Spencer strode over to peruse the report.
His chiseled features turned gloomy when he read the results.
“What is it?” Kenneth asked quietly.
Spencer gazed up at him with disappointment in his eyes. “The results are out.”
Kenneth snatched the report from him, but Spencer said calmly, “There's no use looking at that. The antidote wasn't among what you took that day.”
Kenneth looked up, his countenance grave. “At all?”
Spencer nodded. “I'd pulled an all-nighter to analyze the medicine you brought and Nat's blood. It contains numerous poisons but no antidote.”
Kenneth's gaze grew solemn at those words. He crumpled the laboratory report into a ball.
I can't believe Boss could still tell a lie under those circumstances.
With rage flashing across his eyes, Kenneth turned to leave.
“Where are you going?” Spencer asked.
“To kill him,” Kenneth enunciated while exuding an aura of hatred and malice.
Spencer dissuaded, “Even if you kill him, you may still not obtain the antidote. Since he could lie to you under such circumstances, he wouldn't give it to you easily.”
“Then I'll have him pay with his life.” Kenneth's gaze glinted with bloodlust. He swore he would devour Boss.
Spencer went along with his words. “You could kill him, but Nat will also pay with her life.”
Kenneth frowned at those words. He turned around and glared at the other man fiercely.
Spencer returned his gaze. “You can look at me like that all you want, but the fact remains.”
“What do you think we should do, then? Just keep waiting like sitting ducks?” Kenneth demanded furiously. He could not keep his composure much longer at the recollection of Natasha's episode.
Spencer gazed at him thoughtfully. “Perhaps I could try.”
“You mean you can cure her?” Kenneth turned to him, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“If this had happened to somebody else, I might jokingly say that there's no disease that I can't cure. But as this concerns Nat, I must tell you the truth: I can undo it if I have the recipe for the poison. If I don't, however, it will come down to trial and error. There would be risks involved,” Spencer cautioned.
Kenneth gazed at Spencer as his lips pressed into a thin line. “How long would it take for your research?”
“I can't give you a definitive answer to that,” Spencer answered.
“I'm worried that I cannot afford to wait, Spencer. According to Boss, this type of poison displays no visible symptoms, but the headaches will become more frequent. Many will succumb not to the poison but to suicide just to escape the pain,” Kenneth said. At the memory of Natasha gritting her teeth in pain earlier that day, he knew that her suffering was becoming unbearable.
Spencer grimaced at Kenneth's words. Though the latter had overstated the simplicity of the process, only the loved ones of poison victims would understand the pain. It was psychological torture not just for Natasha but all of them.
Spencer gazed up at Kenneth with a frown. “Then we'd better make all the preparations we can. You'll be in charge of getting the recipe for the poison from Boss while I will expedite my research. But Kenneth, be mindful not to do anything rash. Boss will not fall for it again.”
Kenneth smiled at the irony. “Don't worry. I won't pull the same trick I did before.”
Spencer met his eyes and nodded.
“One more thing,” Kenneth added.
“What's that?”
“Now that Nat's relapses are becoming more frequent, is there a way to help her through the pain when it happens?” Kenneth asked.
Spencer narrowed his eyes at the subject before recalling the night of Natasha's episode. “I performed acupuncture on Nat during her last relapse, but it did nothing. I think sedatives generally would not work, but it's only a guess. We can give it a try.”
“Is there no other way?”
“There is.”
“What's that?”
“Knock her out,” Spencer said. “It's simple, direct, and effective.”
Kenneth cringed.
It was another form of torture for him to repeatedly knock out the woman he loved.
“Is there no other way?” he pleaded.
Spencer gazed at him. “We'll try administering jabs, but from my experience, this is a loophole we cannot exploit.”
The color drained from Kenneth's face.
Suddenly, Spencer frowned as if he had thought of something.
Upon noticing the other man's silence, Kenneth stared at him. “What is it?”
Spencer turned to face Kenneth. “Have you visited Thalia?”
Having assumed his friend had thought of something, Kenneth's eyes dimmed with disappointment. “Anthony and Benjamin are watching her. I would have notified you if anything happened.”
“That shouldn't be...” Spencer muttered.
“I know you're worried for Thalia, Spencer, but I hope you could speed things up regarding the matter with Nat,” Kenneth said as he studied Spencer, who appeared distracted.
Spencer lifted his head and met his friend's gaze. “Do you think of me as such a bad friend, Kenneth? Nat is poisoned, and she had even donated so much blood to Thalia. If she's poisoned, what would happen to Thalia?”
Kenneth froze at the mention of that.
He's right.
Unease flickered across Spencer's face. “I must visit her.”
Without another word, he got up and left.
Kenneth followed him at once.
Thalia was looking much better after two days of recuperation. With Anthony and Benjamin keeping her company, the trio engaged in banters, which seemed to improve both Thalia's mood and health.
“Is Spencer still in the lab, guys?” Thalia asked.
Anthony nodded. “He is.”
Thalia felt a little downcast. Though she knew Spencer was occupied with Natasha's health, she had not seen him in a long time and missed him.
Just as Thalia was debating whether or not to pay him a visit at the laboratory, Spencer pushed open the door and came dashing in.
She brightened up at once. “Spencer?”
He must have sensed how much I miss him. He came to me just as I was thinking of him.
Spencer entered and, upon seeing Thalia, felt as if his initially calm heart was fluttering.
Turns out I miss her so much, too.
When Thalia met his gaze, however, Spencer suddenly felt the crushing weight of his debt owed to her.
The sound of footsteps behind Spencer snapped him out of his reverie and prompted him to approach Thalia.
“How are you doing? Are you feeling better?” Spencer asked.
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