Horace's eyes widened in sheer disbelief as he caught sight of the familiar medicine bottle clutched in Ariana's hand. How on earth did she stumble on it?

Ariana's calm facade shattered into a storm of frustration, her voice erupting in a crescendo aimed at Horace.

"What kind of charade are you all playing?! Do you have the slightest idea of the terror I felt as I watched him suffer right in front of my very eyes? Can't you see that I care for him just as much?! But I'm in the dark, clueless about what's unfolding! I am his beloved wife, for heaven's sake! Yet, I find myself utterly helpless due to the veil of secrecy enveloping me! Isn't this situation utterly preposterous to you?! You've divulged nothing. Isn't that taking things a step too far?"

This unprecedented outburst from Ariana left Horace dumbfounded, his head drooping low as perspiration beaded on his forehead. He knew disclosing the truth was out of the question, yet he struggled to conjure a plausible explanation.

After an intense standoff, Horace finally mustered the courage to ask hesitantly, "Tell me... by any chance, you didn't let the boss take that medicine, did you?"

“No." Ariana drew in a deep breath, fighting to get back on her bearings.

The encounter with the medicine had occurred when Theodore fell gravely ill.

Witnessing his futile attempts to reach for the thing in his pocket, Ariana had instinctively stepped forward to help, inadvertently stumbling upon the secret bottle.

Her initial intent had been to aid Theodore in taking the medicine, but as she watched him biting his lip to the point of bleeding, she impetuously decided to kiss him instead.

To her astonishment, Theodore swiftly regained his senses. Consequently, she refrained from helping him take the medicine.

She watched Theodore recover consciousness and instinctively hid the medication, not knowing why.

Learning that Ariana had refrained from giving Theodore the medicine, Horace breathed a sigh of relief. He elucidated, "The boss indeed faces certain health challenges, but they are manageable as long as he refrains from taking that medicine."

Ariana regarded Horace skeptically, her gaze probing the mixed emotions etched on his face. As thoughts of Theodore's peculiar condition during his sickness swirled in her mind, an unpleasant suspicion took hold. Her countenance darkened, and she scrutinized Horace intently, testing his resolve.

"Tell me, is your boss engaged in drug use, by chance?"

"No, no, absolutely not!" Horace hastened to defend Theodore, even raising three fingers as if taking a solemn oath.

"While the boss may possess peculiar temperaments, he never indulges in any illegal substances. I can vouch for that."

A wave of relief washed over Ariana as she let out a breath. She seized the moment to push Horace further, her tone unyielding, "Then, what precisely is this?”

Horace's discomfort was palpable, and after a lengthy pause, he said slowly, "This is intricately linked to some of the boss's past entanglements, private matters that are not mine to divulge. Despite my awareness, I don't believe it is right to reveal them without his consent."

Recognizing Horace's reticence, Ariana knew that pushing him further would yield no additional information. She acknowledged that he was merely Theodore's subordinate, burdened by loyalty and confidentiality.

Ariana relented, nodding with a heavy sigh, "Very well, I understand."