Chapter 294

The drive from Phoenix Mountain to the prison was much shorter than from Jinzhou City, taking only an hour.

The black sedan rolled to a stop outside the prison gates. Emily Smith gazed at the towering walls through the window, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her dress.

"Maybe... you should wait outside?" she suddenly suggested.

William Johnson paused mid-motion, his hand hovering over the door handle. He turned to her with a raised brow. "Afraid your father won't approve of me as his son-in-law?"

The word "son-in-law" sent a tremor through Emily's chest. She stared at William's sharp profile, sunlight casting golden flecks across his lashes through the window.

"Are you serious?" she whispered.

A smirk curved his lips as his thumb brushed over her chilled fingertips. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he likes me."

Remembering his promise to help reduce her father's sentence, Emily finally nodded.

The visitation corridor remained damp and cold. Each step Emily took felt leaden, the shadows from the barred windows like invisible shackles.

"This will be the last time you walk this path," William suddenly said, tightening his grip on her hand. His warm palm radiated reassurance.

Mark Smith was already waiting in the visitation room. His dull eyes brightened instantly at the sight of his daughter. "Emily!"

"Dad." She hurried forward but choked up at the sight of his graying temples.

Mark's gaze, however, shifted to the tall figure behind her. When he recognized the face, his pupils constricted sharply. "William... Johnson?"

"Hello, sir." William stepped forward with respectful deference that couldn't mask his innate elegance. "I'm Emily's boyfriend."

The air froze for a beat. Mark's fingers trembled slightly. "You're the VP of..."

"That's right," William acknowledged calmly. "I used to visit the company with my uncle when I was younger. We've met a few times."

Mark's expression shifted through several emotions before settling into a sigh. "How did you two..."

"Fate." William suddenly lifted Emily's hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, his eyes overflowing with tenderness. "Meant to be."

Emily's ears burned, but she didn't pull away.

"Emily has been exceptional at BestTech," William said earnestly. "Our feelings grew over time."

Mark studied his daughter's flushed cheeks, hesitating before finally asking, "Does the Johnson family... know?"

"It doesn't matter," William stated firmly. "No one will separate us."

Silence filled the visitation room. Emily discreetly pinched William's palm and changed the subject to updates about her sister.

Half an hour later, William leaned close to her ear. "Let me speak with your father alone?"

Understanding, Emily rose. Her father's worried gaze made her heart ache. She gave him a small, reassuring shake of her head and a comforting smile.

As the metal door closed behind her, she caught William's low voice: "Sir, about your sentence reduction..."