“What’s free?” Luca did not understand what Benjamin just said, but Benjamin had already rushed into the nearest elevator. “Mr. Benjamin, what’s going on?” Luca yelled, but the elevator doors had already closed on him.

Luca rubbed his temples. “What’s wrong with everyone today? Am I the only normal one around here? Or is everyone else normal and I’m the one going crazy?!” Luca wondered out loud.

Benjamin practically sprinted back to the building where Emma was. He found Robert and Waylon Adelmar huddle together in the lounge with solemn expressions on their faces.

“Waylon,” Benjamin gasped for air. “Did you give Abel something?”

Waylon looked up at him blankly.

“Tell me,” Benjamin rushed forward. “Did you give Abel Worryfree?”

Abel was quiet for a moment before nodding. “Yes…”

“Waylon!!” Benjamin yelled as he grabbed Waylon by the collar. “How could you do that? He’ll lose all his feelings toward Emma! How is that fair to her?”

“Do you prefer him dead then?” Waylon countered. “Emma might not survive this. Do you want the four children to lose their father too?”

“But…” Benjamin argued.

“There’s no but’s,” Waylon declared. “Worryfree is the best anti-depressant developed by Father himself after years of research. It can cure people from heartbreak and remove unnecessarily feelings of hurt. This can only be good thing for Abel, no?”

“But you’ll completely remove all of Abel’s feelings toward Emma as well! They…” Benjamin said.

“I can’t worry about that right now,” Waylon cut him off. “That’s how Worryfree works.”

“But, son…” Robert Adelmar’s brows furrowed. “There’s no antidote for Worryfree. Abel will treat Emma like a stranger.”

“Father, can you guarantee Emma will come out of this alive?” Waylon questioned.

Robert remained silent. He could not guarantee such a thing.

“Based on the current situation, it is likely that Emma won’t survive, but Abel might. If he does survive, do we want him to live his life in pain and heartbreak or do we want to relieve him from the burden of heartbreak?”

Both Robert and Benjamin had no counterargument. Jamie slumped on the floor desolately. Abel Ryker’s feelings for Emmeline had completely vanished, just like that?

“But Mr. Adelmar, have you ever considered the possibility of Emma surviving? What would she and Abel do then?” Janie demanded an answer from Waylon.

“In that case, the stars will have to align for them once again,” Waylon said as a matter-of-factly. “If that happens, let’s hope Abel can fall in love with Emma again…”

“… Are the effects permanent?” Janie asked.

“There are not enough use cases just yet, but just remember… it’s a drug, not a magic pill, so no one knows for sure,” Waylon answered.

“That means there’s still hope for them!” Janie’s eyes lit up.

“What we should be focusing on right now is whether Emma can be saved, or all of this would be for nothing,” Waylon drew their attention back to the pressing issue.

“Well, at least there’s hope…” Janie held back her tears. “I’ll pray day and night for Emma to survive, and for Abel to fall in love with her again. Otherwise, I don’t want to believe in love any longer…”

“Huh!” Waylon chuckled flatly. He wanted to ask Janie what was there about love to believe, but he decided not to destroy the woman’s idealistic notion of love and swallowed his words instead.

“Relief from the burden of heartbreak…” Benjamin mused. “Should I take a dose of it too?”

“No!” Janie snapped. “Ben, I know you’re in love with Emma, but think about it. Don’t you see how scary it is if you lost all your feelings for her just like that?”

“There’s nothing great about love,” Robert bellowed. “It’s just a chemical reaction.”

Janie rolled her eyes internally. It was obvious that the Adelmars had no female figure in their lives, and probably the reason why Waylon Adelmar was still single in his late thirties. Both the father and son had long given up on the notion of love.

…

Benjamin and Janie went to visit Abel in his ward together and found Luca in the ward checking in on Abel.

“Mr. Abel, does your abdomen still hurt?” Luca asked worriedly.

“It’s much better,” Abel said flatly, but his response only made Luca even more concerned. Why was Mr. Abel not mentioning Ms. Emma any longer? If he was feeling better, he should be dying to jump out of bed and rush to her side!