89. New

After finishing the omelets, Peyton handed Carver a couple of pills, which he took without protest. They all moved into the living room, with Carver walking with difficulty. Ava, ever attentive, wrapped a blanket around him and helped him settle on the couch. Peyton, needing a moment to gather his thoughts, turned on the TV and sat in a chair, his mind still racing with the revelations and the situation at hand.

Peyton, looking intently at Carver, broke the silence. "Okay, is there anything else you want to admit? Get it out right now, so I can start to get over this agitation," he said through gritted teeth.

Carver paused, weighing his words carefully. "I... I changed my contract at Esmerelda's," he finally admitted, his voice low and filled with a sense of defeat and embarrassment.

Peyton sat up straighter, his attention sharpened. "How exactly did you change it?" he asked, a hint of worry creeping into his tone.

"I added intimate encounters," Carver confessed, avoiding Peyton'