Chapter 151

"William, does this jewelry suit me?" Amanda Lin held her phone screen up to William Johnson's face, her fingertip lightly tapping the diamond necklace displayed.

The call had just ended. William's Adam's apple moved almost imperceptibly. Amanda noticed the subtle tension in his body, her gaze flickering between his clenched jaw and the fabric of his trousers.

She reached up and pressed the partition button. The car cabin instantly transformed into a private space. In the next moment, she straddled his lap, her delicate fingers winding around the back of his neck.

William leaned back against the leather seat, his dark eyes like ink. The image of Emily Smith beneath him refused to leave his mind—every muscle in his body taut as a drawn bowstring.

Amanda's fingertip traced his Adam's apple before her red lips brushed against his tightly pressed mouth. "William, I'm in your heart, aren't I?"

"What do you think?" His voice was rough as he cupped the back of her head.

The kiss was fierce. Amanda's nails dug into his shoulders. Just as her hand moved to unbuckle his belt, William suddenly froze, the heat in his eyes receding like a tide.

"What's wrong?" she asked breathlessly, but in his pupils, she caught a fleeting moment of distraction.

William straightened, methodically adjusting his shirt cufflinks. "Tired."

Amanda's smile stiffened. She leaned back against his shoulder and picked up her phone again. "Then this necklace—"

"Buy it," he interrupted, his gaze fixed on the neon lights flashing past the window.

......

Outside the rotating restaurant's glass walls, Jinzhou's nightscape glittered as brilliantly as ever. Emily Smith stared at the familiar seat, her fingers trembling slightly around the silverware.

"Happy birthday." Daniel Chen pushed a Tiffany-blue gift box toward her. The roses glowed like velvet in the candlelight.

Emily shook her head. "Daniel, this is too much."

"Emily." He suddenly grasped her hand. "You know how I feel."

Her eyelashes fluttered violently, casting delicate shadows across her cheeks.

"Is it because of William?" His grip tightened. "I don't care."

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sightseeing elevator ascended slowly, its glass refracting countless starlights. Daniel's voice blended with the soft strains of the violin. "Your father's situation, your sister's illness—none of that matters to me."

Emily looked up sharply, meeting the burning sincerity in his eyes.

"Give me a chance." He opened the jewelry box, the diamonds inside bursting with dazzling brilliance under the candlelight. "Be my girlfriend."

Her vision blurred. At that moment, the city lights melted into a flowing river of stars—and Daniel's eyes shone brighter than any jewel.