Chapter 239

"Why did you break up with Daniel Chen?" William Johnson suddenly asked.

Emily Smith's chopsticks paused midair for a second.

She swallowed her food slowly before lifting her gaze to meet his. "That's my private business."

Then she lowered her head and continued eating.

William narrowed his eyes, pressing his tongue against his cheek before suddenly smiling. "Your sister's treatment is also private business, but I won't ignore it."

The words hung in the air like a blunt knife slowly slicing through silence.

Emily's chopsticks froze.

She understood the implication—without him, her sister would never wake up.

"His parents looked down on me," she set down her chopsticks, her tone as calm as if discussing the weather. "Those two documents and the card last time were from his mother. There was five hundred thousand on it."

The amount made William's brow twitch.

He studied her. This twenty-two-year-old girl was unnervingly composed.

"Just because of that?"

"Isn't that enough?" Emily countered.

Even the Chens despised her, let alone the Johnsons. So-called girlfriends were just glorified flings.

William suddenly laughed. In just a few months, she had matured—clear-eyed but not jaded.

"The food's getting cold," she reminded him.

William scooped a spoonful of black chicken soup. The rich, sweet flavor spread across his tongue.

"That five hundred thousand and Mrs. Chen's investigation into you had nothing to do with Amanda Lin," he explained.

Emily nodded. "Then what about David Brown? She was the one who got him released, wasn't she?"

William's chopsticks stilled midair.

"It was her," he admitted before continuing to eat.

Emily's eyes reddened instantly. He knew Amanda was behind it, yet hadn't even uttered a word of reproach.

She lowered her head and shoveled rice into her mouth, not wanting him to see her composure crack.

The sound of the door unlocking shattered the silence.

"Sweetie, I'm home!" Mia Harris' voice rang from the entryway.

When she spotted the man's broad-shouldered silhouette at the dining table, her first thought was Daniel Chen. But that unmistakable frame—

"Holy shit!" Mia's eyes widened.

"Hey, Mia," Emily stood to greet her. "Perfect timing for dinner."

Mia pointed at William, mouthing, What's he doing here?

"He brought specialists to evaluate Lily's condition," Emily handed her slippers.

Mia exhaled in relief before shooting a questioning glance about whether she downstairs knew. Getting a confirming nod, she plastered on a bright smile and strode to the dining table.

"Good evening, Vice President Johnson!" She deliberately emphasized the title. "Welcome to my and Emily's home."

William set down his bowl and chopsticks, tilting his chin at her. "Sit."

His demeanor made it seem like he owned the place.