Sex Addiction ✔

19

Emily's POV.

I finish tidying up the bathroom and lie down on the bed, unable to sleep.

Was it Cayden who did it?

No, it couldn't have been him. When I was having dinner with Hunter in London, I didn't mention the unpleasant encounter with the CEO of the film company. So Cayden couldn't have known.

But Cayden managed to find me even when I fled to Finland.

Going to London, isn't it like wandering right under his nose?

The next day, I go out shopping with dark circles under my eyes and run into Mummo.

Mummo hands me a discount coupon, 'There's a new restaurant nearby, shall we try it together?'

I haven't been to a restaurant in a long time, so I'm tempted, but then I look down at Natalie in her stroller, 'What about her?'"

"'We'll take her with us. I checked, they welcome babies.'"

"That's great." I smile, "I hope Natalie won't fuss when we're there."

'Our Natalie is very well-behaved, isn't she?' Mummo bends down, smiling as she strokes Natalie's cheek.

It's a barbecue restaurant, not very well-known since it's new, so there aren't many customers.

We find a seat near the bar, order a few dishes recommended by the manager, and chat casually while waiting for the food to arrive. Natalie continues to behave well, earnestly playing with the toys I brought for her in her stroller.

A TV hangs above the bar, not much on at this hour, just the evening news.

The receptionist girl leans on the bar, watching short videos on her phone, probably worried about getting caught slacking off. She picks up the remote and turns up the TV volume a bit, trying to cover up the music playing from her phone.

The waiter comes over with our food.

"Emily, try dipping a bit of their secret seasoning into the grilled beef, it's really delicious..." Mummo's voice drifts away.

Clang.

My fork falls onto the plate.

"Emily? What's wrong? Emily?"

My eyes are fixed on the screen above, his face obscured by a thin layer of mosaic, yet unmistakably familiar.

Microphones surrounding him seem like swords aimed at him, almost piercing his face. His hands are shackled in bright silver handcuffs in front of him, his suit wrinkled, hair tousled, but his posture remains straight-backed.

"Former CEO Cayden Boyd of Boyd Group is suspected of embezzlement during his tenure and has fled to North America upon leaving office. He is forcibly arrested by relevant public security agencies today. The case is currently under further investigation—"

My heart pounds like thunder.

I stand up, telling Mummo, "I'll be right back," then hurry outside and dial Hunter's number.

The ringtone on the phone seems unusually long, and just as I'm about to hang up, he finally answers.

"Hello?"

Hunter sounds busy, with a noisy background suggesting heated arguments nearby. I feel my call is ill-timed, but the unsettling feeling in my chest is too tormenting to ignore, so I interrupt him briefly, "I just... saw the news..."

Footsteps echo on his end, Hunter moves farther away, the background noise diminishes, and he says to me, "Go ahead."

I swallow. "I just saw the news about Cayden. How is he now?"