Mirabe felt like her mind was tangled in a flickering thread, impossible to


    untangle or make sense of. Staring at her phone, she didn''t bother waiting for Cassandra''s reply before typing, "Don''t let Morgane out."


    Y: "Toote... He left three days ago."


    Seeing this, Mirabe rubbed her temples, typing back, "Got it. Just make sure to reach out to him and bring him back."


    Y: "Alright."


    After giving a few more instructions, Mirabe ended the chat. She looked out of the car window, her brows furrowing without her realizing. Maybe it was the box of medicine in her hand that stirred this uneasy feeling inside her. It had been ages since she felt such an indescribable anxiety. She could only hope it was just a trick of her mind.


    **


    Meanwhile, over at the Pharmaceutical Association, in the President''s office:


    David stared nkly at Presley, "Why did you agree to Dean''s request without checking with me first?"


    Presley, fresh back from the herb farm, wasn''t ruffled by David''s questioning. Instead, he wore his usual smug smile, "Would asking you have changed anything? Could you have sorted out the mess of not delivering the goods? Since you couldn''t, why shouldn''t I have stepped in?"


    David''s face darkened, "Don''t forget, I''m the President of the Association. Some decisions aren''t yours to make."


    "Oh sure, you''re the President, but what have you done for the Association all these years? Our standing in Riverdale has taken a nosedive, surely you''ve noticed?" Presley shot back sarcastically.  swnovel


    After a pause, he turned to David, "If you can''t bring any benefits to the Association, why should you hang onto that position?"


    David''s eyes narrowed. Ever since that batch of herbs was ruined, Presley''s attitude had soured. He''d always had ambitions, but now he was being tant about it. Suppressing his annoyance, David asked, "So, you really want my job that much?"  swnovel


    Presley chuckled, "Oh, I wouldn''t dream of it. But since you won''t call the farmer, I''ll have to. You want to be the gentleman, that''s fine, but I have to think about our reputation."


    With that, Presley whipped out his phone, found Paul''s number, and dialed it right in front of David.


    Seeing this, David lost his


    A wave of difort hit David. He strode over, snatched Presley''s phone, and after hitting a few buttons, said coldly, "Enough. Don''t sacrifice your morals for profit."


    "Morals?" Presley scoffed, "Isn''t growing herbs what the farmer is paid to do? We pay him; are we supposed to treat him like royalty just because he says it can''t be done?"


    What a fool, putting a humble farmer on a pedestal.


    Presley shook his head, done with the argument, "Anyway, I''ve already promised Dean. If that farmer can''t produce the nts, I''ll just hand him over."