Chapter 106

Emily's red-rimmed eyes betrayed recent tears, a detail Mia didn't miss.

"What happened?" Mia's grip tightened on the steering wheel.

After a pause, Emily recounted the events.

"Damn it!" Mia slammed the wheel. "Is William out of his mind? Does he think money makes him god? He's just a sugar daddy—who does he think he is?"

"Not a sugar daddy," Emily corrected softly. "A transaction."

"That makes it worse!" Mia gritted her teeth. "I'll lend you the money. Leave him."

The car turned into the hospital parking lot. Emily's swollen ankle was clearly visible.

"It's not just about money," Emily shook her head. "Professor Johnson was arranged by him. If I walk away..."

"Let my brother handle it!" Mia blurted.

The Harris family had struck gold overnight from a拆迁 deal a decade ago. Starting from scratch, her brother had built a company and risen among Jinzhou's elite—though old money still sneered at them as nouveau riche.

"I won't drag you into this," Emily smiled bitterly. "William could crush me with a snap of his fingers."

Mia fell silent. She knew better than anyone—the Harris family was no match for the Johnsons.

"So you'll just take it?" Mia asked, frustration simmering.

"He'll get bored," Emily gazed out the window. "Once he tires of me, he'll let me go."

That harsh "Get out" might have been the beginning.

"At least..." She forced a smile. "This way, he won't take it out on you."

Mia opened her mouth but said nothing.

As the car parked, Emily's phone buzzed.

A message flashed on the screen:

"8 PM. Imperial Hotel, Suite 8808. Don't keep me waiting."