Sex Addiction ✔

29

Emily's POV.

I follow Cayden into the hall, which is magnificently decorated. The servants are lined up on either side of the door, greeting us in unison. The display is truly intimidating.

What is even more intimidating is that the old man asks Cayden to go to the tea room with him.

Instinctively, I clutch Cayden's sleeve. He whispers, "Don't worry, I'll be out soon."

Then he glances at Hunter, who nods at him.

Natalie and I stay in the living room, with Hunter accompanying us as per Cayden's instructions.

This place is more extravagant than any mansion I've seen in film sets. I keep drinking coffee to hide my unease.

Natalie, being a playful child, soon notices the crystal chandelier overhead. It's large and high, with the sunlight refracting off it at different angles. Natalie walks around it, looking up, and occasionally claps her hands and giggles.

Her laughter echoes in the hall, making my heart tremble along with it. When Natalie finally tires of looking at the chandelier, I begin to relax.

But when her eyes fix on the blue and white porcelain plate on the shelf, my heart starts racing again.

A servant is cleaning the shelf, and Natalie walks over, grabs her leg, and points to the plate. "May I?"

Of course not!

I rush over to pick her up, but the servant is faster, already handing the plate to Natalie.

Natalie touches the patterns on the plate and turns to me with a smile. "Mommy, a bird—"

I awkwardly smile back at her, reassuring myself that the plate might be a fake, the kind you get two for five pounds at a flea market.

Surely it must be fake if the servant handed it to a child so easily. Even if it breaks, I can afford to replace it.

But then Hunter also stares at the plate and asks the servant, "Is this the Qing dynasty imperial tribute from last month's Sotheby's auction?"

The servant nods, "Yes, Sir bid on it for a long time."

I swallow hard and immediately take the plate from Natalie's hands.

She looks surprised at first, then a bit upset, her eyes blinking as if on the verge of tears.

I pretend not to notice, returning the plate to the servant. "She's still a child; she can't handle such valuable things."

The servant smiles, "Miss Emily, don't worry. Before you came, Sir instructed us to treat his only granddaughter well. She can do whatever she wants here."

I go to the table to get some candy for Natalie, and her mood brightens instantly.

Soon, the door to the tea room upstairs opens, and Cayden comes down the stairs. I walk to the staircase, "How did it go?"

Cayden shrugs, "It's your turn now."

"Will you go in with me?"

"He wants to see you alone."

I swallow hard, my limbs feeling awkward and stiff as I walk to the tea room door.

I push the door open and smile at the chairman. He waves me over to sit by the window. "Miss Emily, please have a seat."

I sit down.

"This is golden tip tea from Sri Lanka. try it."

I drink the tea.