NOVEL NEXT Chapter 566: She is trying to protect him.
Emyr was sitting at his desk when suddenly he heard the faint sound of the elevator dinging at a distance.
His brows knitted at the thought of someone's unannounced arrival. But his expression changed when he saw Jason stepping out of the elevator.
"Dr. Clark." He greeted, noticing the urgent expression on the doctor's face.
"Emyr," Jason's eyes immediately found his, asking straightaway, "Aiden didn't leave yet? He is still in his office, right?"
"Yes, sir is still there. Should I —"
Before Emyr could finish, Jason shook his head at him. "No need. I will walk there on my own." With that said, he didn't wait another second. Walking straight, he headed towards Aiden's office.
Emyr watched him from behind, not understanding what made the usual calm doctor so restless today. It was simply too evident in his expression.
———
Meanwhile, in his office, Aiden was working as usual when he heard his phone ring. Reaching his phone, he had just pressed to answer when, without a knock, the door of his office was pushed open from outside.
He frowned, but noticing Jason stepping in, the creases between his brows somewhat eased.
"Aiden, I have something to show you," Jason announced, but paused, seeing the phone pressed against his ears. "This is important and about —"
He didn't need to speak any further before Aiden already spoke over the call, making the decision.
"Mr. Gilbert, I have got something important at the moment. Kindly wait, I will call you back." He then disconnected the call, looking seriously at his friend. "What is it?" he asked, his tone not urging haste but clearly disapproving of any delay.
Jason took his cue and didn't intensify the suspense anymore. Walking up to his desk, he extended the file he brought with him. "Take a look at this, and I will explain it to you."
Aiden eyed the file for a brief moment before reaching to take it. Flipping it, he skimmed through the pages, his gaze reading the highlighted texts and brackets.
Jason watched him, pulling a chair out for himself and setting himself comfortably on it. "We retested the chocolate Arwen had been having all these years, and this is what we found out," he began before slowly continuing, "and we found out that even though the chocolate did contain hints of the drug, it was not meant to harm Arwen."
The creases between his brows only deepened. He gazed up to look, and Jason nodded.
"You mean —"
"Apart from the drug, Oblivion–X, there were two other compounds found in the chocolate —Synaptocline-7 and Nemorazine-D. Both of them have the properties that work to dampen the effect of the drug in her system." Jason was about to continue, but he paused suddenly, his brows drawing tight.
His gaze narrowed as if thinking about something, then replanning it. "This is actually difficult to explain because if I go to explain it to you in scientific terms, you won't understand. So, let me keep it simple for you." He paused again, but it was just to sort his words. "The chocolates could be seen as a neutralizer, neutralizing the effect of the drug in Arwen's system."
The papers crumpled under the tight grip of Aiden's fingers. "A neutralizer," he repeated, his thoughts drifting back to Arwen's words, where she talked about how, over the years, the chocolate has become a habit for her.
Jason hummed. "Yes, a neutralizer. Because that's what that chocolate has done to Arwen over the years. He paused briefly and then continued, "Remember, when I tested Arwen for the first time, I told you earlier that there are only faint traces of the drug remaining in Arwen's system. We thought it was because the drug had been absorbed completely." He shook his head. "But that hasn't been the case. The traces we found were just the remnants remaining in her system. Over the years, the toxins of Oblivion—X have been neutralised, making her safer from its influence."
"So does that mean her memories would recover?" Aiden asked.
If the influence of the drugs has been subdued, wouldn't that mean that she might get her memories back?
Jason stared at his friend for a long second before shaking his head with quiet helplessness. "We cannot say anything about that. But there could be chances. It would be only better to not yet force this conclusion."
Aiden nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation. His gaze dropped to look back at the file in his hands.
Silence took over.
Jason waited, watching Aiden read through the details in the file. When he felt the important details he needed to say had been settled, he took another subject that seemed to be equally important.
"Aiden," he called, seeking his attention back on himself. "This report also proves another thing."
Aiden didn't gaze at him, bus brows tightened as if already knowing what that other thing was.
His expression darkened a shade, and he finally looked up to gaze at Jason. "Granna isn't the one who has been behind it."
Jason stared into his eyes. Both of their expression were equally sombre and serious.
"I told you she didn't seem to be the kind who would try to harm her granddaughter like that." He said, reminding him again that even previously he had said there seemed to be something that was not obvious on the surface. "The chocolates weren't to harm Arwen, it was to protect her, heal her."
Aiden's fingers curled into a fist as he remembered how rude he had acted and how cold he had been with the old lady.
Yet all she did was accept the blame as if she had been behind it. She was responsible for it.
The regret that had flashed in her gaze that day was so clear that even though he wanted to, he couldn't bring himself to doubt the conclusion the report had shown.
"Even though she isn't the one behind it, she knows who is," Aiden said, his gaze darkening, a little with guilt and the rest with anger. "She is trying to protect him."