The Love Affair(Good Wife Better Mistress)

Drugging Her

David waits in the living room. A piece of black cloth covers a square shape on the table. Upon closer inspection, Nicole can see that the small box is shaking slightly.

"Mr. Romano," David greets Alex and looks significantly at the box covered in cloth.

"Please escort, Mrs. Romano back to her bedroom," Alex orders.

The servants take Nicole away and Alex and David walk to Alex's private study. David places the box on the desk and takes the black cloth off, revealing a metal cage filled with wood shavings.

Two white mice scurry back and forth in the cage, terrified by the motion of their cage and the sudden brightness. Though they run frantically, they stay side by side as if they can't bear to be separated.

"I've fed Dr.Meyer's contraceptive pills to these mice," David explains, "The unidentified ingredient hasn't caused them any sort of harm. Rather the effect is quite odd. One is a male and one is a female, and the ingredient seems to have made them closer."

Alex glares at the mice as if they are to blame for the ingredient in Conrad's pills.

"Based on the initial blood work, it seems that the ingredient has stimulated several hormones," David says, "If you want more detailed information, I'm afraid I'll have to send the samples out to a laboratory with more advanced equipment."

"Can you explain to me in simple English?" Alex asks with irritation Umm, the hormones stimulated would cause the mice to experience certain urges more strongly," David says awkwardly, "In humans, these urges would be the same, but might be interpreted as more um, amorous feelings."

Alex glares icily at the cage and fiddles with the lighter in his hand.

"I want the most accurate report possible," he says, "You have seven days."

Alex knows that his grandfather and Conrad's grandfather made a pact to ensure harmony between the families. He knows he can't act against Conrad without substantial evidence against the other man. In addition to the pact, Conrad is his grandfather's personal doctor and the old man seems to genuinely like him. However, Alex can't help but feel that Conrad is really asking for it

Alex is so enraged he feels capable of murder. If Conrad were in the room, Alex would throttle him. Though the desk separates David and Alex, David can't help but feel Alex's burning rage. The doctor inadvertently takes a step backward.

"Okay," he says, grabbing the cage and rushing from the room.

Nicole curls up on the sofa in her bedroom and texts Conrad about her pregnancy.

"The toxin in your body is going to be dangerous for you and the baby. you should think about aborting the baby, if you are indeed pregnant." Conrad texts.

Conrad is frustrated and upset. He didn't expect Nicole to sleep with alex, and he has no idea how Nicole got pregnanf. He feels disappointed in himself for underestimating her, and he wishes he'd put a high dosage on the pills the more the better.

"Tell me honestly," Nicole texts, "Do you think the baby's life will be in danger, i don't care about my life?

"Of course ," Conrad replies. It's my fault though. I should have found a cure by now, i don't want you to lose your baby we need to be more careful and monitor everything closely."

"It's not your fault," Nicole texts.

"I know it's too little too late, but I want to apologize and make it up to you." Conrad writes, "i will find a cure for you and the baby?"

"You've already helped me in many ways," Nicole replies, "This time I'll figure something out on my own."

Conrad reads Nicole's message. He anticipated her stubbornness and stupidness, but he's frustrated by her refusal to get an abortion. Though he admires her independence, he wants to be able to convince her to abort this baby.

Thunder rumbles ominously in the distance, and a flash of lightning suddenly illuminates the room. A dark shadow appears over the sofa, and Nicole turned around startled to see Alex towering over her.

"Christ, is he always so sneaky when he enters a room?" she thinks.

"Who are you texting?" Alex asks.

He looks absolutely livid. He's just found out about the pills, and now he walks in on Nicole messaging someone. He immediately suspects it's Conrad.

"Does she have any idea that he's drugging her?" Alex wonders.

He feels his rage building in his chest, and he imagines all the different ways he could have Conrad killed.

"I asked you a question: who are you texting?" Alex repeats.

Alex feels his blood boiling out of control and he leans down and snatches her phone. Nicole pales and reaches for the phone.

"No! Don't look at my phone!" she screams.

Alex ignores her and raises the phone to eye level.

"You're violating my privacy. Give it back!" she protests.

He looks at her recent messages, but there's nothing there.

"Do you delete the messages?" he asks.

"I was browsing the internet," she says, "I wasn't talking to anyone."

In the past, she would have admitted to texting Conrad just to upset Alex. She knows he's especially sensitive about her interactions with Conrad. However, she doesn't want to wind him up as she could be pregnant—she doesn't need to draw any additional stress to herself. She knows that the more she enrages him, the more obsessed and stressful he becomes with subduing her. She bites her tongue and tries to control her temper.

I don't believe you," Alex says with a snarl.

He grabs Nicole from the sofa and roughly throws her onto the bed. Nicole looks up at the demon standing over her, and trembles with rage and fear. Alex becomes terrifyingly angry every time Conrad appears in their lives, and she can only guess at how he'll enact his rage on her.

Nicole clutches the sheet tightly and stared helplessly at her phone in his hands. She reminds herself once again that she can't afford any more trouble with Alex . She swallows her anger and tries to arrange her face in a calm expression, but Alex takes her silence as guilt and becomes even angrier.

He grabs her jaw with his hand, "Is he the reason you're trying to divorce me and not concieve?"

"No!" Nicole whispers.

She knows that Alex becomes extra possessive where Conras is concerned, and she wants him to calm down. She gazes calmly into his eyes.

"It's not about him," she says.

"Then who is this about?"

Though Alex often goes into rages, Nicole has never seen him so wild with anger before. She wonders what has gotten into him, and she tries to calm him.

"It's about me," she said in a low voice.

"Is she still protecting Conrad?" Alex thinks, enraged.

Alex looks at her like a wolf. His eyes seem to glint yellow in the dim room, and she can't shake the impression that he's hungry for blood. He knows he could forgive her almost anything—he could even bear it if she didn't love him. But he refuses to allow her to fall for another man.