Chapter 146

Mia Harris's WeChat messages bombarded Emily Smith's phone first thing in the morning. Her manager had been giving her a harder time lately, not only increasing her workload but also making snide remarks.

"You know what?" Mia sent an angry emoji. "That old witch is jealous because the hot guy she secretly likes was nice to me!"

Emily stared at her phone screen, remembering how she'd misunderstood William Johnson before. The harsh words she'd said in the elevator now filled her with regret.

But then again, given their current relationship, apologizing would only seem unnecessary.

The past two weeks had been orderly and productive. Her routine—company, hospital, recording studio, home—left little room for overthinking. When colleagues mentioned William was on a business trip, she felt an unexpected sense of relief.

On the subway, a celebrity news notification popped up on her phone. A photo of William and Amanda Lin vacationing in Europe dominated the screen, with the headline "Power Couple Nearing Wedding Date."

Emily's finger hovered for a second before swiping past it. A strange feeling flickered in her chest, though she couldn't quite name it.

While organizing files that afternoon, she suddenly remembered the missing USB drive. It contained important recording materials she'd left behind in her rush to move out of the Sky City apartment.

Should she contact William? The thought vanished as quickly as it came. In her current position, reaching out would only invite humiliation.

After much deliberation, she decided to take the risk. With William abroad, she could retrieve her belongings unnoticed.

Standing outside the familiar apartment building, her heartbeat quickened. To her surprise, the security system still recognized her, granting her seamless access to the elevator.

The fingerprint lock emitted its familiar beep as her hand trembled slightly. When she pushed the door open, the sight before her froze her blood—

William stood shirtless, Amanda Lin in his arms wearing nothing but a black silk slip. Her long legs wrapped around his waist, the hem barely covering what needed to be hidden.

Both turned toward the door simultaneously. In that moment of six eyes meeting, the air seemed to solidify.