"Yeah," Felicia said, her expression serious.

Kerry gasped, her voice trembling. "Ms. Fuller, calm down! Don't be impulsive!"

Felicia shot her an annoyed look. "Get back to work. Stop slacking off!"

Once Kerry left, Felicia returned to her task. She carefully finished mixing the poisons and stored them in custom-made capsules, each about the size of a marble and easily carried. Should trouble arise, she simply needed to twist one open and toss it; the powder would disperse instantly.

Unfortunately, she only had enough ingredients for seven capsules—seven chances to fight back. Since Maurice's men had kidnapped her, Felicia had reassessed her strategies. Her previous methods were too lenient. Before, she'd used powders causing only temporary effects—brief paralysis or intense pain—enough to disable an opponent without lasting harm, but leaving them time to recover. Facing multiple enemies, this proved insufficient. The kidnapping had confirmed her vulnerability.

This time, she wouldn't hold back. Each capsule contained a lethal poison. A tiny amount would cause immediate death, with the victim bleeding from their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. This provided a long-absent sense of security.

Satisfied, Felicia cleaned her workspace meticulously, ensuring no trace of poison remained. Then she left the storeroom.

The clinic operated normally. Eight junior physicians saw patients, while Kerry and assistants ran errands. Felicia exchanged brief words with them before leaving. She had dinner plans with Carmen, a date arranged weeks earlier upon her return to Khogend from Ablil, but delayed by work.

As Felicia stepped out, her phone buzzed with Carmen's message containing the restaurant address. Carmen raved about the authentic stew, a popular spot with perpetually full reservations; she'd waited three days for a table.

Felicia chuckled, hailed a cab, and headed off. But as she entered the car, a feeling of being followed persisted. Looking back, she saw nothing. It had to be Maurice's men. Four men had been shadowing her for days, claiming it was for her protection, remaining mostly hidden, appearing only in emergencies.

Shrugging off her unease, Felicia relaxed in the cab, arriving shortly at the restaurant. The spicy, rich aroma filled the street, emanating from the packed, three-story establishment; lively chatter and the clinking of cutlery spilled onto the sidewalk.

Carmen, seated at a second-floor window, spotted Felicia and waved enthusiastically. "Over here! Hurry!"

"Got it."

Felicia entered, the unsettling feeling of being watched returning. She frowned but didn't look back, walking upstairs and seating herself opposite Carmen.