Lizette returns late that night, and their friendship begins to normalize. Emmett grows anxious when he doesn’t hear from Aaron, fearing that he may have seen the news about the car. Emmett finally texts him, and Aaron claims that a busy week at work was the reason for his silence. He tells Emmett that he can start his new job at the museum soon, pending a background check.

Two weeks later, Emmett has a check-in with Dr. Halleck at Cronus Health. Having been off Obexity for weeks, Emmett has gained a pound. He lies about taking his doses, but Dr. Halleck is suspicious. He warns Emmett that inconsistent dosing can cause severe hormonal imbalances and weight fluctuations, especially during times of high stress. 

When Emmett asks for a new supply of the drug, Dr. Halleck refuses, accusing him of potentially selling the injections illegally. He cynically tells Emmett, “Greed and obesity are comorbidities. Obexity can only cure one” (233).

Off Obexity, Emmett’s weight gain accelerates, causing him to experience immense psychological distress. His job as an education manager at the museum becomes a nightmare; a resentful coordinator named Ysella undermines him, and the staff circulates his Instagram posts, exposing his relationship with Aaron. Aaron himself has grown cold and distant since seeing Emmett’s loose skin. Emmett’s online followers also turn critical of his weight gain. 

One evening, a hateful online comment triggers Emmett while he’s walking the dogs. He drops their leash, and they run into traffic. He chases them into a parking lot, where they’re confronted by a large coyote with striking ice-blue eyes. After he scares the animal away, he looks out his apartment window and sees the same coyote watching him from across the street.

In a blog post from 2019, Emmett recounts a traumatic incident from his childhood when he was 11. Joanna had left him alone for a weekend with Hank. Hank enforced a cruel starvation diet, eating large meals in front of Emmett while giving him only salad and water. When Emmett tried to sneak food from the pantry late one night, he found Hank waiting for him in the dark, holding a rope. Later, Emmett’s mother arranged for a neighbor to give him snacks, but Hank discovered the hidden food. As punishment, Hank cooked a massive feast and force-fed Emmett until he vomited. He then tied Emmett to a weight machine in the garage and used a funnel to pour the vomit back down his throat. Emmett’s mother returned home unexpectedly, saw the abuse, and struck Hank in the head with a dumbbell. Hank survived, and though Joanna divorced him soon after, Emmett’s trauma endured.

Desperate to lose weight again, Emmett contacts Niño, his brother’s friend, to buy Obexity illegally. At Niño’s Ocean Beach cottage, Niño quotes an exorbitant price of $10,000. When Emmett can’t pay, Niño implies that they can make an alternative arrangement. Emmett submits to sex with Niño. Afterward, while Niño is in the bathroom, Emmett steals the three injector pens of EmaC-8 and flees.

Emmett returns home and immediately injects all three high-dosage pens of EmaC-8. His body reacts violently. The next morning, he loses six and a half pounds but experiences a savage, insatiable hunger that normal food cannot quell. He recognizes it as a craving for human flesh, a direct side effect of the drug. Believing that he needs retribution against those who have shamed him, he finds the Instagram profile of Justin Matthews, a past hookup who recently mocked his body. Emmett creates a new profile on a dating app and messages Justin, determined to make him his next victim.

Emmett goes to Justin’s apartment. Justin recognizes him and immediately taunts him about his past weight. Fueled by rage, Emmett considers leaving, but Justin, aroused by his own cruelty, initiates oral sex. When Emmett is unable to get an erection, Justin becomes angry. Emmett then bludgeons Justin to death with a heavy glass. During the attack, the glass shatters and cuts Emmett’s hand, leaving his blood and DNA at the crime scene. Realizing that he’s now certain to be caught, he decides to follow through with his cannibalistic plan.

In an Instagram post dated November 8, Emmett publicly acknowledges his recent weight gain, framing it as a “wobble” in his journey. He tells his followers that he has already lost 14 of the 34 pounds he gained and feels more motivated than ever. The post is met with widespread support and praise, which prompts Emmett to announce a new online course about getting back on track after a setback.

Three days after the murder, Justin’s body is discovered. News reports state that the police recovered the assailant’s DNA from the apartment, sending Emmett into a panic. He’s confused as to why he hasn’t yet been identified. 

Soon after, he receives an email summoning him to a mandatory meeting at Monstera BioSciences. He fears that he’s been caught for either violating the trial rules or, worse, the murders.

Emmett meets with Dr. Jenni Saito and her team, including Pamela Clemmons Dixon, Donald Cohrs, and Rachael Witzens. He’s shocked to learn that they’re not angry with him. They reveal that the company’s chief science officer, Dr. Smith, personally selected him for the trial and has been impressed with his growing online influence. 

Dr. Saito and her colleagues explain that Obexity is at risk of being denied FDA approval due to anomalies in early trials. To create public pressure for the drug’s approval, they offer Emmett a lucrative contract to become the official spokesperson for Obexity. The deal includes a large fee and a lifetime supply of the drug.

Emmett accepts Monstera’s offer, and the company schedules the campaign launch for early January. Lizette explains to Emmett that the police have likely been unable to match the DNA from Justin’s murder scene to him because his fingerprints and DNA aren’t in any law-enforcement databases. 

As the December photoshoot for the campaign approaches, Emmett is still seven pounds above his target weight. Desperate, he takes a double dose of Obexity and loses four pounds overnight. When he arrives on set, the Monstera team praises his appearance and casually reveals that they had planned to digitally retouch the photos to make him look thinner anyway.

Emmett’s relationship with Aaron has completely stalled. Needing to tell Aaron about his Obexity partnership before the public announcement, Emmett arranges a meeting. 

The conversation at Aaron’s apartment is tense. Aaron criticizes Emmett’s new “influencer” personality. Emmett confronts him, asserting that the real problem is Aaron’s revulsion toward his loose skin. Aaron admits that the skin isn’t a “turn-on.” Hurt and furious, Emmett argues that his body is never good enough. He was rejected for having obesity, and now he’s rejected for the physical results of his weight loss. Overcome with rage and hunger, he storms out of the apartment.

A News 8 San Diego Facebook post reports that a jogger discovered bloodstained clothing washed up along the San Diego River bikeway. The police suspect that the garments may be tied to the November 6 murder of Justin Matthews, the 36-year-old found slain in his apartment. A bag of bloody men’s clothing was discovered near the scene and is being considered a potential lead in the ongoing investigation.