Chapter 94

Night enveloped the No.1 apartment at Jinzhou Bay.

Emily Smith pushed open the door to complete darkness. Only moonlight filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows cast mottled shadows on the wooden floor.

She leaned against the entryway, fingertips lightly tracing her phone screen. William Johnson's WeChat conversation remained unchanged from six days ago—his last four unread messages still displayed.

"Busy?"

"Not coming home for dinner."

"Get some rest."

"Goodnight."

Those four brief sentences. She'd reread them countless times.

Her thumb hovered over the screen, hesitating. Should she message him? Ask when he's returning? Inquire if he's angry?

Finally, she turned off the screen.

In the dark, she walked straight to her bedroom without turning on any lights.

Morning sunlight bathed New York in golden warmth.

William adjusted his tie in the walk-in closet when his phone lit up with an alert. The security cameras at Jinzhou Bay had detected movement.

He tapped the notification.

In the dim lighting, Emily's figure flashed across the screen before disappearing into the guest bedroom doorway.

Six full days.

She'd been leaving early and returning late each day, living so busily it seemed she didn't need him at all. Not even his help with her problems warranted a simple greeting.

"Hmph."

He exited the surveillance app with a cold laugh. His finger hovered over her contact before ultimately withdrawing.

He wanted to see how long it would take for her to remember him.

The shower stopped running.

Emily stepped out drying her hair when her phone screen illuminated. A missed call from "William Johnson."

Her heartbeat accelerated instantly.

She immediately called back.

"Hello?"

A bright female voice answered.

Emily's fingers froze.

"William's busy right now. Can I help with something?" The woman's voice carried laughter.

"N-no. Nothing." She ended the call abruptly.

Something heavy lodged in her chest.

"William."

Such an intimate address.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her laptop to begin recording. Tonight's workload demanded complete focus.

But sleep came fitfully.

When her morning alarm sounded, only a splitting headache greeted her. The mirror reflected puffy eyes and pallid skin.

Then her phone vibrated.

Bank notification: $387,863.85 deposited.

She counted the digits three times, confirming her second audiobook payment. Combined with previous savings, her balance now exceeded five hundred thousand.

The number made her eyes burn.

Never had she imagined earning six figures monthly from a side job. Never dreamed her account could hold so much.

Sunlight streamed through the window as she blinked away the stinging in her eyes.