HIATUS

"You excited Ethan?" my brother William asked me.

Before I could respond my other brother John replied for me and said, "Of course he is, stupid".

"You're stupid"

"No, you're stupid"

"No, you're stupid"

"Everything you say is stupid"

"JOHN", William said with a smile.

There was a moment of silence between the three of us and then suddenly all of us began laughing.

"HAHAHHAHAH"

"HAHAHAHAHHA"

"HAHAHAHHAH"

"Of course I'm excited, my company is opening today," I said to them trying to stop my laughter.

I'm now 19, 2 years after graduating I had been working incredibly hard in making today the official opening ceremony of the company. The money that my grandfather left me gave me the capital to start the company. But starting a Pharmaceutical company from the bottom is incredibly hard, due to this I sold some stocks to gather investors that will help me in the building of my company. I needed outside influence aside from the Carter Family to achieve this. But that didn't mean I didn't let my family have a slice of the pie.

Aside from outside investors, the Carter Family malls bought a total of 5% shares in my company. Even with the decision to sell some of my company, I was still able to attain majority ownership, which is nice, to say the least.

"Is your speech ready son?", my father said as he enters the room where my brothers and I were gathered.

"Of course dad, I prepared this speech since last year", I said to him smiling. Two years after the death of my grandfather, my father officially took control of the CEO position of the company that his dad left him. Even though he wanted to have more time with his kids, he decided that he couldn't let the family business be handle by someone else.

"The men of this family are all overachievers huh", my mother said trailing after my father.

"I say it plain and simple, when I grow up I will become a doctor", John commented.

"You should go out and meet with your investors before you take the stage. Your grandmother is already there talking to some of them. Also, Tony Stark called and he said that his father, Howard Stark will also be coming along with him", my father said to me as he checks my suit for any wrinkles.

"Okay, I'm going", I said to him.

After much thinking about the name of my company I decided to choose a simple name; The Carter Pharmaceutical Company, its headquarters was built in the city of Chicago. The official opening ceremony of the company was being held today.

The past 2 years were hectic, to say the least. The reason I am able to begin operation as soon as I can is due to Smith and Smith. One of the Pharma giants of the US. They were one of the companies that wanted to recruit me when I graduated but after the release of the Time magazine article, they changed their strategy. The product I had passed to the FDA for approval was just too delicious for big Pharma to not try to put in their pocket.

So, we made a deal. They will take 15% of the shares of my company and they will help in the distribution of the drug. They allowed me to buy back those shares until they became 10%. The price per share buyback was too insane, to say the least. They wanted to get their hands on the HIV drug I made and any other drugs that I will make or research in the future. The very moment I fail I'm 100% sure that they will kick me out of my own company.

I agreed anyway, as long as I have access to their distribution channels I  can easily pay it back. They didn't know that I still have multiple drugs which I believe will sell incredibly well.

I was suddenly removed from my own thoughts due to my grandmother calling me, "Ethan dear, would you come here a moment". I went towards my grandmother and she introduced me to the current CEO of Citibank, Edward Cooper. The man was probably in his 60's with a chubby exterior and hair that was slowly turning white due to age.

"Mr. Cooper, it's nice to meet you. I hope everything is to your liking", I said to him as I shook his hand.

"Of course, of course. You know Ethan, I like people like you. Still so young and already making a difference in the country", he said. I clearly don't believe what's he's saying. These banks just want to butter me up so that they can still buy some of the shares I didn't sell.

"Thank you, Mr. Cooper. I was gifted with this knowledge, why not use it to help others", I said to him.

"You are right indeed young man. That's why Citibank would like to be part of this wonderful venture", he said to me with a smile.

"Of course Mr.Cooper. In fact, I am already planning to list my company in the NASDAQ within the year the soonest or early next year latest. You, Citibank, and many others will be given a wonderful opportunity then", I said to him.

He clearly didn't want to buy the shares of my company later in the year. If he was able to buy some shares now then Citibank will be able to save money rather than spend a huge fortune in getting a slice of the pie later in the year.

"I can't wait for the opportunity", Mr.Cooper said. I have to give props to the man, he is able to show no emotions even if he was not able to make a deal that was literally worth hundreds of millions.  After that, Mr.Cooper and my grandmother had a couple of small talks, pertaining to politics, who the people in attendance were stuff like that. I decided to just listen along.

"Excuse me, sir Ethan, the ceremony is about to start. The organizer would like for you to be at the back of the stage right now",  an employee in charge of the opening ceremony said to me.

"Grandmother, Mr.Cooper. Would you please excuse me" I said to them.

"Of course" Mr. Cooper replied.

"Go along now dear", my grandmother said.

I went behind the stage and waited for the organizer to officially introduce me.

The music that was playing in the background stop, lights were focused on the stage while the organizer proceeded to introduce me.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you a young man, who only at the age of 14 attended Harvard University and graduated with Summa Cum Laude within only 3 years. Upon his graduation, he published a paper that made him become a nominee for the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine. The CEO of The Carter Pharmaceutical Company, Ethan Carter.

People began to give me applause as I showed myself on the stage. To be honest, if it was me before I was reincarnated then I would not be able to handle the pressure of being the center of attention between the high-class capitalist of the country.

"Thank you, Thank you. For some of you who are wondering if I'm going to have a long speech, don't worry I'll keep it short", I said to the applauding crowd.

Some of the crowd members chuckled at that.

"This is a day I have been looking forward to, every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything, I am very fortunate to work with one of this product. We are in a pandemic, the drugs we have to cure this disease aren't working, lives lost due to this. A newspaper had its entire obituary page filled with pictures of people who died due to this disease, pages after pages of people who passed away in just 1 local newspaper" I pause and look around the crowd, all of them were quiet.

"Not anymore, with this drug this disease can be stopped. With this, HIV can be prevented from becoming AIDS, some in clinical trials had total viral load disappear, making them HIV FREE. Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you the new drug in battling this disease. This is Carter Pharmaceutical's first-ever drug to be on the market. With this, we hope to make a better life for those who are suffering."

While the drug was introduced, the crowd gave a thundering applause, some were smiling as they were talking to the people beside them.

"Before the year ends we will release more drugs in the market, each better than the previous alternative drugs available. I, no WE, will make The Carter Pharmaceutical Company the number 1 medical company in the country". I pause for dramatic effect, the crowd responded with a loud round of applause.

"Thank you, and God Bless. Do enjoy the remainder of this event" I said as I left the stage.

"Well done my boy," my father said to me as he approaches me and gives me a hug.

"Thanks, Dad," I said to him.

After my father hugged me multiple people came and shook my hand. Some were giving me compliments due to me already having a company, others were interested in future business deals, and some women were giving me flirtatious hints.

'Heck, today's a celebration, why not enjoy it with a woman or two', I thought to myself.

"Hmmm… that was a plain and simple speech. I could have made it cooler though", Tony said as he approaches me from behind.

"Took you a while to get here", I said to Tony.

"Better late than never I guess. Congratulations on your company…I must say this is a wonderful opening party", Tony said, clearly looking for a woman to sleep with.

"Nicely done, Ethan. Your grandfather would have been proud", Howard approaches me to shake my hand.

"Thank you, Mr.Stark, especially coming from a man like you", I said to him.

"It is always nice to see the future generation surpassing the previous one. You're lucky you know that Ethan,  I was always limited by the technology of my time, something you don't have to worry about", he said to me.

The conversation I had with Howard Stark was short, the man wanted to give me some advice on how to run a company. I took note of all those things he said. During our short conversation, I was able to place a seal on Howard Stark. The seal became invisible so that he won't notice it. He excuses himself due to him having something to do. He told me to take care of Tony cause he wasn't planning on waiting for him. Apparently sometime during my conversation with Howard Stark, Tony went to talk to some of the female waitresses and news reporters.

As soon as Howard left, I was quickly surrounded by investors and reporters who wanted to talk to me. The conversation was long and tiring, to say the least. After an hour or two, people decided to leave and return home. Tony gave his goodbye as he was holding hands with a beautiful blonde, on each hand. I sighed as I told him to take care. As I was leaving the party a  redhead reporter came towards me.

"Hello, Mr. Carter. I would like to ask you some questions", she said.

"Hmm... I'm already tired from answering other reporters", I said to her.

"Then, how about let's have an interview in a hotel so that you can rest immediately afterward", she said clearly indicating something sexual.

"….Sure why not, I don't mind resting immediately afterward", I said to her.

That night Tony wasn't the only one who was going to have a wonderful time.