Out of Control: Into Your Everything-Chapter 159: Tainted by Proximity

Mia: "..."

The smile at the corner of Scarlett Shaw’s lips was faint, tinged with guarded distance, but perhaps because she had held onto Mia so tightly on the motorcycle just now, feeling that sense of safety, she revealed no hostile emotion to Mia.

Mia’s gaze locked onto Scarlett, watching her for a long while before suddenly letting out a soft laugh.

Mia asked curiously, "How did you figure it out?"

That was, in a way, an acknowledgment of Scarlett’s previous words.

Scarlett: "When you invited me to ride the motorcycle, the vibe coming off you was completely different from when we were eating—I could feel you were in a rush."

Mia: "Anything else?"

"Kyle told me that no one else has ever sat on your motorcycle. From the way you come across, you’re not the type to compromise your principles for work, unless something matters more to you than your principles."

Scarlett analyzed with calm logic.

"If there was something that triggered all this right after dinner, except for Josiah Sutton’s call to me, I honestly can’t think of anything else. After all, you were listening the whole time, weren’t you?"

Surprise lingered in Mia’s eyes for a long time.

To be honest, her impression of Scarlett was still the soft, obedient type with firm principles—she hadn’t expected Scarlett to be this clever, beyond her imagination.

Only now, Mia wasn’t in the mood to think about work matters.

Memories from the past fell like rain, settling in her heart, chilling and hurting her to the core.

Mia pulled out a smile, wild and brazen, "Since you know Josiah Sutton, and you work for Veridian, you must’ve met Julian Ford too, right?"

Her boyfriend suddenly came up, and Scarlett instantly became alert, "What?"

Mia, "The way you just seriously analyzed everything, you looked a lot like Julian Ford—arrogant and frosty as hell."

Scarlett: "..."

Is this what they call being stained by the company you keep?

Mia waved her phone again, "Add me on WhatsApp. Let’s be friends."

She’d personally walked her home, and was so open in conversation; Scarlett felt no need to hesitate, and they added each other on WhatsApp.

"Don’t tell Josiah Sutton you’ve met me."

Mia said crisply.

Scarlett was a little surprised, lowering her gaze into Mia’s brilliant, beautiful eyes, meaning to speak yet stopping herself.

Mia: "What do you want to say?"

Scarlett: "Your eyes tell me you miss him so much. Why do you pretend otherwise?"

Scarlett had never directly asked about Mia and Josiah Sutton’s relationship, but the chemistry between people is always easy to sense.

From the instant Josiah Sutton’s name was mentioned, the woman before her was no longer the same one as at first meeting.

Mia gazed at Scarlett, the pain buried in her eyes quietly reining itself in. She reached out and softly patted Scarlett on the head, "Because to me, there are things more important than love."

Mia’s hands were small, her fingers slender, knuckles beautiful.

For a moment, Scarlett felt a familiar gentleness.

That gentleness was so much like Josiah Sutton’s.

As Mia withdrew her hand, she made a shushing gesture at Scarlett, "You have to keep that sentence secret for me too."

Scarlett nodded solemnly, "Alright."

Mia flashed a smile, as radiant and wild as when they first met, said goodbye with cheerful dignity, climbed on her sleek, striking black motorcycle, and left freely, like the wind.

The motorcycle vanished swiftly into the night.

Scarlett stood there, gazing in the direction Mia had gone, and couldn’t help but wonder—was this how she left Josiah Sutton?

So breezy, with not a hint of regret. So free, like a white eagle soaring in the sky.

And Josiah Sutton, standing here just like she was, watching Mia leave like this—what must he have felt?

Scarlett couldn’t picture it.

The only thing she could imagine was, if it were her now, watching Julian Ford walk away, she couldn’t do it—even if she had to beg, she’d want to beg him to come back.

Or, perhaps, Julian was the one watching her leave.

Just the thought of that possibility made her heart clench, uncontrollably.

The one who leaves may have their reasons, but the person left behind suddenly loses their anchor, maybe not even knowing why they’ve been abandoned.

As she and Julian Ford grew closer emotionally, Scarlett knew better than anyone that when reality hit, this bond would only make the pain that much worse.

If a day came when separation was destined, she’d say everything she wanted to say, confess all her love to him, holding nothing back.

The black motorcycle sped across Cloud Harbor Bridge.

The Bluetooth earpiece chimed with an incoming call; Mia picked up, "Speak."

Kyle York: "You managed to handle Scarlett or not?"

Mia snorted: "You think everyone’s as quick as you—like a bloody speed demon."

Kyle York: "..."

Mia: "Let’s take it slow. There’s no hurry. If she’d taken the money right away, that wouldn’t be a good sign. Anyone who’d switch sides for a little cash isn’t worth trusting. Besides, Veridian might send someone else; the next person could be even easier to handle."

Kyle York: "No wonder Dominic thinks so highly of you after just three years, Mr. Morgan. You’re gorgeous and don’t even have to use your looks to—"

"If you don’t want your mouth, donate it to someone who needs it."

Mia cut him off coldly.

"You want me to help you?"

Kyle York was left speechless.

This Mia—when she’s ruthless, she’s tougher than any man. Rumor had it when she first took office, she nearly caused a fatal incident just to establish authority. When her tone goes cold like this, it’s like an ice pick—scary as hell.

"You know, I keep thinking Scarlett looks familiar—like I’ve seen her somewhere before," Kyle changed the topic.

Mia frowned, "Who does she look like?"

Kyle couldn’t remember, just knew the face was in his memory somewhere. He joked, "No idea, maybe she looks like your boss’s old flame."

Mia: "Who are you kidding? Boss is way too old. Scarlett could be his daughter. And anyway, Boss doesn’t have a thing for young girls." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

After hanging up, Mia sped back to her apartment.

The place was a one-room studio, the whole space laid out at a glance—clutter everywhere except one tidy corner of the desk, where a small scenic photo frame stood.

She curled her long fingers around the frame, popped open the back, and flipped the hidden photograph.

The man in the picture wore gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes narrow and deep, features handsome—gentle yet sharp.

She hugged him like a koala, eyes shining with tears, her face vivid and proud—a mix of charm and arrogance.

"You’d better not be waiting for me."

She murmured softly, long lashes veiling her beautiful eyes.

"I’m not coming back."