Eden finally speaks

"Wow," she breathed out, still processing everything.

"Yeah," Seth replied, running a hand through his hair before wincing as Eden punched his arm hard.

"Ow! What was that for?" he exclaimed.

"For not listening when I told you the webcam was on!" Eden scolded, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Wait, it was on the whole time?" Seth's heart dropped into his stomach.

"Yes. I don't know who saw it or how long it's been on, but we can be sure someone did." Eden's voice trembled with anger and fear.

"Fuck. Have you traced the email? Do we know who sent it?"

"I've narrowed it down to a half mile by half mile square in... Kansas City, Missouri?" Eden's brow furrowed in confusion.

"That's so far away though, I don't understand," Seth slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"My guess is that those fuckers who hacked the webcam also sent the email. They're probably planning to **** us or worse, distribute the video to our friends and families," Eden said grimly.

Seth's mind raced as he tried to think of a solution. "But how do we stop them?"

"Stop them? Are you serious? Do you really want to stop them? Don't you feel satisfied finally fulfilling your desires?" Eden's tone was filled with both frustration and bitterness.

"Well yeah, but they put our entire futures at risk," Seth argued, feeling torn between conflicting emotions.

"Exactly. The best way to protect ourselves is by letting it all go, forget about them and live your life with the gift they've given you!" Eden stated firmly.

"I-I don't know. I guess you're right," Seth reluctantly agreed.

"Trust me. You'll get used to it, just like your friends will learn to cope with motherhood, the very thing they desired most," Eden said, her voice softening.

"Do you really think so?" Seth asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"I do. Just trust me," Eden reassured him.

"Okay, I trust you," Seth replied.

"Good. Now I have to go, but please don't pursue this any further," Eden pleaded with him.

Seth nodded silently as Eden slipped back into her clothes, her movements deliberate yet unhurried. Before leaving his dorm, she leaned in, her lips brushing his cheek in a quick, fleeting kiss. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Seth alone in the heavy silence. He got up and walked to his desk, sinking into his desk chair, a tangle of emotions churning inside him—confusion, guilt, and something else he couldn’t quite name. After a moment of hesitation, he exhaled sharply, reached for his webcam, and unplugged it.