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.
Oblivion-X.
"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?
"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.
***
The next day —
At the hospital,
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."

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