“You can go, but before that, you must consume this,” Spencer said, pouring out a pill from the bottle.
Thalia frowned. “What is this?”
“This is...” Spencer thought about it briefly before saying, “An antidote I've developed to delay the poison attack.”
Thalia's eyes lit up. “When did you develop it? Oh, you're amazing!”
Spencer flashed a sheepish smile. “Just recently.”
“Wow, no wonder you've been spending so much time in the lab lately. Turns out you were up to something big!” she exclaimed. Taking the pill from him, she examined it closely. “I'm really grateful that you developed the antidote. Now I won't have to go through the trouble of getting my blood extracted or feeling weak all the time.”
Thalia was about to swallow it when she added, “Get me more so I can keep them as spare for my journey.”
Spencer shook his head. “No need. One is enough.”
Thalia was about to pop the pill into her mouth but halted in her tracks. “How long can it delay the attack?”
Spencer seemed torn as a conflicted look crossed his face, but he looked at her and said, “It should last for a long time. I'm not sure about that.”
Thalia's lashes fluttered. She remained composed and asked cheerfully, “Has Natasha tried it yet?”
Spencer felt his heart sink when he heard Natasha's name, but he told himself to stay calm and replied, “Not yet.”
Thalia stretched her hand out.
“What?”
“Give the antidote to me, and I'll deliver it to her!” Thalia said cheekily. “It's not every day that I find someone who suffers from the same rare condition as me, so we'll have to take the antidote together.” She gestured at him. “Come on, give the antidote to me.”
Spencer forced out a smile. “You don't have to do that. I'll deliver it to her later.”
“No, I want to do it myself,” Thalia insisted.
A troubled and hesitant look flashed across Spencer's handsome face. He seemed to be caught in a tight spot as he remained silent.
The smile on Thalia's lips slowly disappeared. “This is the only antidote, right?”
Spencer met her gaze.
Thalia gazed at the little pill in her palm. “If I'm not mistaken, this is the 'antidote' Kenneth got when they went out that night.”
“Thalia—”
“Am I right?” Thalia cut in icily.
She rarely showed her stern side to him, but it was clear from her attitude that there was no room for discussion.
A while later, Spencer caved in and nodded in resignation. “You're right.”
Thalia's brows scrunched up as she gazed at him for a long time. “So what's with this pill you gave me?”
“Nothing. Just eat it. You'll recover after taking it,” Spencer snapped impatiently.
“What about Natasha? What will happen to her?” she asked.
Spencer pursed his lips and said nothing. He was already filled with guilt and remorse about this, so he wanted the matter to end as soon as possible with no regard for the consequences.
As he said nothing, Thalia continued, “You can also tell me that you've succeeded in developing the antidote and you're giving this one to me first...” She looked at him, her gaze deep and penetrating. “Spencer, tell me the truth.”
Spencer lowered his gaze and remained silent.
Spencer said nothing, pursing his lips into a thin line.
A bitter smile played on Thalia's lips at his reaction. She hesitated briefly before going over to him. “Spencer, I know you're doing this for me, but this isn't right.”
“Natasha knows about this. I've already gotten her approval,” Spencer revealed. His charming eyes were bloodshot, suggesting that he had struggled a lot before making this decision.
“Just take this pill. You'll be fine after taking it!” he insisted.
“If I take this pill, what about her?” Thalia questioned.
Spencer grew anxious. “We can talk about that another day. I'll do my best to develop the antidote, so just take this one! You'll recover after taking it!” he replied hastily.
Thalia shook her head. “I can't take it.”
Thalia stared at him wordlessly. A long while later, she muttered, “There's no reason. I just don't want to betray my conscience. If I do so, I'd be like a walking zombie even if I were to stay alive.” With that, she spun on her heels to leave.
Spencer took a deep breath and pulled her back. “Thalia, can you not be this stubborn? Can't you listen to me? Do you know how hard it was for me to ask for the antidote? Natasha has agreed to let you take it, so can't you cooperate?”
Thalia pried his hand away. “How do I do that? Spencer, this isn't a joke. It concerns someone's life. You can fight for me, but what about Natasha? Don't forget that she has Terence and the children. Do you want Terence to bury his only grandchild? And the kids to watch their mother die?”
Spencer froze upon hearing that.
“Spencer, you can't be selfish. What you're doing is wrong!” Thalia chided.
“But—”
“No buts. Spencer, I know you're doing this for me, so I can't blame you. This is my choice, though. I can't take the pill knowing what would happen to Natasha,” she said firmly. After prying his arm off hers, she turned and walked out of the room.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: You're Out, Daddy novel (Natasha and Kenneth)