Chapter 173

William Johnson stood frozen, watching Emily Smith's retreating figure disappear around the corner. He lifted a hand to touch his stinging left cheek, fingertips brushing the heated skin.

That slap had been vicious.

His tongue pressed against the inside of his mouth. Just as he turned to leave, his gaze caught on scattered papers and a bank card on the ground. He bent to pick them up. The moment he unfolded the A4 sheet, his brows furrowed sharply.

The page was crammed with Emily's personal details:

Her father, imprisoned for fifteen years for financial crimes.

Her mother, who vanished after remarrying.

Her younger sister, now in a vegetative state due to autism.

The most glaring line was the last one—the words "kept woman" stabbed into his vision like a blade.

William clenched the paper, knuckles whitening. Who had given her this? Whose bank card was this? Who else had she met here?

Questions exploded in his mind. His expression darkened dangerously.

Daniel Chen rushed out of the restaurant just in time to see Emily's taxi speeding away. He stood there, chest heaving.

Inside the car, Emily's fingers trembled around her phone. She shouldn’t have run. She wasn’t the one in the wrong.

But then again, Daniel had always been so kind to her. A public scene would only humiliate him. A relationship without his parents’ blessing wouldn’t last.

If the Chen family despised her this much, maybe it was better to let go. The thought twisted her heart like an invisible fist.

What terrified her more was Alexander Johnson’s chilling glare. Would that madman come after her again?

Outside the restaurant, Daniel stared at the bustling street, his chest tight. Emily had left without a word—abandoning him and his parents.

He laughed bitterly. So, in her heart, she still couldn’t forget that cold-hearted William.

When he returned to the private room, his mother rushed to him. "Daniel, what happened?"

"She had an emergency." His voice was hoarse as he picked up Emily’s forgotten bag. "I’ll return this to her."

Mrs. Chen grabbed his arm. "Daniel, I think you should focus on your career right now—"

"I know." He cut her off and walked away without looking back.

Watching her son’s retreating figure, Mrs. Chen slammed her chopsticks down in frustration.