He paused and continued, “He has invited many higher-ups in Glendale. Of course, that includes me and Kendrick.”
With Ryan speaking that clearly, Niamh seemed to know what was the requirement he was about to mention. “You want me to make an appearance at his birthday party as your wife?”
“Smart.” Ryan smiled. “Put on an act with me and you’ll be able to help Kendrick gain that precious anti- toxoid test reagent. Don’t you think it’s worth it?”
“Worth it?” Niamh found it hilarious. “Ryan, I really don’t understand what sort of person you are.”
“You don’t need to know what kind of person I am. As long you can fulfill my requirements, Kendrick will be allowed to live a little longer,” replied Ryan.
However, Niamh knew that Ryan was up to no good.
She would not allow him to continue acting all mighty by using Kendrick’s life as an exchange. She needed to gather more evidence.
Ryan asked again after seeing Niamh keeping quiet and not answering, “You don’t agree to it?”
Niamh clenched her fist. “I need to reconsider it.”
Ryan’s face seemed to show that he was displeased. He suddenly stepped on the brakes and fixed his eyes leisurely on Niamh, who was frowning, before saying thoughtfully, “Perhaps I should let Adam in to tell you a piece of news. Maybe then you won’t hesitate and will agree to my request.”
Niamh spun around and looked at Ryan with a questionable look. However, in less than two seconds, she felt dizzy once again.
Ryan witnessed Niamh passing out. He raised his hand a moment later and placed his fingertips over Niamh’s brows, gently stroking them. “Eveline, I hope you get this through your thick skull sooner. You and Kendrick are no longer my enemies.”
He revealed a victorious smile, then slammed on the gas pedal while turning the steering wheel to head back.
…
Niamh woke up into darkness again.
She thought of holding her breath and pretending to be unconscious, but she was too late for that.
She was unable to sniff the gas that was colorless and odorless. She would not be able to guess when Ryan would use it against her.
Niamh trailed Ryan from behind, all the way to Adam’s laboratory.
She intentionally adjusted the pendant on her neck and scanned the surroundings.
‘It’s not even at night, yet this place is pitch-black.’
After Ryan unlocked the security door by scanning his eyes, Niamh followed him in.
Adam was carrying out his experiment. Beside him, there were a few assistants in white coats busy with their own tasks.
Niamh guessed that Adam was conducting some crazy experiments with this group of people.
Adam took out an anti-toxoid test reagent that he had prepared long ago when he saw Ryan bringing Niamh to the scene.
However, Adam did not give Niamh the anti-toxoid test reagent and gave it to Ryan instead.
Ryan took it, then asked Niamh, “Regarding the requirement that I said in the car, what’s your decision?”
Niamh looked at Ryan calmly. “I can’t do it. Change the requirement.”
She really could not bring herself to fulfill it.
‘If I show up as Ryan’s wife and attend with Ryan on that night, what would Kendrick feel?’
Niamh did not wish for Kendrick to be upset again.
Ryan glanced at Adam when he noticed Niamh unable to bring herself to comply with the requirement.
Adam got Ryan’s implicit message and strolled to the front of Niamh. “This half a month, there has been an improvement to Kendrick’s condition, right?”
Niamh’s icy stare was fixed on Adam’s face. “If the reagent is genuine, you’ll know best about its outcome.”
Adam could make out that Niamh held a grudge against him, but he was not bothered at all. Instead, he wore a smile on his face.
“The reagent is genuine, of course. Besides, as long as you inject it at the given time frame, the poison in his body will slowly clear up. However…”
Adam paused for a few seconds.
“However, I ought to tell you this. During the process of administering the anti-toxoid reagent, should there be any interruption or if the timing is messed up, it will end up having an adverse effect. Which means, if Kendrick does not inject the third dosage, the previous two doses of anti-toxoid reagent will urge the poison to build up.”
“What are you talking about…” Niamh was dumbfounded after listening to Adam.
It felt as if her bones were bitten by millions of ants. It felt like her heart was being torn apart.
She was being set up.
She initially thought she was trying to save Kendrick. Who knew she had fallen for their trap as well?
“Adam! You’re not even human!” She suddenly reached out and grabbed Adam’s collar. “Just because of your so-called experiments, you even use humans as your experimental subjects!”
Niamh was so mad that her body was shaking, but Adam was not even the slightest bit bothered at all.
“Why are there such cruel people like you on earth?!”
“Everyone has their target in life. As long as they achieve those targets, no one will care about the process.” Ryan’s voice came traveling from behind Niamh.
She turned around. “So, everything you’ve done is for your so-called target? Ryan, what are you plotting?!”
“Will you believe me if I say that all I want is you?” Ryan counter-questioned.
Niamh’s eyes were brewing with mockery. “You don’t deserve me!”
Ryan frowned, but soon, he let out a smile. “Regardless of whether I deserve you or not, this coming Thursday, you must fulfill my requirement. Or else, you’ll bear with the consequences.”
He gave the anti-toxoid reagent to Niamh.
Niamh took it and immediately spun around.
Ryan stared at Niamh’s back figure, who was leaving the scene, while feeling exasperated. He turned to look at Adam. “How’s her condition?”
“Everything’s normal for now, but once her condition deteriorates, it’s going to be a worse torment than what Kendrick is experiencing now.”
Ryan giggled in satisfaction. “Don’t let her be so full of herself. If it’s not for her being rather useful, she would’ve been dead along with Yorick a long time ago.”
…
The sky became dark. Niamh sat in Ryan’s car and returned to the parking lot.
Before getting out of the car, Ryan reminded her of the coming Thursday’s event.
Niamh did not answer. She slammed the car door and walked to her car.
Just when she was crossing the road, someone suddenly rushed to her. They snatched her purse and crossed the red traffic light, making their way to the opposite road.
That purse contained the anti-toxoid reagent which she had tried so hard to get her hands on. She would not allow it to go missing!
Niamh could bother about the traffic light. She went and chased after the man who snatched her purse.
“Give me back my purse!”
Niamh roared while running, her speed gradually increasing.
She could not afford to lose the reagent!
‘That’s Kendrick’s lifeline!’
The robber did not expect Niamh to run so fast. After chasing for some time, he got anxious. He spotted a river and quickly threw the purse into it!
Niamh did not expect the robber to act in that manner. The river was a broad one, but Niamh knew she should not think twice about it.
Seeing her purse flowing along in the river, without thinking further, she jumped.
The passersby who saw this scene were astonished and gathered around the bridge to observe.
“Is this woman out of her mind?”
“Does she have to take such drastic measures just for a purse?”
“Maybe she has lots of money in the purse!”
The passersby who did not know the truth were all making wild guesses, but to Niamh, the purse contained an item that was way more important than anything else. It was the lifeline for the man she loved most in her life.
After Niamh jumped into the river, she swam for some time before getting her hands on her purse.
She strapped the purse around her back and revealed a smile.
Soon enough, Niamh recomposed herself only to just realize she was in the middle of the river. Besides, she did not know how to swim to begin with!
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.