Chapter 62

William's movements abruptly halted.

He stared at Emily's tear-streaked face, his Adam's apple bobbing.

After a long pause, he bent down and scooped her up in his arms. His lips brushed against her damp eyelashes as his tongue caught the salty tears.

"I was recording a proper romance novel." Emily kept her eyes closed, voice trembling. "You can check if you don't believe me."

William's kiss landed on her swollen lips, where the metallic taste of blood lingered. "Why didn't you use the card I gave you?"

Emily opened her eyes, her glistening gaze meeting his directly. "I haven't earned the fifty thousand yet. I'm afraid I can't pay it back."

William stopped moving, narrowing his eyes. "Should I raise your allowance?"

"No." She shook her head. "The current amount is more than enough."

The more she received, the more it would hurt when she lost it all.

William suddenly chuckled low. "So little confidence in yourself?"

Emily remained silent.

He flicked her forehead with his finger. "The card is meant to be spent." His eyes darkened. "But don't let me catch you spending it on another man."

Emily bit her lip.

Even without love, a man's possessiveness never diminished.

"Will you do it yourself, or shall I?" Dark flames flickered in his eyes.

Emily gently pushed him down and straddled him, taking the initiative.

...

The next morning.

William sat at his desk, the computer screen casting light on his sharp profile.

He suddenly recalled the recording he'd heard last night.

The male lead's name was... Cold Tingyu?

His slender fingers danced across the keyboard. Three characters appeared in the search bar.

Over ten million results instantly popped up.

He clicked into an audiobook platform and found the title. The male narrator went by Mountain Stream, while the female narrator was clearly listed as Thousand One.

Play count: 260 million.

William raised an eyebrow and clicked on the first chapter.

A deep male voice spoke first, rich as a cello.

Then came the female voice—even processed, he recognized Emily immediately.

Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes to listen.

The story was captivating, their performances utterly immersive. When the chapter ended, he found himself wanting more.

The rankings page refreshed, showing the book at the top of the weekly chart.

Another fantasy novel narrated by Emily approached 500 million plays.

William's eyes gleamed as he pressed the intercom.

"Investigate this male narrator." He handed printed materials to Grace. "And check their earnings."

Grace took the documents, visibly startled when she saw "romance novel" written on them.

"Any problems?" William glanced up.

"N-no, sir." She hurried out.

As the office door closed, William reopened the audio file.

The female narrator's melodious voice filled the room.

His gaze fixed on the screen displaying the ID "Thousand One," his eyes darkening.