Drugs are quite remarkable if you overlook the damage they cause. As long as you haven't tried them, you're like a virgin just hearing and talking about sex, but once you try them, you understand the real game.

Even if you only try one drug, once in your lifetime, you impure your brain. The elation it offers, perhaps almost immediately, addicts the brain to it. Being the reason why the majority of the addicts suffer through relapses. A part of the person's brain who used a drug won't ever forget or recover from it. A small part of that person will always and forever want that drug.

That's why, when you put a once-upon-a-time addict in the same room with the drug, you expect the person to be drawn to it eventually... or at least you won't be surprised when they give in and fall back into their old habit.

I could never relate to or even comprehend this matter, at least not deeply.

Unfortunately, love affects the brain almost just as similar as a drug.

Gracie Stewart is my drug.

Now, in the privacy of my car, alone, speeding down the lanes and heading back to my apartment, I can thoroughly think about it.

Relapse was bound to happen. I just didn't expect it would be so soon... perhaps a small part of me foolishly assumed I am beyond the laws of nature, structuring my brain.

Clearly, I'm not.

No matter how I rationally prove to myself I hate her, that I have to hate her, call her all sorts of names, remind myself of what she's capable of and what she did to me, I can't seem to be able to immune myself to her.

I just simply can't.

Everything's been getting more complicated ever since I did what I never should have done. If I had the power to wipe out one single night from my life, it would be last night. Or maybe the night I kissed her for the first time, over five years ago.

I despise cheaters, the vilest, most disgusting humans, veiling their cunning inner self with millions of lies and deception.

I've seen the direct impact cheating has... I saw how it ruined my mom when she found out William had been cheating on her for years. For years, I loathed my father for cheating on my mother, I still do. I was certain, I'd rather die than cheat.

Yet, I did exactly what I thought I'd never do.

Just like professors who slept with their students disgusted me, and I was sure I'd never turn to one of them... but I became one of them too.

Ironically, both of these presumably unbreakable morals of mine were shattered by the same person.

Gracie fucking Stewart.

I want to blame it on her. I truly, wholeheartedly want to. Maybe if I try harder, I might even succeed, but the reality will stay the same.

She was right. Gracie didn't force me into anything. It was all on me. I kissed her first. I started it.

I sigh and push my glasses up as I drive straight to my building's parking lot underground.

It's infuriating how I lost all bearings and could not think about anything, or anyone, at that point. Not even today when I kissed her in front of that diner. In fact, I didn't want it to end. A small mortified part of me is aware if she hadn't pulled away, I wouldn't have been able from stopping and it probably would've escalated... and we might have ended up doing it in the car.

I'm mad at her, pissed off by the control she has over me, and annoyed by how aware she is of this fact.

I want to hate her for making me a cheater. For being the only person I can't think straight when she's in the same room as me, but I can't. I've been trying since last night and failing miserably.

Although, I do hate myself for becoming a cheater and not being able to stop myself. It angers me I can't hate her for it.

In fact, the more horrifying part is, ever since last night, the reasons I had emboldened and carved in my mind for staying the hell away from her and hating her have been... fading.

The kiss did it for me. It unlocked the box I had hidden the memories and put it in the back of my head, well out of reach.

Ever since she re-entered my life, every fucking aspect of it began to fall apart. I have not been able to be with Julia the way I was, in fact ever since that gathering in William's house I didn't dare to sleep with Julia in fears of messing up and saying Gracie's name in the moment of a mindless haze of the orgasm. I accepted William's offer to become the fucking CEO and now I'm officially a cheater.

I shove my fingers through my hair and shake my head. I must put an end to it. Last night was a mistake. Today was a mistake too.

No matter how terribly mind-blowing they were.

With a nod, I climb out of the car and check my watch as I make my way to the elevator. Julia is probably back from her parents' house.

Julia.

I rub my face as I wait for the elevator. How on Earth can I look her in the eyes and behave as though nothing is wrong? Like I did not just sleep with my ex.

I must tell her... but she'll leave me, I think. Even if somehow, she doesn't end up calling things off and dumping me, she'll lose her trust, forever.

The elevator door slides open and I step inside, pressing my floor's button.

But how can I not tell her?

At this very moment, a daunting truth sinks in. Sourly, I can't help but wonder is this how Gracie felt regarding the entire matter of the solution?

If so, that sneaky witch is forcing me to suffer through the same thing, maybe even slightly worse than that.

I thrust my hands into my pockets and tap my foot on the metallic ground.

Clever, indeed.

I have to find a way to get her out of my life. I owe this to Julia too. Once Gracie is gone, everything will fall back on track. I'll be the good fiancé for Julia, and a man focused on his job, which is miles away from managing a company.

The elevator halts and I step out, my strides falter as I near the door.

Last night never happened. 

I cannot lose Julia. She's a good woman, we can communicate, or at least try to. She's mature, stable, and a good person to spend the rest of my life with. Future with her sounds... calm and secure. Normal.

With a sharp inhale, I push my shoulders back and fish out my keys from my pocket, and unlock the door.

Carefully, I walk and survey the place. The lights are all on and a moment later, Julia's form appears from the living room area with a broad smile.

I hug her and we kiss. But her lips are not Gracie's and the kiss is not even close to any of the kisses I've shared with Gracie. 

Guilt squeezes and twists my gut. I pull away first, forcing a smile as her gaze darts to my hand and then to the door.

"Where's your bag?" she asks, stepping away from me.

My brows jump with surprise and I blink a few times. "I was too tired to bring them up, they're still in the car."

"Oh, okay," she mumbles and walks to the sofas. Quietly, I trail behind her until I plop down on the nearest chair and she stays on her feet.

I frown at her as I take off my glasses and rub my eyes, heaving a sigh.

"How was the meeting?" she tightly asks.

"Okay, I guess." I put my glasses back on and meet her demanding eyes with confusion. "Are you okay?"

She crosses her arms and lifts her shoulder. An instant alarm goes off in my head, an icy panic settle in the pit of my stomach and I have to remind myself, it's impossible for her to have my disloyalty figured out this soon.

"I met your dad," she announces.

I instantly relax and a breath I had not noticed I was holding slips from me.

She plants her hands on her hips, glowering at me. "He said he won't be investing in our company."

I wait for her to go on, but she doesn't. I frown with confusion. "So?"

"So?" she shrilly echoes, throwing her hands up.

Shocked, I back away.

"What do you mean so!" she shouts.

I watch her with unease, I doubt I said something wrong. Hesitantly, I push my glasses up and straighten in my seat.

"My company is going bankrupt, my dad will lose everything, and your dad is refusing to help and all you have to say is, so!" she screams, her voice is so pitched it's like needles tearing open my eardrums.

I resist the urge to rub my ears and instead plant my elbows on the armrest. "Okay, I'm sorry, I didn't know your company's situation is so serious."

"Of course, you didn't," she bitterly mutters under her breath.

I ignore her comment and continue, "I'll talk to him and see if he'll agree. How much do you need?"

"Three billion."

My eyes bug out of my head as I jump up from my seat. "Come again."

"Three. Billion. Dollars," she speaks slowly, emphasizing each word. "Don't act so shocked, I know you can afford it."

My mouth stays agape as I stare at her with disbelief.

"What? I know you have that money."

"It's for the company. He'll never agree to this!"

"You're the fucking CEO Spencer! Start acting like it!" she yells.

I clench my jaw and glare at her. "And you know better than me how these things work. I can't do that. I cannot risk William's lifetime work-"

"But you don't mind if my dad goes bankrupt?" she fires back.

I shake my head and purse my mouth. This can't be happening right now.

"I'm your fiancée!" she shrieks, shoving her fingers through her open hair. "I'm going to be your wife! How can you let your father-in-law lose everything when you have the money to stop it!"

"I don't Julia. The money is not mine, it's for the company and its employees." I grind my teeth so hard my jaw starts aching. Keeping my voice down and steady is increasingly getting harder.

"You're Spencer Wright! William Wright's oldest son! You have the power to-"

"Fine!" I cut her off sharply. "I'll see what I can do, okay? Now let me sit in peace for one fucking minute," I growl and stalk past her, heading straight to the bedroom.

At this point, I can't tell if Julia's getting more annoying each day because now Gracie is back in my life again and I mentally can't put up with her, or if she's really getting more irritating on her own. Either way, I hope I can find a way to fix it because I won't be able to survive this situation if it keeps on continuing. 

❦ ♥︎ ❦

Well, as promised, a new chapter, in Spencer's POV! I hope you enjoyed. Vote if you did and comment your thoughts.

So... do you think Gracie is Spencer's drug? And also, do you think it's because of Gracie that Spencer can't put up with Julia? 👀

I had a few questions from you guys 👀 hehe xD please answer (pretty please with a cherry on top *.*), they're super important for me, and I'm going to move according to them so... yeah :) [not all of them are directly related to The Remedy... keep that in mind xD]

1st question: As you all might know, I'm planning (or at least hoping) to wrap up this story before my new semester starts. For that, I have to double update every day. Now I might be able to do that, but the question is, would you guys rather have daily updates? Or daily double updates?

If your answer is daily double updates, would you rather have the 2 chapters uploaded at the same time or apart? Like 8-12 hrs apart from each other?

2nd question: Imagine you're reading a book with romance as its main plot (👀 yeah don't look at me like that lol), do you expect it to have a happy ending or sad one? If it's a sad ending, would you still consider the story, as a romance?

3rd question: [Please answer in general & without being biased (I beg you xD)]. Imagine you're reading a romance book, you're rooting for the characters to finally end up together, but the MC leaves the love interest. Then, something incredible happens for the MC and it's the perfect reason for her to return to her love. Now this something, is an awesome thing, a trope that is well approached by readers (I think) and gives the reader a tremendous amount of hope for a happily ever after (because it almost always guarantees a HEA in books). The MC returns to her love, BUT just before everything falls into place, they're torn apart. A chap later, that something good is brutally, savagely snatched away from the MC, and everything gets worse and the book ends :)

Now the question is, as a reader, would you rather be warned beforehand, or not? Would you rather know you're going to be either sad or traumatised (depending on how thick-skinned you are lol) by the ending of a book, or not?

Would you rather be told a book you're starting, is not going to have a happy ending? Or not? [please don't ask for which book this is, I don't want to spoil it, but, please don't let your answers be affected by the ending you want for Gracie and Spencer =)]

Last question: Do you guys think, this particular type of ending would be hated on WP or not? Would you hate it? (No, I'm not going to change the ending I've decided for one of my stories, I just want to know if I should start mentally preparing myself to be hated :")]

Oh well, that was on long author's note, but I've been meaning to ask these for quite some time now hehe :D

Next chap will be up in 8hrs (and I think it'll be in Spencer's POV again👀)

Stay safe, lots of love, happy reading ♡