Chapter 1261

Frieda watched Jonathan and Lucian leave, rooted to the spot. Stunned, she quickly recovered and hurried towards Aubree's ward. She needed to hear Aubree's answer in person.

Jonathan's subordinate stopped her at the entrance. "Ms. Queen, Mr. Queen forbade your entry."

She glared. "Get out of my way! I'm just going in to speak briefly. I'll leave immediately afterward." She pushed past him into the room.

"Aubree!"

The sight of Aubree's hysterical crying stopped Frieda short. She silently left the ward. Aubree's distress confirmed her fears: Lucian had ended their engagement.

Terror gripped Frieda. The memory of her actions alongside Aubree sent a wave of panic through her.

Meanwhile, after leaving the hospital, Lucian instructed Jonathan to take him back to Farwell Group. Cayden entered Lucian's office upon his arrival, finding him still enveloped in a gloomy atmosphere. Cayden shuddered. "Mr. Farwell, the research institute incident investigation is complete."

Lucian frowned. "The results?"

"The components were fine, and the experiment followed Ms. Jarvis' usual protocol. Logically, that gas shouldn't have been produced," Cayden replied.

Someone had tampered with the experiment. Lucian's gaze darkened. He fell silent, then abruptly left his office, Cayden quickly following. "Mr. Farwell, where are we going?"

Lucian said coldly, "To the research institute. I told Colby to identify all the medicines on the lab table that day. I wonder about his progress."

Cayden, sensing a lead, followed silently. Downstairs, he drove them to the institute.

Colby emerged just as they arrived. He appeared momentarily flustered, but quickly composed himself. "Mr. Farwell."

Lucian nodded. "Did you identify all the medicines?"

A guilty look flickered across Colby's face. "Yes, and I returned everything to the table."

Lucian looked at him skeptically. "You replaced everything? Didn't you say it was dangerous?"

Colby lowered his head. "I warned the personnel not to touch the medicines. There shouldn't be a problem."

Lucian nodded. "Show me."

Colby led them inside. Researchers greeted them briefly before resuming their work. He led them to the lab counter. "These are the medicines."

The lab table appeared as it had the day Roxanne conducted the experiment. However, Colby had substituted one bottle; the difference in size was subtle, noticeable only to someone intimately familiar with the lab. Even Roxanne and Jack wouldn't have noticed the switch.