his arms around her. "Obviously, I'm thankful for you, Kate, and for Edward who insisted I join him at Harvard. It's been an amazing three months. I'm also thankful for my health, my work and my family."

"I'm thankful for my children's happiness," said Carlisle, raising his glass of Merlot, "and for having Edward and Bella in my department. You've become great colleagues, and even better friends. I'm thankful for holiday parties and I'm thankful every single day for wine and supply closets."

Esme blushed and everyone laughed.

"Well I'm thankful for wine and supply closets too, dear," Esme replied, "and for Las Vegas, where we got married in a whirlwind. I'm thankful for Katie's homecoming, for Riley joining the family 'business' and that they are both happy in love. I'm also thankful for Pottery Barn and sushi."

"I guess that just leaves me and Bella." The Fox picked up my hand and kissed it before continuing. "I am thankful for you, Baby. I've been thankful for you ever since we met. Even with all the ups and downs, I've never known such joy. I'm thankful for Jake and Nessie, our beautiful dogs, and for our little Cub, who is growing every day." He caressed my growing belly. Cub was nineteen weeks old.

"I'm thankful for you too, Foxy," I replied, no longer fazed at calling him that in front of our friends. "For your love and generous heart, and the family we are creating together. Lastly, I'm thankful for Harvard, and for all of you."

"Happy Thanksgiving everyone!"

We raised our glasses once more before tucking into our turkey dinner, complete with candied sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. It was delicious, and I ate so much that I had to excuse myself to the bathroom to burp afterwards.

Edward's mobile phone was ringing as I walked back to the dining table.

"I'm sorry everyone, it's Jenks, our P.I. I need to take this."

We moved to the kitchen to answer the call.

"Hi Jenks."

"Hello, how's the Thanksgiving going?"

"Good. How are things over there?" I asked.

"Well, Volturi, Banner and Molina have all been formally suspended by Oxford University."

"And MJ?"

"MJ has been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to wound, and drug offences. She was found with two bags of ketamine on her person."

"What happens next?" enquired Edward.

"She's being assessed by a court psychiatrist. Some of the stuff she's been coming out with in the police station has been rather bizarre, but they aren't sure whether she's faking it or genuinely ill."

"So, we're safe from her, but what about Volturi?"

"His suspension from Oxford is causing waves at Eclipse, Professor. It's shaken the board's faith in him and Demetri Kasparov, and they are reconvening in St Petersburg in the next few days. If Volturi wants to retain his position there, he'll be expected to turn up."

"Which means he won't have time to get over here and then get to St Petersburg," I realised.

"Exactly right. He will need to do a lot of sweet-talking."

"What about Alec?"

"I don't know for sure, although I think you're safe from him, Mrs Masen. He won't do anything off his own back, but I have no idea yet what instructions he will receive from Volturi. His father and stepmother, MJ's mother, are in St Petersburg already so he may go over there. Equally he may stay in Oxford."

"Keep us informed, okay?" added The Fox.

"Of course."

"Thanks. Say hi to Jared and Paula for us." I couldn't help but mention them. They had done so much for us.

"Will do. They'll be glad to hear you're both doing well."

Just after we put the telephone down, the doorbell rang. Nessie and Jake rushed to greet our visitor, barking, but it wasn't their 'Danger' bark, it was just their 'welcome' bark, so it was someone we knew.

"Irina?" My lab partner was at the door, resplendent in a black fur hat, sweeping cream coat and tight, black skinny jeans with expensive-looking stiletto boots. "You came after all?"

She stepped into our house and knelt down to hug Jake and Nessie. Outside was her sleek, silver BMW 5 series, and Piotr, her driver. She had declined our Thanksgiving invitation earlier, as she was spending time with some Russian friends she'd made locally.

"Da, but it is only flying visit. Please may I come in to talk to you both and Carlisle?"

"Of course," replied Edward behind me. "Would you like a drink?"

"Nyet, thank you."

Our guests had moved from the dining table to sprawl over the sofas and watch TV. Embry was trying to educate the rest on the virtues of American football but not having much joy. We beckoned Carlisle and he came to join us in the kitchen.

"Hello Irina, happy Thanksgiving." His greeting was warm and she smiled back at him. "How are you?"

"I am good thanks, but I need to take some time off for business, a week or so."

"The Eclipse board meetings in St Petersburg?" I asked.

"Da, you heard from your man in London?"

"We did."

"This is my chance to convince board that Demetri is no good. I have much more information about bad practices he has approved, and now board might listen."

"Are you still thinking of going to the press?" I thought of Seth and all the time he was putting into the story.

"Da, I have kept in touch with your friend. If board meeting goes bad, I will give him information and tell him to spin story how he likes. If it goes good, I will give him exclusive interview, anonymously, about how Eclipse is making changes for the better. Change must happen, Bella dorogaya, one way or another."

"Very shrewd, Irina," commented Carlisle. "Are you sure you don't want to run for CEO?"

She shook her head vigorously as she cuddled Nessie to her side.

"No way. I just want to resurrect company. Once it is in safe hands, I want quiet life. Lab, research, good man and good dog."

"Well, best of luck," said Edward, casually slinging his arm around me. "See you soon."

"Da. Enjoy rest of weekend. See you in a week or so."

The rest of the weekend was fantastic. I didn't even mind being dragged to the mall for Black Friday by Esme, Katie and Riley. Tanya tagged along too, while Leah and the rest of the men watched sports and made sandwiches from the huge pile of leftovers.

Esme helped me buy loads of stuff for Cub that I didn't even know I needed, like a baby changing table, breast pump and a breast-feeding cushion. Katie scored me loads of cute, bargain-priced baby clothes that were gender neutral, while Riley helped me buy some maternity clothing that would be pretty and flattering. Tanya ... well, she brought glamour to the entire shopping experience.

During the weekend we discussed Christmas plans. Riley was going to Washington State with Embry, as were Tanya and Leah. Katie was going to London with Randall, to meet Randall's parents, so Esme and Carlisle were going to spend Christmas at their Cape Cod house. They invited us to join them, but we decided that we were going to have a cosy Christmas with the dogs, at home. It would be our first Christmas together and our only one alone before Cub came along. Three days after Christmas, Jasper, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie and all their kids were coming to stay for a week over New Year, and we were all going to the Cullens' house for New Years' Eve.

My parents had to be in Santiago until early January for their business, but my father was coming to Boston for a week straight after. I wasn't sure if my mother would come with him. I didn't think we could repair the rift anyway. There had been too much distance for too long, and her disapproval of my life choices seemed to run too deep.

A week after Thanksgiving, I was in the lab, working on a research trial, when The Fox popped in.

"Hi, Bella, have you got a minute?"

"Sure." I pulled off my gloves before stepping out.

He led me to the reading room, and sat me down, which was when I started to get a bit anxious.

"How are you?"

"Worried. What's going on?"

"I just had a call from Jenks. He told me to check out the news back home." Edward pulled out his iPad and brought up the Sky News website to show me. "Volturi and Kasparov have been arrested on corruption charges and public endangerment."

"That's great!" I exclaimed, but he didn't seem sure. "Right?"

"I guess, but it's quite sudden. Jenks is trying to find out how it came about."

"Where did they get arrested?"

"In London, apparently."

"Let me see if Seth knows."

I quickly fired off a text message, and a few moments later, one pinged back.

Yeah, I knew. Sorry I didn't tell you myself. Story moved v. quick. Had to write all night to get 1stof my articles published tmrw. S.

I showed my phone to The Fox.

"What about Irina? Is she still abroad?"

"I believe so."

Carlisle walked by just then, and stopped when he saw us.

"Hi guys, everything okay?"

Edward beckoned him into the reading room.

"Yeah, we just heard that Volturi and Demetri Kasparov have been arrested in London on corruption charges."

"Wow, that's big news. But good news, right?"

"Oh, yeah, it just caught us by surprise, that's all," The Fox replied to his concerned face.

"Well, Irina just emailed me to say she would be staying in St Petersburg for at least another week."

"Maybe she has to sort out the fall-out from the arrests," wondered Edward, before pulling a timer from his lab coat pocket. "I'd better get back to my lab."

"And me to mine," I echoed.

Nothing exciting happened for the rest of the day. The Fox and I finished work around five, returned home, took care of Jake and Nessie and had dinner. In the evening, I continued my studying while Edward muttered and grumbled his way through the marking of medical student essays.

At around ten-thirty, we headed to bed, and Edward picked up the iPad to look at The Guardian's website. It was around three-thirty AM in London, so Seth's first article was already published.

Big Pharma, Big Scandal: Eclipse in chaos as CEO and lead advisor arrested in London on corruption and malpractice charges

By .

The pharmaceutical industry was, today, rocked by the news that Demetri Kasparov, Chief Executive Officer of Eclipse Pharmaceuticals, and his most senior advisor, Professor Aro Volturi, were arrested yesterday upon arriving at London Heathrow Airport from the company's main headquarters in St Petersburg. They had been returning from emergency meetings with their board of directors, who have been concerned at the company's increasingly unstable profits profile and deteriorating reputation amongst Big Pharma's top players and the global economy at large.

This is the first in a series of articles exploring the inner workings of Eclipse, providing a fascinating insight into the rise and fall of this once promising company through an understanding of the triumphs, and colossal failures, of the people in its fold.

Those with an interest in global pharmaceutical markets will not have failed to notice Eclipse Pharmaceuticals' steady rise since being founded in 1992 by Josef Kasparov and his nephew Sergei. Following Josef's death in 1996 from cancer, Sergei took over as CEO, turning Eclipse into a leading developer and manufacturer in several branches of pharmaceutical production.

The company enjoyed steady year-on-year growth between 1997 and 2011 under Sergei Kasparov's lead. They won several awards for sustainable business practices and quality research through liaison with major academic institutions. Major investment into information technology systems in the late 2000s boosted the company's efficiency.

However, it was reported that behind closed doors, Sergei Kasparov battled 'almost daily' with his cousin Demetri, son of Josef, who was appointed Chief Financial Officer upon his father's death.

"Demetri Kasparov believed that Eclipse were not being ambitious enough," explained Godfrey Gordon, pharmaceutical industry analyst at KPMG. "He constantly pushed Sergei and questioned his decision to maintain steady growth. He wanted Eclipse to overtake Pfizer and GSK in terms of size and notoriety."

However, Sergei stood his ground, refusing to authorise Demetri's outlandish plans, which were more often than not the brainchild of his best friend and most trusted confidante, Professor Aro Volturi, an eminent professor of neuroscience, then at Cambridge University.

"Aro Volturi had developed a reputation amongst the pharmaceutical industries as a very successful researcher, who was credited with finding numerous new drug targets based on neurotransmitters," continued Gordon. "But Sergei Kasparov detested him, and believed his research statistics were too good to be true. Demetri retaliated by trying to undermine Sergei's authority and business acumen in front of the board of directors."

Despite Demetri's best efforts, the board remained steadfastly loyal to Sergei's leadership. Unfortunately, Sergei Kasparov died suddenly in May 2011 of a massive heart attack, and amidst the disruption, Demetri immediately took over as CEO.

"Demetri took hold of the position with immense confidence," states a high-level Eclipse official, who has chosen to remain anonymous. "He had a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve, and this impressed the board, most of who were in turmoil following Sergei's death. When his aggressive marketing and sales strategies led to a 15% increase in profits in the first year of his leadership, his position was cemented."

There were a few dissenters among the board members, who questioned the sustainability and ethics of Demetri's approach. However, they were outvoted and Demetri maintained his position as CEO.

Those dissenters were to be proved correct.

In the past financial year, Eclipse's investment into experimental analgesics and antimicrobials has proven fruitless, and Demetri's sales and marketing techniques have come under fire for breaching EU rules. Expensive legal and research bills have taken up large chunks of the profits. Demetri Kasparov has been put under increasing pressure to improve the company's reputation and economic profile. Insiders state that he and Aro Volturi have continued to invest in new drugs development instead, keen to resurrect profits through bringing revolutionary products to market.

With such pressure to produce a new, market-changing drug product, Aro Volturi, now Head of Neurosciences at Oxford University, had been channelling his academic team's research into the development of a new medication for severe neuropathic pain, with the aim of bringing it to market in 2016. However, an inside source at Oxford University revealed that much of the research was being undertaken by new, inexperienced students, with little hands-on guidance from Volturi himself. Despite this, the data has been prolific, leading Demetri to begin an equally prolific promotion campaign.

Two weeks ago, however, Aro Volturi and two other professors at Oxford University were suspended following complaints of gross professional and student-related misconduct.

"There had been rumours amongst the clinical neuroscience community for many years about Volturi's preferences for spending time with young, female undergraduates and junior postgraduate students, and a tendency to promote his research rather than do it himself," our source in Oxford informed me. "However, nothing had ever been logged officially until a serious, credible complaint was filed with Oxford University's Personnel department by a former professor and a former postgraduate student, accusing Volturi of having sexual relationships with students while supervising their work."

Following on from this complaint, Oxford University conducted its own investigation and promptly suspended Volturi. Since then, several new complaints from former students in several highly regarded universities have come forward. All allege that he abused his position of power to conduct illicit affairs with them, and all state that his research practices were of shaky quality.

So concerned were Oxford University that they reported Volturi and Eclipse Pharmaceuticals to the Association for the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), who instigated an investigation into Eclipse's business practices.

We have been made aware that the results of the ABPI's investigation has resulted in corruption, negligence and public endangerment charges being filed with London's Metropolitan Police at Scotland Yard, such that they were waiting to arrest Demetri Kasparov and Aro Volturi yesterday afternoon at London Heathrow Airport. Full details of this investigation will follow, as well as in-depth profiles of Demetri and Sergei Kasparov, and Aro Volturi, and an assessment of Eclipse's future in the rest of the series of articles.

I turned to look at The Fox's face when I finished reading, and he turned to look at me.

"It's very good. Understated, but uses inference well," he murmured.

"That's Seth's style. He always wanted to use language to set stories free, not to sensationalise."

"Well he's achieved it ..."

"But ..?"

"But despite what it says, I don't feel as though the issue with Volturi is over. Maybe it won't until he is charged and prosecuted," Edward admitted.

I sank back against the headboard, and let out a big breath. "Baby?"

"I know what you mean. I can't believe it's over either. Volturi's basically plagued us ever since we got to Harvard, one way or another. While I'm delighted he's been arrested, and suspended from Oxford, and all his shit is being laid bare through Seth's work, it kind of feels ... I don't know ..."

"Anti-climactic?"

"Yeah." I leaned up to kiss him for saying what I couldn't quite express.

Edward curled his arm around me and kissed my temple.

"We've been in this battle for months, so it's not surprising we feel this way."

"Maybe we just need time to settle. I don't want us to stay on alert when there's no threat. It's no way to live."

"I totally agree, Baby. We have so much in our lives to finally just …" He paused to brush my lips with a soft kiss. "…Enjoy."

-cc-

Apologies for the delay in posting! My new boss is really unwell at the moment, so instead of using my free time to write, I've been trying to manage our department, when I've only been there a couple of months! However, I've managed to start the next one, so I should hopefully be updating in less than two weeks.