Breaking Free, Loving Again -The Flash Marriage with Mr. CEO

Arwen nodded. "I do. But you can't be like this always," she said, pulling back slightly to look at him. "I can't bear to stay mad at you if you sweet-talk me. It makes things harder than they already are."

Before Aiden could say anything, he suddenly stilled at a faint sound. His brows furrowed as his gaze flickered down toward her stomach. When his eyes returned to her face, her cheeks were tinged with a soft blush, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Now you understand?" she asked gently. "You don't just make yourself suffer —you make me suffer with you. Can you really bear to do that?"

Aiden's brows drew into a frown, his expression solemn. "The next time I am late, you don't have to wait for me."

Arwen's eyes widened slightly. "That's your solution?"

Her tone grew a pitch sharp with disbelief. "Aiden, you —"

But before she could finish, a sharp gasp escaped her lips as he suddenly swept her into his arms. Her hands instinctively wrapped around his neck as he lifted her effortlessly.

"We were in the middle of a discussion, husband," Arwen frowned, struggling between exasperation and amusement. "You can't just interrupt me like this halfway. Put me down so that he can sit and talk."

"There is no need for that," Aiden replied firmly, already taking long strides in a certain direction with her in his arms. "I already know the right solution."

"You do?" she asked skeptically, arching a brow. When his intense gaze locked onto her, she challenged softly, "Fine then, tell me. Let me hear this so-called solution of yours."

He didn't speak immediately. Instead, he carried her over and set her down carefully on the counter, her legs dangling lightly in the air.

"Aiden, you —"

"This won't be repeated again," he interrupted, his tone quiet but resolute. "I can endure anything on my own, but when it comes to you …"

His words trailed off as his eyes softened, the weight of his emotions pressing through his silence. He shook his head. "I can't bear the thought of you suffering —not even the slightest."

Arwen's lips curled up into a small smile. She reached up to trace the side of his face tenderly. "Then that's enough for me. At least with that thought, you will remember to take care of yourself. You will have your meals on time —not for you, but for me. And that's all I want."

His chest tightened as he looked at her. He sighed inwardly. This wasn't the first time —he knew it. She always did this. Put herself at risk, her own needs second, just to anchor him back whenever he strayed. Because somewhere she had long realized that he would never put her at risk.

And seeing her such faith, he could bear to let her down.

"Where are you going?" Arwen asked, holding him back by his arms when he took a step away.

Aiden turned to her and jutted his chin towards her stomach. "That's still growling with hunger. Need to calm it down."

"Let me help you reheat it. It will be quicker that way." She offered, ready to jump off the counter.

However, before she could move, he stepped in front of her, blocking her way. "There is no need for you to get down. Sit here and watch me over, I will do everything, and then we will have it together."

Arwen pursed her lips, but when she saw his unrelenting expression, she took in a deep breath and nodded. "Then don't make me wait for long. I am truly famished."

Aiden smiled and then moved around, reheating the dishes that were already set at the table.

————

At the same time, on the other side of the city —

After getting the clear details of what to look for in the blood sample, it no longer remained difficult for Cathleen to pinpoint the truth. As soon as she finished her analysis, she printed out the report and made her way to Reese's office.

Ivy had long left, so she directly knocked on the door, only to hear Reese's sombre voice from inside.

"Come in!"

Cathleen pushed the door open and stepped in. "Dr. Calvin," she began, her tone steady. "I have completed the analysis."

Reese's eyes darted down to stare at the file in her hand. His face hardened as though bracing himself for something —something he feared would confirm his worst suspicion.

"And what did you find out? There is no trace of —"

"We found it." She didn't hesitate, not even for a second. And he couldn't blame her, for she didn't know what he would blame himself for if it turned out to be real. The moment Reese asked, she confirmed it clearly. "We found distinct traces of the drug in her blood. Although, over time, I am not sure if it's because of some other reason or because it has blended with her system, the traces appear faint and subtle … we can still confirm without a doubt that Oblivion-X was once administered into her body."

Reese's finger curled tightly as his jaws locked. He shut his eyes, his composure breaking for just a breath.

Exactly as he feared.

It was Oblivion–X —the reason behind her suffering … behind her situation, her desperation.

And he didn't need to investigate to guess who had done it. He had always known. The drug and its makers were no strangers to him.

Because Oblivion-X had been formulated by no other than his own grandfather —a once-renowned medical scientist who had fallen from grace, stripped of the titles and shunned from the community for daring to create something so lethal.

"Dr. Calvin," Cathleen's voice was cautious, pulling him back. She studied his rigid expression before speaking slowly. "I read a little about Oblivion-X. The drug seems … terrifyingly potent. Even if the traces are faint, its aftereffects could linger. What should we do? Should we begin researching further?"

Reese's face didn't soften. His knuckles turned white against the desk before he finally released them, extending his hand for the file.

Cathleen passed it over. "The information you provided was enough to identify the traces, but insufficient for deeper results. I could only draw limited inferences."

Reese didn't respond. He just took the file from her and flipped it open to read, his eyes scanning every detail with sharp precision as if drawing his own conclusions.

As he read more, the silence thickened in the room. Cathleen waited there, not disturbing him even the slightest.

Then unexpectedly, she noticed his features ease —not completely, but enough to suggest a faint relief.

"Dr. Calvin, did you find something?" she asked, keeping her tone careful and subtle.

Reese looked up at her, and for the first time that night, there was a glimmer of satisfaction in them.

"Oblivion-X is no longer life-threatening to her," he said, and Cathleen blinked as though she couldn't understand what he meant.

"What? But we clearly found traces of it in her blood. If it's blended with her system, shouldn't that make it even more dangerous? It can —"

Before she could finish, Reese shook his head and interrupted her. "It hasn't blended in her blood —it's been neutralized."

He then placed the file on the desk and pointed to a section of the report. "Look here."

Cathleen leaned forward to look as he explained.

"These two elements —Synaptocline-7 and Nemorazine-D —are present in her system. Together, they have neutralized Oblivion-X. That's why there are only faint hints, left, not its active effect."

Although the way he put it explained it all, it still made Cathleen's brows furrow in confusion. She stared at Reese for a moment before asking carefully, "But, Dr. Calvin, those same compounds had also been used in formulating the drug itself. How can we be sure they are neutralizing agents here?"

Reese's lips curved in the faintest trace of grim understanding. "Because everything lies in composition. The same substances that can create poison can also become its cure. In her case, the ratio and breakdown worked in her favour. Synaptocline-7 and Nemorazine-D have turned the deadliest drug into something her body could now resist."

Cathleen finally nodded in understanding. Exhaling deeply, she let the relief wash over her features finally. "Then it's fortunate. Even knowing a little, I was worried … after all, creating an antidote for such an incomplete drug would be nearly impossible. Who could have been so cruel to use this against her?"

The mention of it made Reese frown. He didn't answer. But in his heart, he knew at least one name —his grandfather.

"Oh, yes," Cathleen hesitated before asking one last question. "Dr. Calvin, how will you explain this to Ms. Quinn? Oblivion-X is a nightmare to even read about. If you tell her everything, it might frighten her terribly. Will you?"

Reese's expression shifted again. His gaze became unreadable as he calculated to understand what was right to be done.

After a moment, he nodded.