?<strong>Chapter 922:</strong>


    “At least they’re being friendly.”


    Rickey snorted, quickly steering the conversation to lighter ground. “Aurora, admit it—you’re feeling lonely without me around and secretly miss me like crazy, don’t you?”


    “Stop being so narcissistic.”


    “So, you do miss me?”


    Aurora felt a twinge of unease.


    If Rickey had said this face-to-face, she would have brushed it off without a second thought. But with the distance between them, and the time difference creating a strange void, it felt oddly unsettling.


    “Miss you? Not at all. You have no idea how peaceful it is without you around.”


    Rickey’sughter faded. “You heartless little thing,” he muttered.


    “I’m hanging up. They’re still waiting for me to y cards.”


    “What the hell? Is ying cards more important than me?” Rickey’s voice rose, roaring through the receiver. “Aurora, you better make yourself clear—”


    She ended the call abruptly, cutting him off mid-sentence.


    As she turned to head back to the private room, she caught sight of Addie’s boyfriend wandering around as though searching for something.


    Since he was Addie’s boyfriend, Aurora didn’t want to engage with him alone.


    She tried to walk past without making eye contact, but he reached out and grabbed her shoulder.


    Startled, Aurora immediately backed away, her heart racing.


    “Sorry, could you tell me where the restroom is?” he asked.


    Aurora hesitated, then responded, “Isn’t there a restroom in the private room?”


    “Someone’s using it.”


    Aurora didn’t think much of it and pointed him in the direction, but was suddenly grabbed from behind and had her mouth covered. Aurora struggled desperately, her muffled cries escaping through his hand.


    The man, towering over her, used one hand to stifle her screams and the other to grip her neck, dragging her backward.


    Her heels scraped against the floor, her strength failing to match his. She couldn’t make a sound loud enough to call for help.


    In her growing terror, she spotted a familiar figure turning the corner.


    It was Dunn.


    Aurora’s eyes lit up, and she stopped wing at the man’s hand, stretching out to Dunn instead.


    But Dunn, engrossed in conversation with someone beside him, didn’t even nce her way.


    His figure disappeared around the corner, leaving Aurora stranded in the empty corridor.


    Addie’s boyfriend hauled her into a nearby room. Aurora’s mind raced with fear, expecting the worst. But instead of attacking her, he whispered frantically for her to be quiet.


    Confusion mingled with her fear.


    Barely two minutester, she heard the sound of voices approaching from outside. Addie’s familiarughter drifted closer.


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