Chapter 217

Emily Smith stared at her phone screen, her finger hovering midair.

A message from William Johnson sat quietly in the chatbox—an English document. Before she could open it, the message was recalled.

"Sorry, wrong person."

Just four simple words, yet they made her heart skip a beat.

She set the phone aside and returned to the contract in front of her. But the dense clauses suddenly felt foreign, every letter dancing before her eyes.

In a Swiss sanatorium, William gazed at his phone. The snow-capped Alps outside cast a glow on his sharp profile, deepening the shadows of his eyes.

His slender fingers tapped the screen again, sending another message.

When her phone vibrated, Emily nearly knocked over her coffee. She took a deep breath and opened the lengthy text.

"Could you please..."

The polite phrasing was nothing like the William she remembered. When had the once-arrogant man learned to say "please" and "thank you"?

She lost herself in the screen until her computer's auto-lock chime snapped her back.

Knock knock—

Director Li was reviewing quarterly reports when his office door opened. Seeing Emily at the threshold, he looked surprised.

"Vice President Johnson said you didn’t answer his call," Emily relayed, her voice eerily calm.

Director Li checked his phone, finding no missed calls. Still, he nodded. "I’ll call him back right away."

Night deepened in Switzerland.

William stood in the hospital corridor, phone pressed to his ear. When Director Li mentioned "Emily," the tension in his jaw finally eased.

After hanging up, he sent one last message.

"Thank you."

Three simple words, yet they seemed to drain him completely.

A soft sound came from the room. The nurse called gently, "Mr. Johnson is awake."

He pocketed his phone. By the time he turned around, the warmth in his eyes had vanished, replaced by the cool composure of the Johnson family heir.