She closed her eyes, slowly waiting for the water to cool.
Just then, the door BEEPED open, and two men burst in.
She hadn't expected Miles Xavier to be so fast.
"Don't come any closer! One more step and I'll swallow this!" Joan Shaw threatened, holding up the pill between her two fingers.
Terrified, Miles didn't dare move forward. He held out his hands, palms down, in a placating gesture. "Joan, give me one more chance. Just one last chance. We can fly to Imperia right now, this very second, and get married, okay?"
Joan Shaw shook her head. "We can't go back. We can't." 'Has it really come to this? Is there any way to fix things now?'
"Why can't we go back? What will it take for you to say yes? Do I have to die?" Miles bit out the last word.
Tears welled in Joan Shaw's eyes as she let out a hollow laugh. Even she didn't know what path to take from here.
Slowly, she raised the pill, her eyes brimming with tears. "Please, let me go. Otherwise, I'll jump from here!"
