Ivy blinked, not understanding what he meant. But when she saw him walking away, she followed him into the clinic. To her surprise, Reese didn’t head toward his office. Instead, his steps carried him directly to the laboratory where Cathleen was working. "How are things, Cathleen?" Reese asked, his voice calm but carrying a heavy undertone. A small but deep furrow settled between his brows. Cathleen glanced up and shook her head. "If there had been any traces, they would have already become too faint to be recognized. And without knowing what exactly we are searching for, I might not be able to help." Her lips pressed into a thin line, a regret flickering in her eyes. Reese stood in silence for a moment, his brows knitting tighter. Then, without answering, he strode to the computer and tapped several keys quickly. Cathleen’s confusion deepened. She looked at Ivy, who appeared equally clueless. After a minute or two, the printer beeped. Ivy immediately moved to retrieve the freshly printed documents. She returned and handed them to Reese, who passed them directly to Cathleen. "Try to see if there are any traces in her blood that align with this drug," he instructed. Cathleen frowned, taking the papers from him. As her eyes scanned the words, her brows furrowed even deeper. "What is this?" she asked slowly, her tone mixed with puzzlement and unease. "Oblivion-X? I have never heard of it. Is it something new?" Reese’s face grew visibly darker. His gaze fixed on the papers, but his voice was low and steady when he answered. "This isn’t a newfound drug." Cathleen blinked, taken aback. "It’s not? Then what is it? Check latest chapters at novelFɪre.net "A drug that was banned before it was ever fully researched." Shock flickered in Cathleen’s eyes. She looked at the papers again, then back at Reese. "If it was banned even before being studied ... then why bring it up now? Surely, if it’s been sealed away for so long, it’s unlikely the one used on her." Her words weren’t wrong —but Reese had reasons that went beyond surface logic. He didn’t explain. Instead, his expression hardened as he looked directly at her. "Just check. See if anything in her blood matches the traces of this drug. Even the faintest hint." Cathleen hesitated, but under his unwavering gaze, she finally nodded. "Alright. I will run a deep analysis." She moved toward her equipment, preparing for a test that would take far longer than usual. Reese didn’t linger there for long. Giving a last look. She sauntered out of the laboratory. Ivy watched him before approaching Cathleen carefully. She didn’t disturb her for a long time. She merely stood and watched. Only after a long time, she asked, "Cathleen, don’t you feel Dr. Calvin isn’t in the right state? I mean, he never looked so worked up before." Cathleen paused and glanced at her. Giving a thought, she nodded, "I felt the same. But then I didn’t think too much." She went back to her work, but then halted and suddenly asked. "Wait, tell me, is Ms. Quinn truly just a patient?’ Ivy shrugged. "I don’t know. But I feel she is different. Different because Dr. Calvin took her out with him, calling her a friend." "A friend?" Cathleen repeated as though surprised. "I never remember him having any friends before. No doubt he treats her differently." Ivy nodded. Then she looked down at the printouts and asked, "By the way, what’s this drug about? Is it dangerous?" Cathleen sighed as she stared down at the papers. "I am not very versed with it up till now. But this seems dangerous. A drug that —" "... steals away memories ... and the more you try to reclaim it, the closer it takes you to death," Reese murmured slowly under his breath, his fists clenched at his sides as he stared at the moon in the sky, standing at the window. When Selene finally woke up, the doctor came to check her. Taking a note of all her vitals, he turned to look at Caden and said, "She is fine now. Just make sure this isn’t repeated. You can get her discharged and take her home." "Thank you, doctor," Caden said as the doctor left the room. Once he was gone, Caden turned to look at his daughter and walked to her side. Raising his hand, he gently caressed her hair and asked, "How are you feeling now?" Selene stared at him resentfully. "After leaving me there all knowingly, how could you now ask me that, Dad?" Caden’s brows furrowed. "I was helpless, Belle. You know that. If not, I wouldn’t have left you there." "You were helpless?" she scoffed. "You are the one who commands the Martins. How could you be so helpless? If you were, then it means you were never capable enough." "Belle!" Caden’s voice rose. He didn’t like the way his daughter talked to him. However, Selene never cared about. She had been always. "Don’t raise your voice at me, Dad. Just accept it, you were never capable. Otherwise, how could Aiden make you bow like that in just one night?" But little did they know, it wasn’t one night. Aiden has started closing his claw around them since the day Selene first offended Arwen. He just didn’t let them realize it early. Caden couldn’t take the disrespect in her tone. He raised his hand to slap her. Selene flinched when she saw it. She closed her eyes in instinct as she braced herself for the sting. However, halfway through, Caden realized what he was doing. His hand halted mid-air as he closed his fingers into fists. With disappointment laced in his tone, he asked, "How could you talk to me like that, Belle? I am your father. Is that how you look at me?" Selene opened her eyes. Caden already had his back to her. She reached out to take his hand and cried, "Dad, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to sound rude. I was too scared when you left me there." Caden turned to her and looked at her as though he couldn’t blame himself for that. "I am sorry, Belle. Trust your dad. I never wanted to leave you there. I just had no other option." Selene nodded. "I know. I know you love me. I was just too overwhelmed after what happened. I —" She trailed off, not able to finish her words. Caden shook his head. "It’s fine. You don’t have to recount and tell me anything, sweetheart. Just forget everything that happened, and tonight itself, we will leave. We will leave and return to New York." Selene’s expression changed. She looked at her father and asked, "You are taking me away, Dad?" "No, I am not going. I am not going anywhere, Dad." Selene refused straightaway. And her refusal like that only made Caden frown. "Belle, that’s non-negotiable. You already know what terms Aiden has let you slide. I gave him the word already, and you will be leaving with me." "But Dad, I love Aiden. I have loved him since the day I first saw him." She confessed without any hesitation. "I love him too much to leave him. I am not leaving." "He is already married, and he doesn’t love you," Caden roared, not liking her daughter’s obsession. Not after seeing what Aiden did to her just a day before. "I don’t care, Dad. I just don’t —" "That’s enough, Selene Martin. Did you not hear what I said just before?" His voice pitched so high that for a second, every other sound turned silent. "I gave him the word. And above that, I can’t bear to leave you here. Especially when I know what Aiden is capable of doing to you. He wouldn’t care about anything." "He would, Dad. He would." Selene said, trying to make him see. "Look at me. He didn’t harm me. I am still very much alive. Am I not? He wouldn’t do anything to me." "Selene, don’t be blind. Aiden doesn’t have any feelings for you. He only loves one woman —the one for whom he could wage war against the entire world. Do you think he would allow you or anyone to do even the slightest harm to her?" "Dad, he is just momentarily obsessed with her. He wouldn’t —" If that’s called obsession, Belle, then you should be more beware of it. Because he wouldn’t care even the slightest before dealing you completely the second time. Even I won’t be able to save you the next time." "He didn’t leave you on your account or mine. He spared your life because his wife asked him to. Otherwise, from the look on his face that night, I could say he had all the urges to destroy you for your audacity." Caden had seen it very clearly. The murderous gaze that Aiden held was unmistakable. If not for someone’s words, he wouldn’t be restraining himself. He did because someone asked him to. "I already made the arrangements. We are leaving the country tonight. And you are coming with me." He spoke that clearly so that Selene has no misconception. Selene gritted, her fingers clenching at her sides.