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Joe and Skylar even looked away at the same time.
“You can deal with this,” Joe said while looking at Paul. Then, he strolled out of the office area’s main doors as he had only passed by the space.
Paul knew about Joe and Skylar’s relationship; they were secretly married and didn’t want others to know about it. That was why he couldn’t formally greet Skylar.
Still, the fact that Joe had let Paul handle things meant Joe didn’t want Skylar to be picked on.
The irony was Skylar hadn’t gotten bullied by the others. In fact, she had even beaten someone up as
though she was bringing the wrongdoers to justice.
Despite that, one could only blame Sadie for mistreating Skylar and being unlucky enough to bump into
Joe.
With that in mind, Paul ordered, “Check the surveillance footage and see if these women have framed our
employee. If that’s the case, call the police at once.”
That rattled the manager at once.
Sadie’s arrogant expression dropped. “What?”
Even Maisy paled in sheer shock. “Mr. Martin may have asked you to deal with our case, but do you
seriously plan to resolve the issue this way?”
Skylar didn’t give away the fact that she knew Paul. She nodded at the latter neutrally as thanks.
Janine said to Paul, “Thank you for believing me.”
That was when Paul’s voice took a stern shift, and he turned to face the manager. “As for you, this
incident has demonstrated your unprofessionalism, as well as your inability to remain unfazed and
unblased.
“Go and collect another month’s salary from the finance department. Then, I want you to resign of your
own will,”
The manager had just texted the office group chat, asking someone to go through the surveillance footage for the elevator. He’d never imagined that he’d get fired immediately after.
This job position was the best he’d gotten in years. It came with a high monthly salary and a great working environment. He couldn’t believe he’d gotten fired for defending the hotel’s guests.
Meanwhile, Sadie and Maisy were freaking out.
Sadie glared daggers at Skylar and Janine, thinking it had been a waste to treat Skylar so well these past
six months.
She felt betrayed by the fact that Skylar had sided with Janine to attack her. It infuriated her to no end.
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Yet, she refused to involve the police in this incident. After all, the surveillance cameras had caught her. red–handed.
Her eyes darted down as she exclaimed, “Gosh! What’s my ring doing here? This incident is a misunderstanding.
“I didn’t lose my ring, so you guys don’t have to check the surveillance footage or call the police anymore. It’s my mistake.”
Maisy tolerated the pain in her cheek from being slapped as she played along. “Oh, so it was in your bag, Mom. It seems this was all a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding, huh?” Skylar knew the duo were putting on an act. Without a trace of emotion, she looked at them.
The two had behaved the same in her past life. They had always brushed off their actions as a misunderstanding after they’d gotten caught.
Not only had they gotten away clean, but they’d also told Skylar not to be offended by them.
At the time, Skylar had let things slide and forgiven them with ease because she’d seen them as family.
Skylar now knew Sadie and Maisy would never admit they were at fault. Because of that, she said stoically, “It’s best if we still settle this incident in the police’s presence.”
Paul had previously investigated Skylar’s relationship with the Williams family. The information he’d received claimed Skylar supported the family and wanted to join them.
However, the scene before him felt like an entirely different situation.
That was when Paul recalled how Joe had ordered him to retract their support for the Williams family a few days ago. It seemed the Williams family and Skylar weren’t on good terms now.
“What on earth are you trying to do, Skye?” Sadie hissed.
Her patience depleted while anger and anxiety coursed through her veins. How come neither her soft nor her harsh approaches seemed to be working with Skylar?
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“I want to confirm if someone’s deliberately framing my mom and make things just for her.” Skylar’s deep, smoldering gaze bore into Sadie’s and Maisy’s, who stood before her.
She’d summoned a great deal of willpower to control her emotions, she’d nearly killed Maisy when she’d pinned down the latter earlier.
However, Skylar felt like her second chance at life would be meaningless if Sadie and Maisy caused
Viola, Gloria, and her family to go to jail.
“How dare you?” Sadie was in total shock upon realizing Skylar was no longer the same person who’d
done everything to please her.
Maisy felt nothing but utter loathing toward Skylar. She refused to get the police involved.
That was when a light bulb went off in her head, and she looked at Janine with a teary expression. “We’ve
already admitted that we were mistaken. Please, can’t we end this matter here, Ms. Yancey?
wany
“It would do nobody any good to make this a big deal, right? Please convince my sister not to escalate
things”
Janine’s heart withered when Maisey addressed her as though she were a stranger. Even so, she knew it
would do no good to Skylar if they made a big deal out of things.
Skylar’s relationship with the Williams family would only become strained since she had challenged Sadie.
Janine knew that, so she tried to convince Skylar with a gentle voice. “Skye, how about we drop this matter? I accept their apology and believe they won’t do this again.”
Paul looked down at his phone; he’d just received the elevator surveillance footage.
From the footage, it was clear that Sadie had instigated the physical violence. Alas, she’d happened to be
in a blind spot, so it was unclear whether Sadie had taken off her ring to frame Janine
Paul forwarded the video to Skylar, who checked it.
“Since Janine has already accepted our apology, let’s end this matter here. Skye, I know you’re still upset
that we didn’t buy you a car and even terminated your card.
“But know that we’re only doing it for your good. Come home tonight. I won’t take what happened today
to heart,” said Sadie.
Sadie felt oddly uncomfortable when she saw Skylar treating her coldly while defending Janine this entire
time.
She was Skylar’s biological mother, but why did Skylar only care about Janine? How could a woman who worked as a housekeeper mean more to Skylar than her?
Skylar had never heard Sadie utter such soft, friendly words to her before. Now that she’d heard them, she only found them words ridiculous and ironic.
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“I won’t spare you guys if you dare pick on my mom again. I don’t care if it means risking my life.” Skylar hugged Janine’s arm while snarling at them. Then, she left the office with Janine.
Those words rattled Sadie to her core. From the way Skylar had treated Sadie, she seemed like an entirely different person.
Maisy thought Skylar had gone bonkers to threaten Sadie over a mere housekeeper. The ache on her face caused her to inhale sharply before she took out her phone.
She texted Christopher, saying, “I bumped into Skylar at Jubilance Hotel. She hit me and even offended my mom.”
A minute later, Christopher replied, “I’m nearby. I’ll head over now.”
Christopher was determined to see Skylar. He hadn’t been in contact with her in so many days, which had made him realize she was serious about breaking up with him this time.
It was Janine’s lunch break, so she and Skylar went to the staff’s break room.
They enjoyed their takeaway pizza, and Janine also took the provided staff meal. After all, Jubilance Hotel’s staff meals were lavish and nutritious, with a good balance of protein and vegetables.
“Skye, you and your mom-” Janine couldn’t help feeling uneasy as she recalled the tense atmosphere from earlier.
“I’ll only acknowledge you as my mom. The Williams family has nothing to do with me from now on,” Skylar said in a low, grunting tone.
“Skye, tell me the truth. Did something happen to you while you were with the Williams family? Did they mistreat you?”
It pained Janine to think about that. She had a gut feeling that Skylar had been picked on by the Williams family.
After all, Skylar was affable. She had always been well–behaved and considerate toward others.
She wouldn’t have been this determined to cut ties if the Williams family hadn’t done something to her.
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Skylar didn’t want Janine to worry, so she said, “Nothing happened. Don’t worry, Mom.”
sit
Janine didn’t press on because Skylar didn’t want to discuss it now. She would wait for Skylar to open up when the latter was ready.
Besides, she planned to shower Skylar with double the love since the Williamses hadn’t cherished her.
Skylar went into the elevator after finishing her meal with Janine. She was about to leave the hotel when she bumped into Joe in the elevator.
Joe had one hand in his pocket, and he exuded an overbearing air that deterred others from daring to get close to him. He only glanced at Skylar when she entered the elevator.
Apart from Paul, a few of the hotel’s senior management staff were also in the elevator. They were giving work reports to Joe.
Skylar pretended not to know Joe, as per their agreement. Likewise, Paul could only act like he and Skylar were strangers.
The elevator soon reached the first floor.
Skylar stepped out, then hurried out of the hotel. She had just made it to the hotel’s entrance when she received a text from Joe. It read, “Wait for me. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
As Skylar read that message, she couldn’t help wondering if Joe wanted to talk about her argument with Sadie and Maisy.
Skylar was deep in thought as she read the message.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist with great force and pulled her into a hug as if it were out of habit. The person who’d enveloped Skylar in a hug was one she’d once reljed on.
“I’ve finally found you, babe! I’ve been reflecting on myself these past few days. We’ve been so busy working on each other’s matters since arriving in Jipsburg that I’ve neglected you. It’s my fault. I realize
that now.
“Besides, you know how much I adore you. I’ve only had eyes for you since high school. I’ll only want to marry you in this lifetime.
“Please don’t be mad at me, okay, babe? You don’t have to donate blood if you don’t want to. Nobody here is more important than you, and I’ll do whatever you ask me to from now on. Babe…
Christopher was about to kiss Skylar after saying that
At that moment, not too far away from them, Joe walked out of the hotel and saw the couple hugging. Paul’s eyes widened as he muttered, “Wait is Ms. Sullivan…”
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He wondered if Skylar hadn’t broken up with Christopher.
In truth, he had hired a private investigator to look into Christopher, and they claimed to have found some
dirt. So, the scene in front of him left him baffled.
Paul felt like the situation made it seem like Skylar was cheating on Joe..
Joe’s eyes narrowed to slits. There was even a vicious gleam in his eyes.
He turned to re–enter the hotel and gave Paul, who stood behind him, an order. “Bring the marriage agreement that Skylar and I signed over here.”
“What?” Paul uttered while thinking if that meant Joe would end the agreement in advance.
Skylar’s body tensed a lot. It even tremored slightly, causing her to be unable to react right away.
When she did, Christopher’s lips were already close to her face. She paled and used all her strength to shove him.
That caught Christopher off guard; he’d never imagined that she would be cruel enough to push him away.
Whenever he’d hugged her and apologized in the past, she had always forgiven him, no matter how angry she’d been. It was his foolproof method.
So, his eyes snapped wide open in confusion at Skylar, whose gaze turned frosty. Her once clear and innocent gaze was now filled with hatred. “Babe…”
Skylar had thought that she could calmly face Christopher. Alas, it turned out that she couldn’t control her hatred upon seeing the man who’d betrayed and hurt her the most.
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“I’ve broken up with you long ago, Christopher! Don’t call me ‘babe‘ anymore. Just the sight of you repulses me. Because of you, I even hate the idea of becoming someone’s wife!” Skylar growled.
The flame within her grew at the sight of his face. At the same time, her stomach kept cramping, which caused her face to pale more.
Surprise showed on Christopher’s charming face. “Babe, do you even know what you’re saying?”
He couldn’t comprehend why she had suddenly changed. It seemed that she wasn’t throwing a normal
tantrum.
Skylar pursed her lips but ultimately couldn’t help barking, “Get lost!”
“Skylar, you know I’d never threaten to break up randomly, yet you keep bringing it up. Aren’t you afraid we’ll actually end up going our separate ways?” Christopher practically thundered at her.
“You’d better not show your face from today onward,” Skylar said grimly.
Christopher, who used to be a bright young man, had turned into a vile scumbag. That thought made Skylar feel like she’d wasted her youth on him.
She mused, “I can’t fucking wait to see what Christopher will do when I end up in the hospital and need an exorbitant amount of money for surgery fees again.”
Christopher took a deep breath before pointing at her. “You’d better not regret doing this!”
After that, he whipped around and speedily marched off.
Skylar’s tightening chest gradually eased up once she saw Christopher flee far away.
Joe had watched the entire thing. He stood at the hotel’s lounge on the first floor, gazing past the floor–to- ceiling windows at Skylar and Christopher’s lover’s quarrel.
All warmth left his eyes as he texted Skylar. “You don’t have to wait up anymore.”
That was when Maisy exited the elevator. She was drawn to Joe right away. He was too hard not to
notice.
“You must be Mr. Martin, right? What happened earlier was a misunderstanding. I’ve already forgiven that impetuous young woman.
She hurried over to Joe, not wanting to miss this rare opportunity. Her heels clicked with every step she
made.
Sadie didn’t stop Maisy when she saw the latter approaching Joe.
It was rare for Maisy to like someone, and Joe happened to be someone the Williamses wanted to connect with. So, she hoped Joe could become her son–in–law.
Joe turned around, his unfriendly stare settling on Maisy. Even his brows furrowed into a stem expression.
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Maisy jolted. “M–Mr. Martin?”
Joe remained emotionless as he walked away from her.
All at once, Maisy paled. She couldn’t believe he had ignored her.
Maisy used to be the prettiest girl on campus, so she’d had many admirers. Nobody had ever ignored her
like that.
Sadie rushed over then. “Maisy.
“Mom, does Mr. Martin not like me? He totally ignored me when I was talking to him.” Maisy’s eyes reddened.
She had always been proud and had never made the first move with men. It was her first time taking the initiative to speak with a man, but he’d treated her like she was air.
That felt no different than getting slapped.
“Maybe Mr. Martin is busy and couldn’t stay for a chat with you. It seemed like something was bothering him. Who knows? Maybe he’s in a bad mood because something happened. Don’t overthink it.
“Your dad says he’s hoping to negotiate a collaboration project with Martin Group in two days. I’ll ask him to bring you along,” Sadie said, trying to console Maisy.
Maisy regained her confidence after listening to Sadie’s comforting words.
An hour later, Maisy finally found the chance to call Christopher.
She asked, “Did you meet up with Skylar? Did you punish her on my behalf? My face still hurts after getting beaten up by her! I don’t know what’s wrong with her today!”
hapter 35
Christopher was driving as he said to the phone, “Skylar wants to break up with me.”
“Break up with you? But isn’t she madly in love with you?”
Maisy felt like things were slipping out of her control. Something must have happened to Skylar that she and Christopher didn’t know about.
I
“I still don’t get it either. Could it be that she found out about our affair? If she has, I should take this chance to break it off with her. Let’s make our relationship official, Maisy.”
“Christopher, you and I aren’t in a relationship. We’re just regular friends who happened to go to the same college.
“So what if Skylar thinks we had an our affair? She’s just being paranoid and overthinking things.” Maisy drew a clear line between her and Christopher at once.
Christopher slammed the brakes just then. “B–But we had sex in a hotel room last week. Doesn’t that mean we’re seeing each other?”
Maisy bluntly replied, “It’s only sex. It’s not like we have a future together. Besides, my parents would never let me marry you. I’m different from Skylar, after all.”
She’d merely enjoyed stealing Skylar’s boyfriend. It wasn’t like she would willingly let herself marry
someone with a lower social standing.
Christopher gripped the steering wheel, his chest tightening so much it was difficult to breathe. “You don’t think I’m good enough?”
“You know about Joe Martin, right? He’s the CEO of Martin Group. I’d gladly become your official girlfriend
if you had the same social background as him!
“Since you don’t, please don’t take this thing between us too seriously. You should brainstorm ways to win Skylar back and have her continue donating blood to me.”
Maisy had never cared about what Christopher thought. She wouldn’t have been interested in Christopher if he hadn’t been Skylar’s boyfriend,
Christopher gritted his teeth after ending the call. Maisy’s words had reminded him that he couldn’t afford to lose Skylar. So, he would never let Skylar break up with him.
He called her at once, but she declined the call, just like she had before.
For some reason, he began to panic and sent her a text. “Babe, we’re not breaking up. I don’t agree to it. We’ll talk things through when you’re not angry anymore.”
Following that, he called Amelia.
Ten minutes later, Skylar was driving along the road back to Galaxy Villa. She first received calls and texts
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from Christopher. However, less than ten minutes passed when Amelia called her, too.
There happened to be congestion on the road, so Skylar answered the call.
212
“Skye! I heard you and Christopher are fighting. Did he upset you? I’ve given him a good scolding, and he knows he made a mistake.
“Please let him off the hook for my reputation’s sake, okay?” Amelia advised Skylar like she was the wiser,
older family member.
Skylar found the former’s words ridiculous. “Your reputation doesn’t matter to me. Do you know why I
answered your call?”
“What on earth is going on with you, Skye? You were never this impolite to me before.” Amelia–was getting slightly angry.
“I don’t need to be polite with you. I only answered your call because a child picks up bad behaviors from their parents. Christopher is a carbon copy of you. In fact, he’s an even more skilled villain than you.
*You and your son are like a pack of vermin. It’s no wonder you guys are family!” Skylar shouted before
promptly hanging up.
Skylar had only learned the truth when she’d been amputated and bedridden in her previous life.
It turned out that Amelia had been a mistress all along, and Christopher was a bastard child. That was
why Skylar had never seen Christopher’s father.
Amelia was livid as she stared at her phone screen, which indicated Skylar had ended the call.
“If I hadn’t seen you as someone useful, I wouldn’t have let you date my son! Let’s see who’ll regret it more after you break up with my Christopher!”
Skylar arrived at Galaxy Villa half an hour later.
She was about to open the door and enter when Caleb called her.
He said, “Skylar, I know an expert team in Jipsburg that specializes in restoring antiques. They’re hiring now. Would you like to drop by and check it out?”
Skylar asked, “Are you talking about the team led by Alexander Gardner, the master of antique restoration?
“Yep.”
“I’ll apply for a position if I complete Mr. Zeller’s work these coming days. Thanks for letting me know, Caleb Skylar hung up while opening the door.
The villa’s interior was brightly lit. Joe stood at the stairs, his cold stare directed at Skylar.
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Joe walked over to sit on the couch. He crossed his legs, which were enveloped in his trousers, before looking at Skylar again.
Skylar could tell something was amiss, judging by his behavior. She wondered if it was related to what had happened at Jubilance Hotel earlier.
As she went to sit opposite Joe, she couldn’t help but think that what had happened earlier had nothing to
do with him.
Could it be because he feared others would know about their secret marriage?
That wouldn’t make sense either, because they had already signed an agreement. Not to mention, Skylar hadn’t said a word to him today.
So, why did he seem so upset?
She was still pondering the reason when she noticed the agreement on the coffee table in front of her. Confusion filled her mind when she saw the title “covert marriage agreement” on it.
Wasn’t that the agreement they had signed when they had registered their marriage?
Joe noticed the confusion on Skylar’s face, so he spoke up. “You still remember the terms of this agreement, don’t you?”
Although Skylar didn’t quite understand what he was getting at, she still nodded.
She had briefly scanned the agreement when signing it. There hadn’t been any unreasonable terms. They only had to keep the marriage a secret, and the marriage had an expiration date.
“Please cut to the chase, Mr. Martin,” she said.
Joe held a cigarette between two fingers. Smoke billowed around him, making it difficult for one to read his expression.
He scoffed upon seeing Skylar behaving confidently, like she didn’t know what she had done wrong.
“Spit it out. What did you and your boyfriend discuss? What do you guys plan to get from me?
“For Grandma’s sake, I’ll give you what I can now. Then, we’ll file for a divorce at the courthouse, and you’d better not show up in front of Grandma again.”
Skylar frowned, finally understanding why he was so angry. “I’d already broken up with Christopher long. ago, and I never planned to get anything from you.
“Grandma has always been nice to me. The only reason I married you was to repay her kindness. You can relax because that’s the only reason I’m here.”
“You’ve broken up, huh?” As Joe listened to Skylar’s pathetic lies, he switched on his phone and tossed it
to her.
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His screen showed a picture of a young couple hugging outside the hotel.
The picture made it seem like Christopher loved the woman dearly because he was hugging her so tightly. He acted like a possessive man, staking his claim over her.
However, Skylar only felt sick and wanted to vomit when she saw the photo. The feeling of being hugged by Christopher disgusted her.
With pursed lips, she calmed the disgust churning in her and said in a stiff, cold tone, “Yeah, we broke up.”
“If that’s the case, why are you still hugging like you’re reluctant to let each other go?” Joe’s pointed gaze focused on Skylar. It was crystal clear that he didn’t trust her.
“If you look carefully, Mr. Martin, you’ll notice he was forcing the hug on me. Whoever snapped this photo would’ve seen me push him away if they had waited a few more minutes.
“I remember the terms of our agreement clearly. I won’t get involved with any man within our three years: of marriage.
“However, I’m happy to agree to terminate the agreement if you’re trying to slander me with this photo.”
Skylar voiced the thoughts weighing on her chest in one go.
She felt much better after doing so. Yet, she also felt Joe’s suspicions were valid. She watched as Joe’s expression turned frosty in seconds.
Skylar took out her phone and found the picture she had taken at the car dealership the other day.
“Christopher and Maisy have been secretly seeing each other since long ago. Let’s not bother discussing
how I no longer love Christopher. This picture alone makes it impossible for me to be in any relationship
with him anymore.”
Joe only took one look at the picture before retracting his gaze. Still, that wouldn’t change his decision.
He believed Christopher and Skylar’s complicated relationship would only be messy. It was best to end things now to prevent any troubles from revealing themselves to Gloria.
So, he said, “That doesn’t explain anything.”
Seeing his decisiveness, Skylar decided not to explain herself anymore. She had already stated what was
necessary.
With a nod, she responded, “I won’t object since you’re determined to end the agreement.”
Her speedy compliance changed Joe’s impression of her slightly.
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“Let’s go to the courthouse tomorrow at 9:30 am. What would you like as compensation?” Joe asked.
He’d never been a stingy person. Although Skylar had ulterior motives for approaching him, it was undeniable that she’d brought great pleasure to Gloria. He could tell she was sincere toward Gloria.
“I don’t need any compensation.” Skylar outright refused.
Viola’s letter had stated that Skylar could soar as high as she wanted and earn bountiful riches if she wanted.
She continued, “But I hope you won’t prevent Grandma from reaching out to me if she wants to see me or needs my help. After all, Grandma Gloria and Grandma Viola are elders whom I love and respect.”
Joe knew who Viola was since he’d met her a few times. She was not only a mysterious elder but also Gloria’s friend.
Although Skylar knew Viola, someone trustworthy, it didn’t mean Skylar’s intentions were pure.
“I almost forgot,” Skylar suddenly said. “You promised to cease offering support to the Williams family when we registered our marriage. I hope you’ll keep that promise.”
At that point, she had said everything on her mind and no longer needed to add anything else on.
Joe gazed at Skylar while deeply pondering her words. The way Skylar spoke made it seem like she was innocent, while he looked like he’d deliberately started a fight to end the agreement.
“Sure,” he answered with a frown.
With that, the two arrived at a consensus. They only needed to go to the courthouse the next day to. finalize their divorce.
Skylar stood with her bag and headed upstairs. “I’m going to pack my things. I’ll move out from Galaxy Villa tomorrow. By then, you should tell Grandma-”
“After spending these past few days together, we realized our personalities are incompatible. So, we can’t foresee living together. I’m sure Grandma will understand.”
Skylar cocked a brow, surprised that Joe had already thought of an excuse.
She could tell how cautious and skeptical Joe was toward her. So, without waiting for him to say anything more, she continued ascending the stairs.
“There’s no rush to pack your things. You can do it after we return from the courthouse tomorrow. I’ll get Paul to drop you off,” Joe said.,
Skylar shook her head. “I don’t have many things, so it’s no trouble to pack them now.”
Not a word came from Joe, whose expression turned sullen.
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Ten minutes later, Joe stood at the doorway to Skylar’s room. He looked at the packed suitcases and the room, which had returned to the way it had looked before Skylar had moved in.
Skylar didn’t appear attached to Galaxy Villa.
An inexplicable sensation ate at Joe’s heart as he started to feel like his assumption was wrong.
Before Joe could think of anything more, he faced Skylar, who was looking up at him. He stated, ”
Grandma’s heart wasn’t doing well, so she got hospitalized. We must go to her at once.”
Skylar’s heart raced. “Didn’t Grandma say she felt better these past two days?”
“I just got word at the last minute from the hospital. We’ll only know the specifics of her situation after we get there,” Joe answered with a low voice.
Skylar dropped the sheets, which she’d been tidying. “Let’s hurry over.”
“Yeah.”
There weren’t many cars on the road, so they quickly reached the hospital within half an hour.
Once there, they beelined for Gloria’s ward.
Edgar explained Gloria’s condition to Joe and Skylar when they arrived, saying, “Mrs. Martin Senior briefly regained consciousness earlier.
“She wanted me to relay a message. She wants you to go out for some food first. She has something to tell you two once she wakes from her rest.”
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“What did the doctor say?” Skylar was concerned about Gloria’s condition.
She knew Gloria had always had heart problems. Gloria had undergone several bypass surgeries and had often been admitted to the hospital.
Many respectable doctors had concluded Gloria could only live for another three years at best.
That was why Joe had made Skylar sign a three–year covert marriage agreement.
Edgar’s eyes reddened slightly. “The doctors aren’t optimistic about Mrs. Martin Senior’s condition. They hope her family can fill her remaining days with happiness, and maybe a miracle might happen.”
Skylar’s throat constricted as she stood at the doorway and gazed into the ward.
Gloria had a sick, chalky complexion, which differed from her usually cheerful demeanor. Seeing that drastic change made Skylar’s heart scrunch with pain.
Joe watched Skylar in silence. He could see the genuine worry and care in her eyes. No matter how poor his impression of her was, he couldn’t deny her sincere concern toward Gloria at that instant.
What Edgar had said earlier also reminded him now wasn’t a good time to annul the agreement.
“I’m not hungry. I’ll wait here for Grandma to wake up.” Skylar went to sit on a nearby chair. Joe sat beside her.
Fortunately, Gloria awoke not long after that. The pair immediately entered the ward. Upon seeing them, Gloria weakly grinned and asked, “Did I worry you guys?”
“How are you feeling, Grandma? Do you want us to get the doctor here?” Skylar’s voice rang out like a gentle, pleasant bell chime. It was as if she were talking to a child.
“Those doctors can’t do much for me. I’ve already woken up anyway, so what’s the point of calling them over? Don’t worry, Skye. I’m a tough cookie and can withstand a couple more years.
“Oh, right! Did Joe take good care of you when you had a fever yesterday?”
While Gloria voiced that question, her eyes had already darted toward Joe. It seemed like she wouldn’t let him off easy if she found out he hadn’t looked after Skylar well enough.
A smog of worry hid deep in Joe’s eyes. His head snapped toward Skylar when he saw Gloria’s stern gaze. He didn’t know if Skylar would take the chance to rat on him.
“He cared for me the entire time and even had the family doctor check on me. I recovered today, so I’m completely fine now. Don’t worry, Grandma. Right now, you’re our main focus,” Skylar assured warmly.
Gloria’s once–stern gaze at Joe softened. In a few seconds, she returned to being a kind and friendly grandmother once more. “Joé did well. Those are all things he should be doing.”
She looked toward Edgar just then. “Edgar, give me what I asked you to hold onto.”
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Edgar fished out a jewelry box from his bag.
“Give it to Skye.” Gloria motioned to Edgar to pass the box to Skylar, who accepted it.
“I can’t stand that Joe hasn’t had time to buy you a ring. So, I bought this from an auction; I’d planned to give it to you as your wedding ring.” While saying that, Gloria even shot a stern glare at Joe.
She seemed to be cross at him for making her worry over how he hadn’t bought Skylar a ring yet.
Joe frowned.
Skylar was a little surprised but didn’t open the jewelry box. “Grandma, this ring is too expensive. I can’t
take it.”
The ring was worth 100 million dollars.
Skyle dared not accept it, nor did she have the right to.
After all, she and Joe would get divorced tomorrow. She was too afraid to hold onto the ring, even if it was for one day.
If it was damaged in any way, she wouldn’t be able to fork out 100 million dollars as compensation to Joe.
“Skylar, a ring is merely an accessory, regardless of how expensive it is. How can it be more important than you? Please accept it. This ring is my blessing to you. Come on, dear, put it on for me to see.” Tender affection filled Gloria’s eyes as she looked at Skylar.
hapter 39
Skylar found herself in a difficult position, and she brainstormed ways to refuse the ring.
Joe spoke up just then. “Accept Grandma’s blessing. It’s indeed my fault for neglecting to buy you a wedding ring.”
Skylar’s head whipped toward him, a tinge of surprise flickering in her striking eyes. Even her thick, long lashes tremored slightly.
Joe’s vision settled on her eyes. He paused for a while before continuing. “Try it on for size.”
“Okay,” Skylar answered.
She had no reason to think of excuses anymore since both Gloria and Joe were already convincing her to keep the ring.
Ultimately, she felt it was best not to disappoint Gloria now. She would return the ring to Joe in private sometime later.
Upon opening the box, Skylar was surprised by the ring’s splendor.
No wonder people called it “The Darling Goddess Ring“. Any woman would’ve dropped their jaw in sheer awe at that sight and immediately desired to own it. Skylar was no exception.
Once the ring was on her finger, she felt like even her hand had become valuable.
“It’s beautifull
“It’s beautiful! Skye’s hand has always been pretty and dainty, but it looks even better with this ring!” Gloria praised.
Joe’s gaze bore deeply and intensely at the flawless skin on Skylar’s slender fingers. The Darling Goddess Ring’s added luster gave her hand a more radiant charm.
Gloria rolled her eyes at Joe. “Skye’s hands suit sparkly gemstones like this. You should buy a few more for her after this.”
“There’s no need, Grandma. It’s inconvenient for me to wear rings when working, so it would only be a waste to buy me more.” Skylar spoke honestly.
After all, she couldn’t wear any jewelry on her hands when restoring antiques. That included watches, too.
Gloria chuckled. “Those sparkly jewelry pieces are meant to adorn your jewelry box. They’ll put you in a good mood whenever you see them.
“Not only was I obsessed with diamonds when I was younger, but I also adored emeralds and various other gemstones. You should come with me to Pearlhall Residence once I get discharged.
“You have such a lovely complexion that those gemstones will surely look good on you-”
That was when Gloria recalled something. “Oh, right. Do you like researching antiques, Skye? Can you tell whether an antique is authentic or an Imitation?”
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Skylar nodded. “Yeah, I know a thing or two and can identify the authenticity of most antiques. Is there something you wish for me to examine, Grandma?”
“Not me. I have an old friend who probably picked up the hobby of buying antiques because of their old age. However, they often buy fake’s by accident.
“They want to organize their collection room and are looking for a trustworthy person to authenticate
their items,” Gloria explained.
Skylar answered, “Sure, Grandma. Feel free to take me along with you when you get discharged and wish
to visit that friend.”
She and Gloria chatted for a little longer, but the latter soon grew tired and fell asleep mid–chat.
Seeing that Gloria had fallen into a deep slumber, Skylar left the ward with Joe. They felt safe leaving since Edgar and the doctors were around in the hospital to care for Gloria.
They then headed to see Gloria’s attending physician to ask about her condition.
Skylar and Joe said nothing on the way home to Galaxy Villa. Only a stern silence filled the car.
It was only when Skylar was getting out of the car at Galaxy Villa that Joe called out to her. “Hang on.”
Skylar sat back in her seat before shooting a confused look at Joe.
She had to admit that he had an insanely attractive face. On top of that, he was born with an authoritative presence that made him appear superior to everyone else,
She asked, “Is something the matter?”
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Joe’s expression was slightly tense, as though he was about to say something that made him
uncomfortable.
Skylar wasn’t in a rush to get out of the car since they had already arrived at Galaxy Villa. So, she waited
in silence for Joe to speak.
“I wasn’t thorough when looking into today’s matters and misunderstood you, I’m sorry.” Joe’s naturally cold tone felt jarringly unsuited for apologies.
Skylar was upset that Joe had misunderstood her and thought that she was still in a messy relationship with Christopher. However, her anger diminished once she heard his apology.
She replied, “It’s okay. We can still request to begin the divorce procedure tomorrow at the courthouse. We’ll receive our official divorce decree after the mandatory cooling–off period.
“Even if we’re divorced, we can keep our pretense in front of Grandma. I’ll continue to take care of her
regularly.”
Skylar believed she could think of a solution that gave the best of both worlds for the situation.
Joe frowned. “Grandma will know immediately after we file for divorce at the courthouse. So, let’s stick
with the agreement and only divorce after three years.”
Skylar blinked and cocked a brow at Joe.
She asked mockingly, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll end up coveting you and Martin Group? What if you accidentally fall deeply in love with me? What will we do if you only want to be with me and refuse to get
a divorce by then?”
Did Joe seriously think she was an easygoing person without a temper? Although she had accepted his apology, it didn’t mean he could just end the agreement or continue it as he pleased.
Did he think she couldn’t tell he was wary a thief? Was he that afraid of her potentially
of her, like she was
stealing his heart?
Joe’s charming face creased awkwardly. “Me falling for you is impossible. Don’t worry. You’ll get your 10
million dollars–not a cent less–on the day our agreement ends.”
Skylar shrugged. “I’ll let this slide for Grandma’s sake. That said, I will end the agreement right away if you
slander me over a photo without finding out the truth again.”
Joe’s expression darkened. “Sure.”
After ending that discussion, two got out of the car and headed into the villa, one after the other.
Skylar was a little hungry since she hadn’t bothered eating dinner earlier.
So, she went into the kitchen while politely asking Joe, “I’m going to make dinner since I’m hungry. Do you
want me to make some for
you too?”
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Joe froze halfway up the stairs. His dark gaze snapped toward Skylar, whose eyes locked with his in surprise. Joe speedily looked away as he responded, “Sure, I’ll have some dinner. Thanks.”
“Be downstairs in half an hour, then.” Skylar took her eyes off him and secretly sighed in her heart because of Joe’s insanely good looks.
He gave off an air of superiority while being the attractive but unapproachable type. Moreover, he was
decisive when making big decisions in the business industry. So, he had the domineering and stern presence of an influential businessman,
In short, he was the type of man most women liked.
Alas, Skylar found him a tad too egotistical. She mentally complained about him but didn’t let it distract her from digging through the fridge for ingredients.
She eventually found some tomatoes, chicken broth, simple seasoning ingredients, and cheese. There wasn’t any handmade or pre–packed pasta, but she did find some bread.
Skylar decided to make tomato soup with croutons in it. Drinking some warm soup at this hour could soothe their stomachs and wouldn’t cause any gastric issues.
She had watched Janine cook since she had been a child and had often helped Janine from the side.
Now that she was older, she had seen enough and naturally knew how to cook. Her cooking skills were
also almost as good as Janine’s.
Half an hour later, Joe came downstairs and caught a whiff of a tantalizing aroma.
He went to the kitchen, where he saw Skylar scooping two bowls of soup from a pot with some lumps
inside. That confused him.
Joe could’ve sworn he’d seen the food she’d made several days ago, and it had looked delicious. He wondered if Skylar had overcooked the noodles, causing them to break and become lumpy in the soup
now.
“There’s another bowl for you. If it’s not enough, you can get more from the pot,” Skylar kindly y said when she saw him looking at the bowls in a daze.
“Did you overcook the noodles until they were lumpy?” Joe voiced the question in his heart.
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Skylar broke out in laughter. “It’s tomato soup with croutons.”
Judging from Joe’s reaction, he probably hadn’t had such a simple meal before. Then again, that made
sense since people would cook and offer Joe all of the delicacies in the world if he wanted to eat.
“Croutons?” Joe wondered out loud as he set his bowl on the dining table.
He hadn’t tried it yet because the soup was still hot. Plus, he was picky with food and somewhat reluctant to put such mushy food into his mouth.
Meanwhile, Skylar ate spoonfuls after spoonfuls of it. The simple ingredients didn’t stop the soup from tasting good.
Joe eventually picked up his spoon after seeing Skylar eat several mouthfuls in a row. With a reluctant frown, he took the tiniest sip. Then, he ate another spoonful and another.
It wasn’t long before he headed to the kitchen and came out with another bowl of soup.
Skylar had always had a small appetite. So, she felt full after one bowl. She got up to grab her bag and take out the jewelry box with the ring Gloria had given her at the hospital earlier.
While placing it before Joe, she said, “You should hold on to it.”
Although the ring was so gorgeous that she wanted to keep it, she knew it didn’t belong to her. It was meant for the woman Joe would make his actual wife.
Joe looked at the jewelry box Skylar handed him. Suddenly, he pictured the scene when she’d worn the ring earlier.
He thought that Skylar’s hand was a rare and beautiful sight because it resembled a sculpture.
She had slender, yet barely wrinkled, fingers. Skylar kept her nails trimmed in a simple shape without a manicure, but it made her nails seem pretty and clean.
Joe felt that Skylar seemed to be the only person worthy of wearing that ring.
“Grandma gave it to you as a gift. It’s yours,” he stated,
“It’s too much. Grandma only gave it to me because she thinks we’re actually married. The person she wants to give this ring to is her real granddaughter–in–law, not me.”
Skylar felt her willpower had increased since she could now refuse a 100–million–dollar ring.
Joe looked up at Skylar. “Grandma intended it for you. She wouldn’t have given it to anyone else, so keep
it.”
“Alright, I’ll keep it for now.” Skylar kept the ring since Joe had said so. She figured she could return it someday when he regretted his decision.
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Early the next day, Skylar rushed to the hospital.
She left at 6:00 am when Joe was unlikely to be awake. So, she texted him that she’d be heading out.
There were few people at the hospital when she arrived at 7:00 am. Then again, it was a private hospital, so it wasn’t usually crowded with patients anyway.
Gloria was eating breakfast when Skylar made it to the hospital. Her complexion had improved significantly compared to the night before.
Skylar chatted with Gloria for around an hour before leaving the hospital and heading toward the antique street. While she was on the way there, Joe replied to her text with one word: “Noted.”
She didn’t pay it much mind.
When she was about to arrive at the antique street, she received a call from Charles.
He asked, “Skye, have you seen what Christopher posted on his social media account?”
“I’m currently driving and can’t look at my phone. What is it, Charles?”
Charles was so upset that he clenched his jaw. “I’m livid! I thought Steven said you broke Christopher. Does Christopher have a death wish?
up with
“I would’ve marched up to teach him a lesson if I didn’t need to fill in for the male lead for a few scenes today!”
“Don’t waste your energy on a jerk,” Skylar commented. “Let me pull over somewhere and see what he posted.”
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Skylar parked along the road. Then, she hastily opened Instagram on her phone and checked her main feed.
The latest post was Caleb’s. It was a selfie of him pretending to look cool while taking the bus to work.
After that, she saw Christopher’s post. He had uploaded three pictures with her.
There was one picture each from his high school and college days. The last one was a picture they had taken long before the period Skylar had been reborn.
Anyone would think the two were an affectionate couple after seeing those pictures.
As Skylar looked at them now, she only found them jarring. She even wondered why she couldn’t have gone back to when she was in high school instead.
If that had happened, she could’ve avoided having any relationship with Christopher altogether.
She looked at the caption under the pictures and was shocked. Christopher had written a long paragraph about their deep feelings for each other.
He had even said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her!
Moreover, he’d asked his friends on social media to serve as witnesses for his proclamation. He wrote, God may punish me however severely if I ever cheat on Skylar.”
Finally, he announced his plan to propose to Skylar and hoped they could start a happy family.
Christopher and Skylar had many mutual acquaintances and friends from high school. Because of that, many likes and congratulations overflowed his post.
Skylar was still on the phone with Charles at that point.
Charles estimated that Skylar had already finished reading Christopher’s scummy post.
“You’re done looking at it, right, Skye? Don’t you think he’s mentally deranged? Steven agrees with me that he’s always been odd. It’s like he was always peacocking. He’s truly a scumbag!”
“I’ll resolve this matter and make a post clarifying that he and I have broken up. By the at work going well these days, Charles?” Skylar spoke calmly.
way, is everything
She had already seen Christopher’s rotten side. So, risking her relationship with her social media friends. wasn’t a big deal.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve gotten to act out scenes with lines these past two days. I even get to stand in for the male lead today! So, rest easy. I’ll work hard, and maybe someday I can bring home the best male lead award!” Charles guffawed while speaking.
Reality could be cruel, but Charles believed one should still dare to dream. After all, there was no telling if one’s dreams could come true someday.
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Skylar knew Charles had always been optimistic, so she praised him generously. “You’ve always had great acting skills! You’re better than any of the male actors I’ve seen!”
Charles burst out laughing after being showered with Skylar’s compliments.
After the siblings ended their call, Skylar posted on her social media.
That sa
said, she feared Gloria would worry after reading what she had posted. So, she made it so that Gloria and Edgar were the only ones who couldn’t see her post.
Skylar’s post contained a picture of Christopher and Maisy hugging intimately.
The caption read, “Wishing nothing but eternal happiness for this bitch and dickhead. I’d also like to make
a formal announcement that that scummy Christopher and I broke up on the 30th of last month.”
Once she posted it, her phone kept chiming due to the influx of Instagram notifications..
Skylar didn’t pay them any mind since she was rushing to the antique street.
Soon, Skylar arrived at Daniel’s store. That was when she noticed Daniel and Caleb staring at her with concerned expressions.
“U–Um, Skye, how about you take the day off? Restoring antiques takes a long time anyway. It won’t matter if you rest for one or two days,” Daniel cautiously suggested.
Caleb was usually carefree and didn’t take things too seriously. Yet, even he seemed more cautious at that moment.
“Hey, how about I give you a ride on my motorcycle? It’s pretty thrilling, and you’ll definitely forget about that son of a bitch!”
Skylar chuckled. “I’m fine.”
“Really?” the men asked simultaneously.
“I wouldn’t have posted to my social media if I was unhappy.”
That’s great!” the two
replied.
Skylar looked at the men, feeling a warm sensation in her chest. “I’ll go and wash my hands before starting the restoration work.”
While she did so, Daniel and Caleb exchanged words in hushed voices.
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“I have dating experience, and I know that the calmer someone looks, the more miserable they feel deep down,” said Caleb.
“I used to think youngsters make no sense whenever I heard you talk back then. But now it feels like
you’re making a little sense. You’d better watch out these next few days and not bother Skye. You hear
me?” Daniel stated.
Caleb rolled his eyes at Daniel. “It’s trendy for women to date younger guys now. I happen to be the type of pretty boy that ladies older than me tend to like. Who knows? Maybe Skylar might fall for it right away.”
“Get out of here!”
Paul brought a phone and a packed document into Martin Group’s CEO’s office. “Mr. Martin. Have you checked your phone and seen Ms. Sullivan’s social media post?”
Joe looked up, his frosty gaze settling on Paul. “It’s working hours now.”
“Yes, I know, Mr. Martin. However, I’ve finally found out what the relationship between Ms. Sullivan and
Christopher is. Also, you really should check out Ms. Sullivan’s post, Paul urged.
He felt Joe’s fierce gaze was lethal enough to stab someone to death. Even he felt a slight jolt of fear
upon seeing it.
Joe picked up his phone, which he had set aside. He opened Instagram and began scrolling through his feed. His brows knitted into a deep V once he saw Skylar’s post.
All the warmth vanished from his face, leaving behind a grim expression.
“It seems Ms. Sullivan has really broken up with Christopher. The private Investigator discovered that she
had gone to the police station, and she had also hired a lawyer.
“Apparently, Christopher swindled some money from her. The police even went to Christopher’s
workplace.
“I doubt Ms. Sullivan’s latching onto her complicated relationship with him. It’s more like this Christopher guy’s a two–timing, greedy scumbag,” Paul analyzed the situation.
He clicked on a screenshot from his chat with the private investigator. Then, he showed it to Joe. “Ms.
Sullivan’s incredible. She immediately posted a statement on her social media to clarify the situation.”
A frown marred Joe’s face again as he looked at the phrase “30th of the last month” on the phone screen. That was the day he and Skylar had registered their marriage.
Paul was confounded when Joe didn’t respond. He asked, “Mr. Martin?”
“Reorganize my schedule for today. I’m going to the hospital at 3:00 pm.” Joe tossed his phone aside again. It was as though he couldn’t care less about whether Skylar had broken up with Christopher.
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Paul couldn’t comprehend what Joe was thinking, so he scurried off to sort out Joe’s schedule.
212
While Skylar was paying close attention to restoring an antique, the Williams family had descended into
chaos.
“What is the meaning of this, Maisy?” Sadie clutched her phone so hard that her fingers trembled. She couldn’t believe Maisy had been seeing Skylar’s boyfriend in secret.
Kenny and his younger brothers, Samuel Williams and Peter Williams, happened to return to Williams Residence that day. They were the three Williams family sons, with Kenny being the oldest and Samuel being the youngest.
The three had checked their social media on the way home.
They had never cared much for their biological sister, Skylar. After all, they had grown up in a different household from her, so they weren’t close with her.
In their hearts, Skylar would never matter as much to them as Maisy did.
However, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t be upset at Maisy after seeing what she had done.
It was fortunate that Jeffrey had gone to Williams Group at this time. Otherwise, the atmosphere at home would have been worse.
Maisy’s fingers wound tightly around her phone. She desperately wanted to rip Skylar’s hair out for calling her a bitch.
Although she felt utterly enraged, she had no choice but to put on a pitiful act.
With teary eyes, she said, “That’s photoshopped. Skylar did it on
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“Photoshopped?” the group uttered simultaneously.
“Yeah! Why would I steal Skylar’s boyfriend? I don’t get it. Why would she do this to me? Tears trickled from Maisy’s eyes as she put on a distressed act.
The three Williams brothers adored Maisy to bits. So, they immediately found Skylar despicable when Maisy told them that.
“I’m going to Skylar, I’ll make her post an official social media statement to clear the air right now,” Peter
snarled.
Kenny’s features contorted into a repulsed expression. “She’s grown bolder these days and is behaving more out of line!”
“We should force her to come home so she can properly apologize to Maisy!” Samuel chimed in with a
scowl.
Sadie listened to her sons‘ words before examining the photo on her phone again. It looked too real to be photoshopped. Yet, she believed Maisy would never lie, so Skylar had to be the one lying here.
Even after taking a deep breath, she still felt furious. “That brat is full of problems!”
Maisy kept crying and didn’t say anything more. She knew her family well. The less she spoke, the more pitiful she’d appear in their eyes, and they’d believe Skylar was at fault.
At the same time, Maisy wondered if Christopher had lost his mind.
Why would he post about proposing on social media this early in the day? Not only that, but it seemed odd that Skylar had been determined to clarify that they were no longer dating.
Maisy wondered when exactly Skylar had found out about her and Christopher’s affair. She could’ve sworn they had hidden it well.
Peter called Skylar several times, but the latter didn’t answer. “She’s got some nerve to ignore my calls!”
“She’s not answering mine either!” Kenny seethed.
“Let me try.” Samuel took his phone and tried calling Skylar. Alas, the latter st
The Williams brothers’s faces darkened.
didn’t answer.
Skylar had been trying to win over their affection since her reunion with the Williams family. Yet, she was
ignoring their calls now.
Sadie didn’t bother trying since the trio’s attempts led to the same result. She didn’t know why Skylar was throwing this tantrumn and ignoring them now.
The entire family fell silent.
Eventually, Samuel spoke up with a frown. “We must find her today. If she doesn’t clear up the lies, people.
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will surely expose this scandal to the media if they recognize Maisy from the photo!”
He worked in the entertainment industry. So, he knew how quickly news could spread through online platforms and the media.
There was n
no telling whether someone had already taken screenshots of the posts and turned them into
videos on other platforms..
The Williams family was considered a reputable family in Jipsburg City. They couldn’t risk being involved
in scandals.
Maisy hadn’t thought that far. Her eyes widened at Samuel. “That photo is fake, Samuel! I don’t want to get exposed by the media!”
“Let’s see what happens for now, then try to contact Skylar again. We must be ready for the worst scenario. I’ll also contact my friends in the media industry first for some PR control. Don’t worry, Maisy.” Samuel said. Then, he turned to call his friends.
Maisy nodded obediently, but as she lowered her head, there was a malicious gleam in her eyes. After all, she knew the photo wasn’t photoshopped.
The Williamses had taken her side. Plus, Samuel’s friends owned media companies, and the Williams family had many social connections in Jipsburg City.
Maisy could easily twist the narrative, and there was nothing Skylar could do about it.
Sadie took the chance to call Jeffrey. However, the latter seemed to be exasperated and busy with something else. He only said he’d let his sons handle the matter.
When the call ended, Sadie felt oddly defeated in her heart. It was an indescribable sensation. Still, she told herself it was likely because Skylar had pissed her off too much.
purpose to drag my reputation through. the mud!”
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Christopher only learned about Skylar’s post because Maisy had texted him.
He hadn’t noticed that Skylar had posted at first because he’d assumed she was still upset at him. So, he only realized he was doomed when he saw the photo she’d posted.
She had found out about him and Maisy!
Christopher felt an unprecedented fear looming in his chest. If Skylar had posted it to her social media, it meant that she was determined to cut ties with him for good.
He had always thought that he’d never liked Skylar that much. Yet, at that moment, he realized how much he couldn’t accept her breaking up with him.
After restoring antiques for an entire afternoon, Skylar washed her hands and left the workspace to grab lunch. She only reached for her phone after finishing her meal.
First, she returned Janine’s, Steven’s, and Charles‘ phone calls and told them not to worry.
That was when she noticed her best friend, Natalie Jakeman, had sent her several messages.
Natalie had been Skylar’s coursemate from college, so they were close friends. However, Natalie had gotten married after graduating. She had been a devoted housewife to her husband for the past six
months.
Skylar returned Natalie’s call.
The phone briefly rang before Natalie answered. “What on earth is going on, Skye?” she asked.
Skylar didn’t give too many details. She merely relayed how Christopher had cheated on her with Maisy.
Natalie knew who Maisy was. In Skylar’s previous life, Natalie hadn’t in Jipsburg City when Skylar had gotten into trouble.
When Natalie had returned and tried to visit Skylar, she’d learned that the Williams family had turned
Skylar away.
“Way to go, Skye! Great job breaking up with him! He never gave me a good impression. Say, I’ll introduce you to some guys one of these days. I bet they’ll definitely be miles better than him!” Natalie assured her.
She knew Skylar best, so she could tell Skylar was in a good state after hearing the latter’s voice on the call.
It impressed her that Skylar could let go of the relationship when it was necessary. It was just as she had expected of her best friend.
Skylar ended the call after exchanging a few more words with Natalle. Then, she checked on the other unariswered calls.
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Samuel had called her several times. Christopher and Amelia had also tried calling her. Even Skylar’s high. school friends had reached out on social media to ask what was going on.
Skylar didn’t answer any of them, nor did she think it was necessary to respond.
She didn’t think those people genuinely cared about her, save for her family and Natalie. Many only texted her because they were eager to watch the drama unfold.
After being silent for a few seconds, Skylar returned Samuel’s calls.
The latter was quick to answer. “Skye, delete your post at once. I want you to post a new update, saying you were having a bad day and only posted that photoshopped picture because you were emotional. I also expect you to apologize to Maisy in your update.”
Samuel sounded stern. It was as if he was ordering Skylar to do it.
“Who told you the picture was photoshopped?” Skylar sneered.
She had spent her past life trying hard to please the three Williams brothers, just like she’d tried to win over Sadie. Alas, her sincere efforts had been a waste in the end.
She wondered if the Williamses were all lunatics for bossing her around a lot.
“It’s not photoshopped? Does that mean it’s real? Why would Maisy get with your boyfriend? It’s fine if you’re jealous, but you shouldn’t cross the line!
“Your boyfriend’s poor and only has good looks to make up for it! Maisy would never be interested in him!” Samuel glanced at Maisy, whose eyes were on him.
He hinted for her not to panic. He refused to believe Skylar, no matter how she tried to explain things.
Kenny reached out, asking Samuel to pass him the phone, which he did…
“You were being too brash and acted without any consideration today! How dare you slander Maisy with a randomly photoshopped picture?
“Do you seriously think we’d believe you when you and Christopher previously lived together but later got into a big fight over money? If you don’t want to make things bigger and uglier, I suggest you do as Samuel says now!” he barked.
“You
and your family are lunatics. I don’t care if you guys believe me, but is Maisy not feeling guilty about her actions?
“Well, I was just thinking about how I hadn’t made a big enough deal. Go ahead and call the police, then. It’ll save me the time of having to do it.” Skylar seethed.
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Skylar had just said that when she heard Kenny inhaling deeply out of anger.
Kenny thundered, “Say that again!”
Skylar cocked one of her well–filled brows and flashed a half–smile. “You’re not that old, yet it seems
you’ve got a lot of health issues. I suggest you do a check–up at the hospital since your ears and brain aren’t functioning like normal.”
She cut the call short, ending it after that. No good words would come from a scoundrel, so Kenny would.
surely have nothing good to say at that point.
Although the phone call left her feeling significantly satisfied, she still felt a dull ache in her chest. After all, they were people she had once eagerly wanted to get along with.
She soon snapped out of it. She clicked her tongue upon thinking about how blind to the truth she used to
be
Kenny gritted his teeth upon seeing that Skylar had hung up on him. His charming face was contorted into
a hideous frown.
“What did she say? Was she still being stubborn? Does she not think about the consequences when doing things? How can I have such a vile young sister?” Samuel’s features had darkened like a storm.
“So, she’s not going to delete her post or apologize to me, huh? Maisy bit down on her red lower lip. She
wondered who had given Skylar the boost of courage to cause her such trouble.
“What on earth did she say?” Sadie asked Kenny.
*She firmly held her ground and refused to delete her post. She even insulted me,” Kenny snarled through gritted teeth.
“Skylar won’t listen to what’s good for her and is ignoring our instructions. Since that’s the case, we have
to do PR damage control if this matter trends in the media.
“That way, she’ll be the humiliated one in the end! We can’t let Malsy become the target of online hate!” Samuel decided without giving it any thought.
Maisy pouted
pouted and murmured, “Thanks, Samuel.”
Peter, who’d barely said a word, frowned. “Skylar doesn’t seem like she’d be that stupid. Let’s check her social media first. Maybe she’s only being arrogant for now but will delete it later.”
They checked Skylar’s Instagram account several times in the next 30 minutes, but nothing had changed. Skylar hadn’t deleted the post.
By then, the terms “the other woman” and “cheater” were trending online.
The topic had even blown up on TikTok. Almost everyone who used the app in Jipsburg City could see
Chapter 46
screenshots of Skylar’s post.
Maisy’s phone kept ringing from a barrage of incoming calls and texts.
People kept asking why she had become the other woman in someone else’s relationship. They had looked into Christopher and knew he was only a clerk for a small company. Everyone couldn’t understand why she’d be interested in a mere clerk.
“What? Why is everyone believing in this lie?” Maisy whined to the Williamses.
Several alerts rang out from Sadie’s phone, too. Everyone who reached out to her also asked about the
affair.
With a deep breath, she turned to her three sons and said, “Resolve this matter at once! Make everyone know Skylar photoshopped that picture!”
“Got it,” they replied.
Maisy clutched her phone as she hung her head low, a murderous rage flickering in her eyes.
She cursed in her heart, “You’re asking for it, Skylar! I’m going to make you the most hated person in Jipsburg! Everyone’s going to avoid you like the plague!”
Then, she clicked on Christopher’s WhatsApp contact and texted him.
Caleb only dared to approach Skylar with his phone in the afternoon when she finished her work. “Skylar, look! People screenshotted your post. They reposted it on TikTok and even on Facebook!”
Skylar glanced at his phone. She had been mentally prepared for the incident to become widespread.
After all, many of her followers were classmates from Jipsburg City. Most of them would likely recognize
Maisy.
Still, she was surprised that the news had spread this quickly.
“That cheater and his other woman deserve to be insulted! They did this to themselves!” Caleb expressed his support for Skylar.
He figured Christopher wouldn’t have the nerve to latch onto Skylar since his dirty deeds had been exposed now.
hapter 47
“Serves them right indeed. Why are you still here?” Skylar asked.
Logically speaking. Caleb should have gotten off work an hour ago. He scratched his head. “I was just afraid that you’d be feeling down over a jerk.”
“He’s not worth it. Just go. I still have to make a hospital visit.” Skylar picked up her bag and started walking outside.
Caleb followed her immediately. “Are you sure you’re okay, Skylar?”
“Of course.”
In the car, Joe was going through his to–do list in his notebook.
He had been supposed to work overtime. But, with Gloria being in the hospital, he could only finish off his remaining work on the way.
While Paul was working, he suddenly received a notification of a video on Instagram. He tapped on it. The first thing he saw was Skylar’s post from this morning.
That wasn’t the main point. The more important thing was Maisy’s Facebook post.
It contained a screenshot of a legal letter and a verbal statement by Maisy, claiming that the photograph was photoshopped.
Williams Group had also reshared this post.
He opened Facebook promptly. The tables had turned in such a short period of time. They were all targeting Skylar! They had even exposed her photo.
He looked at the post in shock. He blurted, “Isn’t Ms. Sullivan Jeffrey’s biological daughter? Who in the world are her parents? Or, is this Maisy their biological daughter?”
Joe, who had been focused on his work, looked up and glanced over at Paul.
Immediately, Paul informed him of all that had happened.
In the end, he came to a conclusion. “Ms. Sullivan won’t be able to deal with the Williams family’s professional PR team on her own, let alone their legal team.”
Joe checked the legal letter that the Williams family had sent out. He also looked through the various
screenshots.
The deep, cold gaze in his eyes was enough to send chills down one’s spine. Even though Paul worked closely with Joe, it still made him afraid.
“Gather proof of Christopher and Maisy being together, and hand them all to me.”
“Uh, sure. I’ll work on it now.”
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Skylar received a call from Janine when she was nearing the hospital.
“Where are you now, Skye? Shall I go and keep you company? Or you can come home. Your brothers are back, too. Harvey is staying at the dorm these two days, It’ll make you feel better to be with family at a
time like this.”
Janine’s voice was gentle, especially when she spoke with her most beloved daughter.
“I’m on my way to the hospital to visit Grandma Gloria. It will be late by the time I get home. Go ahead and have dinner without me. Don’t wait for me.
“Also, Mom, I’m guessing that all of you have seen the news on the internet. Don’t worry; it’s nothing.” Skylar had figured out the reason for Janine’s call.
Janine let out a sigh of relief. “Okay. We’ll wait for you to come home.”
Meanwhile, at Yancey Residence, Steven and Charles were looking at their phones. They watched as the trending topic rose on the charts.
Charles took a quick glance at Janine, who was busy in the kitchen. He frowned and said to Steven, “They hired a professional PR team, Steven.”
Steven’s expression was dark. “Stay calm. I’ve asked a few friends. They’re discussing a solution.”
Charles nodded.
This wouldn’t be resolved so easily. The truth was that Christopher was the one who’d cheated. Event though they were aware of that, the people online wouldn’t believe that was the case.
The Williamses‘ PR team and their counterattack had been too prompt. They had probably prepared their PR statement as soon as Skylar had made her post.
“They don’t deserve to be Skye’s parents. What parent would treat their own daughter like that? Skye must be feeling miserable now,” Charles commented angrily.
Right at that moment, Steven received a message. It was from a group that he and a few of his friends had set up together.
To his surprise, the solution they had come up with was for Skylar to apologize and minimize the loss on
her end!
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Charles realized that something was wrong when he saw Steven’s face drop. “What did they say, Steven?”
“They said that their best suggestion is for Skye to apologize. The PR team that the Williams family hired is well–known in Jipsburg City.
They’re even capable of turning a right into a wrong. No matter what the truth is, they will ruin Skye’s reputation.” The look on Steven’s face was exceptionally grim
Charles knew that what Steven said was true. Although his rank in the entertainment industry was the
lowest, he was well aware of how deep the waters could be.
What one sees might not be the truth. It all depended on whether they had enough funds and connections.
He couldn’t believe that their beloved sister was being tormented like that. Now, people were even
slandering her. He felt really miserable.
If only they were the ones being oppressed instead of Skylar.
“Let’s think of something else. It hurts me to think about how unfair this is to Skye.” Charles knitted his brows tightly together..
Steven pressed his lips tensely. He looked at Charles and said, “The fact that my friends said that means that there’s no other way other than to admit that she was wrong, unless we can hire Martin Group’s PR
team.”
Charles looked even more upset at the mention of Martin Group’s public relations team.
How would that be possible? That was a tall order!
On the way to the hospital, Skylar stopped by a florist’s and bought a bouquet of flowers.
When she arrived at the ward with the flowers in her hands, Gloria was having a chat with an elderly man.
When Gloria saw that Skylar had come, she introduced her to the man excitedly. “This is the granddaughter–in–law whom I mentioned earlier. She’s pretty, isn’t she? She has an outstanding personality, too. Joe was too blessed.
“Oh, you brought flowers? Are they heavy? Over these two days, I’ve been feeling like the hospital room is too plain. Having them in my room will lift my spirits.”
“This is George Querbach. He’s the friend I told you about yesterday. I wanted you to go and see his antique collection.”
Skylar went forward. She greeted George politely, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Querbach.”
“You’ve always been a good judge of character. She looks like a pleasant person.” George chuckled.
Skylar felt a sense of familiarity with George–she had seen him on the news in the past. On the news,
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she’d seen him as a stern–looking person, so much so that she hadn’t dared to look at him for too long.
However, the person in front of her was friendly and kind. He didn’t have any air of overbearance around
him. Instead, he was very approachable.
Skylar kept a tender smile on her face as she placed the flowers in a vase.
“After I’m discharged two days later, I’ll take Skye to your place,” Gloria said.
George nodded. He looked at Skylar with a friendly gaze. “Let me know if you see anything you like. I will give it to you.”
“George has a lot of things. You don’t have to feel shy. Just tell me if you see anything of your liking, and I’ll have George give it to you,” Gloria added.
It was obvious that Gloria and George were long–time friends who could have casual chats together.
Skylar looked at them. She smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Querbach.”
“You can skip the formalities with George. He used to love hanging out with Viola.” Gloria loved to reminisce about the past, perhaps due to her age.
The events that had happened when she was young felt like just yesterday to her.
Who would have thought that this life was so short? In the blink of an eye, she had already aged.
George smiled and fixed his eyes on Gloria as she spoke. It was as if there was a teary twinkle in his eyes just for a moment when he heard Viola’s name..
Then, with a neutral expression on his face, he said, “In my entire life, I’ve never really feared anyone but
her.”
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“What’s there to be afraid of? Viola is just soft–hearted. She gave so much of herself for our sake. I just hope that she can truly be happy
“She did say that she was really happy that Skye was there to keep her company throughout those years. in the countryside,” Gloria replied.
Skylar’s eyes welled up with tears when she heard Gloria and George mention Viola. She really missed her.
To her, she was closer to Viola than she had been to her grandmother in the countryside.
Viola had rarely talked about the past. Skylar had never asked about it either. Oftentimes, Viola would space out for an entire day while looking at the mountains in the distance.
Back then, Skylar used to think that Viola was very lonely. She had wanted to keep Viola company so that she knew that she had family.
“Has Viola ever mentioned me, Skye?” George’s question came out of the blue. There was a clear sense of anticipation in his teary eyes.
Skylar shook her head. She answered honestly, “Grandma Viola rarely talked about her past. She said that some people will keep some of their stories hidden in their hearts. All is fine as long as they never forget.”
George was taken aback. Then, he nodded absentmindedly. “That’s right. Everything will be fine as long as they never forget.”
Gloria’s eyes
had also turned a little red. “She’s indeed able to see through things so clearly.”
Following that, Gloria and George never brought up Viola’s name again,
George left after a short chat. When he left, he invited Skylar to go to his place when she had the time so that she could keep him company.
Gloria shot George a look, signaling to him not to steal Skylar away from her. Skylar couldn’t laugh when she saw how both of them were bickering like little children.
‘t help but
When Joe entered the ward, he saw both Skylar and Gloria grinning from ear to ear.
There was a cozy atmosphere in the room.
Joe paused when he caught sight of the smile on Skylar’s face Then, he looked toward Gloria and said, Hi, Grandma.”
Gloria now favored Skylar and looked down upon him.
To her, Skylar was a delicate person. That made her feel closer to Skylar and made her want to protect Skylar with all her heart.
Joe, on the contrary, had become more complicated as he’d gotten older. He rarely smiled and always. had a frigid expression on his face. Gloria harrumphed.
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Joe had clearly felt her dislike for him. However, he was already used to it and showed no change in his
expression.
“Skye has been chatting with me and George for a long while. I’m sure she’s thirsty. Get some water and peel an apple for her,” Gloria said to Joe.
Joe raised a brow. She wanted him to peel an apple for Skylar?
“I’ve had some water, Grandma. I’m not thirsty, and I can’t stomach an apple right now. I’ll peel it myself when I feel like eating it.” Skylar refused promptly.
She didn’t have the guts to have Joe peel an apple for her. They weren’t that close either.
Joe was about to reach out for an apple when he heard Skylar’s words. He lowered his hand again.
Coincidentally, their eyes met. Just as they were about to look away, they had the sudden feeling that Gloria was looking at them fiercely, as if she had sensed something.
So, they ended up staring at one another awkwardly.
They had to keep their relationship hidden in front of other people. But, in front of Gloria, they had to be an actual married couple. They had to make sure that they kept the truth under wraps.
There was something about the way they looked at each other. Gloria’s heart raced.
This strange feeling reminded her of the couples in da
hapter 50
This was a good sign. It was.
Gloria felt pleased. She looked at Skylar and Joe and said, “Edgar sent dinner for me. If you both don’t mind that the food may be bland, would you like to stay for dinner?”
“Sure,” Skylar agreed immediately.
Joe nodded slightly. Normally, he wouldn’t say anything when it wasn’t necessary to do so.
Gloria looked at Joe and harrumphed. “I know that there’s a generation gap between the both of us. It’s okay if you don’t have much to say to me, but don’t be the same when you’re alone with Skye.”
She wouldn’t forgive him if he scared Skylar away!
Joe was speechless.
It was clear to him that Gloria was even more annoyed at him today. He hadn’t done anything wrong from the time he entered the ward until now, had he?
One hour later, Joe and Skylar came out of the hospital. It was 7:00 pm: The sky was starting to turn dark, and the street lights had been lit.
Skylar read the message that Steven sent her. She sent a reply saying that she would be home soon.
Then, she looked at Joe, who was beside her. “Mr. Martin, I won’t be going back to Galaxy Villa for now. I
have to go back to my mom’s place.”
The look in Joe’s eyes was deep. He noticed that Skylar wasn’t showing any sign of anxiety.
When they’d been with Gloria earlier, she hadn’t seemed to be panicking or feeling miserable over being slandered. It was as if nothing had happened.
He pursed his lips slightly.
“Have you seen the trending topic on the internet?” he asked.
Skylar was stunned. She figured that he had found out. So, she nodded and replied, “Yeah, I’ve seen it. I also know what the Williamses plan to do to me. I will think of a solution.”
Joe was about to respond when Skylar’s phone rang.
She glanced at her phone. She bid Joe goodbye before answering the call as she walked toward the
parking lot.
“Hey, Charles. I just left the Hospital. It’s not far from home, so I’ll be back real soon. Yeah, don’t worry…
Joe’s eyes deepened as he watched Skylar walk further away from him.
Paul walked over to him from a short distance away. A man in a suit, who looked like he was in his mid-
Chapter 50
30s, followed behind him.
When Paul reached Joe, he looked around. “Where’s Ms. Sullivan, Mr. Martin?”
The other man, Jacky Lourdes, also greeted Joe. “Hi, Mr. Martin.”
Joe’s face was cold. “She just left.”
“What?” Paul was surprised.
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Things were getting fierce on the internet. The Williamses had never considered whether Skylar would be
forced to stay in hiding.
Their public relations efforts were flawless. Would Skylar be hurt by everything the Williams family was
doing?
“I’ll hurry on to look for Ms. Sullivan then. I’ll keep watch over her so that she doesn’t do anything stupid!” Paul took out his phone and started looking for Skylar’s number.
There were too many trolls on the internet these days. There were many who ended up attempting suicide or getting depressed thanks to them. He wanted to dissuade Skylar from all those things.
“She won’t do anything stupid,” Joe said in a deep voice.
Then, he looked toward Jacky, who was dressed in his neat suit. “How soon will you be able to resolve
this?”
“I can resolve it within an hour as long as I have your permission, Mr. Martin. I have liaised with the PR team. Sarah Nielson has started working on the PR article,” Jacky explained.
Jacky’s tone might have sounded rather arrogant. But this wouldn’t come as a surprise to those who
knew him.
He was the legal advisor hired by Martin Group. He was also the person in charge of the largest law firm in Jipsburg City. He had never lost a single case.
Joe narrowed his eyes. He took a quick glance toward the direction where Skylar had gone. “I will contact
you.”
“Oh? You’re not going to take action now? The Williamses are getting up to too many things. Their family has people who are involved in the entertainment industry. They have lots of tricks up their sleeves.”
Paul was shocked. Joe had wanted to help Skylar the moment he’d found out about this. Otherwise, Joe wouldn’t have asked him to seek Jacky out.
But where was his sense of urgency now?
Joe shot Paul a look.
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Paul was frightened. He quickly responded, “Got it, Mr. Martin!”
Jacky looked at Paul with a half–smile. “I haven’t seen you for a few days and you’ve become more timid? You weren’t injured after that accident, but did it make you a coward?”
“Shut up!” Paul hissed.
Jacky always launched unexpected attacks at others. Of all the people in Jipsburg City, the person Paul hated the most was Jacky, who was currently smiling at him perfunctorily.
Joe was used to seeing them bickering. He took out a cigarette and took his time smoking it.
He’d wanted to help Skylar today because he didn’t want this to affect Gloria. It was a pity that Skylar hadn’t asked him for help.
He decided to wait and see.
The traffic in Jipsburg City was still quite heavy at around 7:00 pm. Skylar could have arrived at the
Yancey Residence in half an hour, but she took 45 minutes instead.
When she entered the house, she spotted three people sitting on the couch in the living room. They were waiting for her.
“Skye!” Janine, Charles, and Steven called out to her in unison as they shot to their feet.
After having dinner earlier, the trio had been sitting on the couch, browsing through their own phones.
There was much discussion going on on the internet about Skylar.
These people were saying all sorts of nasty things about her. The trio were so mad that they wished that
they could track down all these people who were talking rubbish.
What did they know? What right did they have to diss Skylar?
Did the Williamses have any conscience? They had hurt Skylar against their conscience. Where was their
bottom line?
Even if the Williamses didn’t care about Skylar, they did! They empathized with her.
As Skylar looked at them, she felt a warmth in her heart, and her eyes welled up with tears. She knew that
all of them would always be there to face her troubles with her.
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Steven and Charles.”
“I know about everything, Skye. Janine sighed. “Christopher will face the consequences of his actions in the future. How could he treat you like that?” Janine wiped the tears off her face.
Earlier, Janine had even told herself not to cry. In the end, it tugged at her heartstrings when she thought about how Skylar had been betrayed.
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Skylar walked over and gave Janine a hug. “Don’t cry, Mom. I found out about these a long time ago. It’s not worth it to shed tears over a jerk. I have already learned to let things go. These things can’t hurt me.”
Steven and Charles were standing by the side. Hearing such words made them feel uneasy.
They kept having the feeling that Skylar was indeed keeping some things to herself. She was afraid that they would be worried about her.
Previously, when Skylar had gone back to the Williamses, they had assumed that she would be treated the same way she had been in their house. They had thought that she would be cared for by the
Williamses.
If it hadn’t been for these destructive things that the Williams family was doing toward her, they wouldn’t
have known.
Just look at what had come out of it.
They had no idea what Skylar experienced when she was with the Williamses.
stular consoled Janine before the latter left to go to bed.
Then, she began discussing the current situation with Steven and Charles.
“Other than the photos that were posted, I have some videos too. They can all prove that Christopher had an affair with Maisy. I’ll reveal the videos tomorrow morning.”
Then, she showed them the videos that she obtained from the mall’s surveillance footage. The videos were very clear.
When Steven and Charles watched the video, their tense expressions eased up.
“The Williamses… They’re really- Charles had intended to cuss, but he stopped himself quickly enough.
After all, they were Skylar’s biological family. She must be feeling terrible on the inside. Steven looked at Charles. He frowned and asked, “Were you ill–treated by the Williamses, Skye?”
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“It’s all in the past. It doesn’t matter whether they were good to me or not “Skylar didn’t say much; she was afraid that it would make her brothers worry.
If they found out what she had gone through in her past life, they might end up fighting it out with the
Williams family.
Deep down, Steven and Charles came to a conclusion. As they’d quensed, the Williamses hadn’t treated Skylar well!
“The Williamses PR team is stellar. We have to be prepared for the worst, Skye,” Steven said in a deep
voice.
Skylar nodded. “When I made that post, I was already aware that it might cause a huge fuss.”
Other than the videos, she also had a conversation history. She also had a record of the blood donations
she’d made at the hospital over the past six months.
She didn’t care if she fell out with Jeffrey and Sadie. They didn’t care about her, so she didn’t have to care
about them either.
After some thought, Steven handed his phone to Skylar. “Skye, take a look at my conversation with my
friends. I think that they have some valid concerns.”
“Sure.”
Skylar read through the conversation from beginning to end.
A dark and icy expression came across her face.
Many things had happened after she had been reborn. It seemed like she may have been a little rushed.
with this matter….
At Williams Residence, Sadie took a look at the wall clock. It was 11:00 pm.
“Your father summoned Peter to the office a few hours ago. It’s already 11:00 pm now. Why haven’t they come home yet?” she asked Samuel.
Samuel was on leave these few days. He had a lot of time on his hands. Even now, he was still scrolling through the comments on the internet.
Their family’s PR team was pretty efficient. They were in complete control of the situation. He wouldn’t be surprised if Skylar returned first thing tomorrow morning and apologized to them.
“Work has been busy, hasn’t it? I called Peter earlier, but he didn’t pick up. Just go to bed, Mom. Who knows if Dad and Peter have gone for a social meeting? I’m not sure if they will be coming back tonight,” Samuel said nonchalantly.
Sadie stood up. While she headed upstairs, she said to Samuel, “Yeah, there’s been a partnership between
the company and Martin Group these two months. It’s not surprising that they’re busy.
“You c can just stay here tonight. Maisy has been locking herself in her room. I’m sure that she’s feeling afraid and down. You should have a chat with her when you go upstairs later.”
Samuel’s eyes lit up when he heard the mention of Martin Group. “Our family actually has a partnership with Martin Group?”
Sadie nodded proudly. “I suppose Martin Group sees potential in us. There have really been many eye- opening changes ever since Peter joined the company.
“Our family’s future in Jipsburg City will be bright. Your father even plans to have Maisy marry Joe. So, an incident like today’s has to be handled properly.
“We cannot allow others to get a hold of Maisy. As for Skye, we can just spend some money to send her overseas after she apologizes properly.”
“Joe is interested in Maisy?” Samuel asked in surprise.
At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel excited. If they indeed had an alliance with the Martins, did that mean that he would be able to dominate the entertainment industry in the future?
Sadie was reminded of the cold response Joe had given Maisy the other day. She was about to say no,
but then she thought about how someone with a distinguished background like Joe would be naturally supercilious.
So, she nodded and answered, “Maisy is such an outstanding woman. He will come to like her.”
“I’m going upstairs to see Maisy!” Samuel darted upstairs.
Just as Sadie was about to follow him upstairs, she was suddenly reminded of Skylar. Subconsciously, she directed her gaze toward an inconspicuous spot in the living room.
There used to be a painting hung over there.
Why was it gone?
She furrowed her brows. She thought of asking a housekeeper, but changed her mind. It was just a cheap painting that had been purchased online, It didn’t matter if it was gone.
It was already 11:30 pm by the time Skylar got back to Galaxy Villa.
The lights on the first floor were still on.
She tiptoed upstairs and opened the door to her room quietly. After taking a shower, she lay in bed and scrolled through her phone.
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Sadie had even sent her a WhatsApp message earlier, asking her to go back to Williams Residence to give them an apology. Then, they would think of a way to send her overseas.
They had even crushed that little bit of familial affection she had for them.
She was about to turn off the lights to go to bed a few minutes later when she felt thirsty. So, she took her cup and went downstairs.
Just as she got downstairs, to her surprise, she realized that Joe was around.
He was in a set of gray–colored casual wear. He looked relaxed and laid–back. He was giving off a
completely different vibe compared to his usual cold and conceited self.
If the person he had been at the hospital during the day could make women admire him, the alluring
gleam in his eyes at night could very easily make one lose their mind.
Skylar couldn’t help but stare at him for a few seconds
“You’re back?”
He was carrying a cup of beverage in his hand. She caught a whiff of the scent of tea.
Skylar acknowledged Joe’s question quickly. She went to pour a cup of water for herself. Then, she
remembered that he had insomnia.
So, she asked, “Is that tea you’re having?”
“Yes, it’s tea.”
“Do you still have work to do?”
Initially, Skylar had wanted to remind him that drinking tea would affect his sleep.
But, she figured that if he always had trouble sleeping, he should be well aware of what he should or shouldn’t drink before bed. Thus, she decided not to interfere and ‘changed the topic instead.
Joe fixed his deep gaze at Skylar. “I do have some work to do.”
Skylar nodded. “I shall not bother you then. Good night.”
She took her cup and walked upstairs. Right when she was two steps away from reaching the second
floor, Joe called out to her.
*Do you have anything you want to say?” Joe had his tea in one hand and his other hand in his pocket. He looked at Skylar with his glistening yet cold eyes.
If she asked him for help right now, he would help her out for Gloria’s sake.
Skylar was dumbfounded. She smiled and replied, “I don’t think I’ll be able to wake up early to visit Grandma tomorrow. I’ll go to the hospital in the afternoon. Also, just a gentle reminder–drinking tea at night will really affect your sleep.”
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After saying that, she walked up the last two steps and went into her own room.
Joe stayed standing at the same spot. He frowned.
She made it look like nothing had happened at all. She was completely calm.
If he hadn’t seen her weak and crying self when she was sick, he would have really thought that she was a strong woman who didn’t need the help of others.
He looked at the cup in his hand. The tea leaves were still floating in it, and the scent of the tea wafted through the air.
It was true that he had trouble sleeping. Drinking tea was just his way of settling his irritation from not being able to fall asleep.
After putting his cup down, he headed upstairs.
He was about to open the door to his room when Skylar’s door suddenly opened. He caught sight of her pure and alluring face peeking out the door..
Joe gazed at Skylar’s face for a few moments. Was she about to ask him for help?
Earlier, she’d put on an act as if she wasn’t bothered by anything. Perhaps she was just pretending to be strong and leading him on.
“Hold on, Mr. Martin.”
After saying that, Skylar disappeared back into her room.
Joe raised his brow slightly. How was she going to seek his help? His curiosity was now being piqued.
Chapter 54
Less than two minutes later, Skylar came back out from her room. She had a convenience store bag in
her hands
At that moment, Joe couldn’t figure out what she was up to.
“There are a few bags of tea in here. They’re good for insomnia. I mixed them according to an age–old recipe. I didn’t make much, so just go ahead and have these first.”
Skylar handed the bag to Joe.
She had read many books when she had been at Viola’s house. She was capable of making things from
age–old recipes. Previously, she had also put together a foot soak for Gloria. Those were all good for
health.
“Is this also a type of tea?” Joe received the bag into his hands and caught a whiff of a herbal scent from
within.
She’d called him just to give him tea?
“It’s different from other kinds of tea. This tea is to help with sleep. I don’t think you’ll be able to buy these
elsewhere. Anyway, it’s getting late. I’ll be going to bed. Good night, Mr. Martin.”
Then, Skylar retreated to her room. She was indeed quite sleepy.
Of course, she hadn’t been boasting, Viola had said that those old books were practically unique. Neither
could they be purchased elsewhere nor seen by anyone else.
The look in Joe’s eyes became glum. She still hadn’t asked for his help. Could it be that she was too
embarrassed to ask?
Was that why she’d chosen to give him some gifts first?
He carried the bag and entered his own room.
After half an hour, he walked back out again. He headed downstairs with a tea bag and made a new cup
of tea.
Soon enough, a herbal scent wafted through the air. Unlike those herbal soups that would make one frown just by its smell, this tea didn’t have a strong smell.
“Would this be effective?” Joe questioned softly.
He thought about Skylar’s massage techniques. He hoped that this tea would be helpful with his sleep.
troubles just like her massage techniques were.
In fact, he didn’t mind if it had some effectiveness similar to the healthy teas out there.
If it was indeed effective, he would help her this once for the sake of the tea and Gloria.
Bit by bit, he finished the cup of hot tea. Then, he went back into his room upstairs.
The moment he lay down in bed, he actually felt much less irritable over his insomnia. Was it psychological? Or was the tea truly effective?
Skylar woke up at 6:00 am the next morning. She took a look at the comments about her online.
The situation had completely changed overnight. Additionally, after more aggravation by the Williamses‘ PR team, the comments had started to encourage her to give a public apology instead.
She was about to edit the videos to be posted on her Facebook and other accounts when Caleb sent her
a voice message.
“Skylar, Skylar, have you seen Facebook? It looks like the Williams family’s PR took action against you! ! can’t believe that Maisy is part of the Williams family.
“There is a huge fuss over this right now. Don’t be afraid, Skylar. I’ll help you think of something! These cheaters are so shameless. Not only did they adamantly deny that they were messing around, but they also tried to slander you!”
After listening to Caleb’s voice message, Skylar replied, saying that she wasn’t afraid. Then, she started to edit her videos and write the content for her post.
Caleb blurted a few consecutive swear words after he sent his voice message.
Suddenly, a few smacks landed on the back of his head.
Caleb shouted in pain, He looked behind him and saw that it was Alexander who had hit him. “Grandpa!”
“Watch your mouth. Your parents aren’t in Jipsburg right now, so I have to make sure I discipline you!” Alexander chided him as he put on a very strict expression on his face.
Caleb continued crying out in pain. “I’m your only grandson. You’ll only end up heartbroken if your beatings make me dumb! Plus, I wasn’t swearing on purpose. There are people oppressing Skylar, so I was just being pissed on her behalf.”
to restore old “Skylar? Is she the woman you told me about two days ago? The one who knows h antiques?” Alexander was used to Caleb playing bluff, so he hadn’t taken it too seriously.
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“Yes, that’s her. You know, I think that she might be even better than you, Grandpa!” Caleb didn’t think that he was exaggerating at all.
Daniel had told him that he had come across many restorers. Even though they seemed arrogant, their practical skills were average. They couldn’t be compared with Skylar.
Daniel had asked Skylar who her mentor was. All she’d said was that she had learnt it from an elderly woman in the countryside.
Alexander hadn’t believed Caleb. After all, Caleb had been more of a wild child. Most of the people he knew didn’t even take their work seriously. He always just praised people however he wished.
Furthermore, he was claiming that Skylar was better than many restorers in the field, despite her young
age. It sounded far–fetched.
Alexander waved his hand. “Hurry up and leave. You’re getting in my way.”
“Grandpa, I wake up so early every day just to run six miles to catch the bus. My thighs are getting
muscular from all that running. Please have pity on me and return my car keys to me.” Caleb took this opportunity to plead with Alexander.
Alexander didn’t budge. “Leave.”
Caleb was afraid that he’d get beaten again, so he dashed off right away.
Over at Williams Residence, Maisy didn’t have the habit of waking early. However, she’d been thinking
about the situation online. So, she’d set an early alarm for herself.
She was worried that Skylar might really have some evidence in her hands.
However, the Williams family had control over the situation now. They had the most professional PR and
legal teams. It was surely an easy task to go against Skylar.
The only thing was that she had indeed gotten involved with Christopher in secret. Undoubtedly, this was something that made her feel uneasy.
Also, she wasn’t sure why Christopher was hesitating. He still hadn’t done what she’d asked him to do.
She made a call to Christopher.
“Why haven’t you posted anything on Facebook? This matter will come to an end once you deny any involvement with me,” Maisy said.
Christopher hadn’t slept all night. He kept staring at his phone, waiting for Skylar to return his call.
In the end, he hadn’t received any calls back from Skylar. Maisy had been the one to call him instead.
‘The company also knows about this. They asked me not to go in for work for now. Who knows if I might
lose my job because of this?
“I can’t make a Facebook post to deny this so thoughtlessly. I want to see what Skylar plans to do next. I have always been the one she loves the most. I don’t think that she will really push me to a dead end.”
Even until now, Christopher felt that he could still turn things around with Skylar.
As long as he wasn’t caught in bed with Maisy, he was able to make her trust him again.
Malsy
sy was speechless. “This has nothing much to do with you making a Facebook post. Isn’t she obedient to you? Can’t you just coax her after the end of all this is over? Do you want to see her ruin my reputation?”
In truth, Christopher couldn’t bear to see Maisy troubled. “Hm… Alright, then.”
What Maisy had said was right. He could always coax Skylar in the future. After all, she was very easy to
cajole and reason with.
Skylar stared at her post, only to find that it couldn’t be posted online. It was the same for her other accounts. None of them were posted successfully.
She had been reported. Her posting rights had been restricted.
Her face dropped. “They’d really resort to anything just to hinder my plans.
Skylar took a deep breath.
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Steven calling. “Why haven’t you posted the videos?” Steven asked.
Skylar informed Steven about how her account had been reported, and about how she wasn’t able to post anything temporarily.
Steven was silent. He knitted his brows together tightly.
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Chapter 56
Skylar had no way of posting the videos. In a situation like this, she wouldn’t have a way to reveal the
truth to others.
Noticing the silence on Steven’s end, she said, “I’ll get a lawyer.”
“I don’t think the lawyers in Jipsburg will take your case, Skye. The legal team that the Williamses hired is renowned in Jipsburg. Even their PR team is top–notch,” Steven said with a heavy heart, his expression gloomy.
With her phone in hand, Skylar remained silent. If there was anyone by her side who could see how tightly she was clenching it, they’d see how much hate she had bubbling inside of her.
“What if you were to go to your biological parents and show them the videos? They might be able to help you and not make this an even bigger issue,” Steven suggested.
That was also the solution that his friends had come up with.
He was aware that Skylar didn’t want to see Jeffrey and Sadie at all right now. Moreover, the couple didn’t hesitate to oppress her because of Maisy.
How would they treat her if she went to see them?
That would really cause Skylar a lot of grievance. As her older brother, Steven felt suffocated for not being able to help her out.
Skylar’s eyes reddened. She answered him softly. “I’ll think about it. Don’t worry about this for now, Steven. I know that you’ve been having some things to deal with recently. My issue isn’t a major one.
“I’ll deal with it properly. I know that you’re really worried about me, but I’m a grown–up now. I’m no longer that child who cries whenever she finds herself in trouble. I’ll be strong and face these challenges head-
on.”
She should’ve been able to settle these things well. But she didn’t expect that she would still end up making her family members worry.
After he hung up, Steven’s eyes welled up with tears.
Skylar was about to pocket her phone when it rang with a call from Charles.
She gave him a summary of the situation. Charles then said that he would go to her. She refused. She told him that she could handle it and asked him to focus on his work.
Once the call with Charles ended, she looked at the time–it was already half past six.
She changed before going downstairs. She found a tub of yogurt in the refrigerator. She added some oatmeal to it and ate it.
Right at this moment, Sadie called.
Skylar stared at Sadie’s name. On top of that, she thought of what Steven said to her earlier and felt a
Chapte: 56
sharp pain in her heart. Should she give them another chance?
2.2
“You’ve finally answered! Have you realized your mistake? You’re a daughter of the family, after all. We’ll forgive you for this time as long as you apologize. These things on the internet will be forgotten with time.
“Your father and I will send you overseas temporarily. When you’re overseas, you should be good and not cause trouble. Do you hear me?”
When Sadie’s call had finally been answered, she couldn’t quite describe how she felt.
She felt a sense of relief. Even so, she still couldn’t help blurting out her dissatisfaction.
Skylar answered her in a cold voice, “The photo is real. I have videos of them at the mall.”
Sadie was taken aback. Then, she questioned her in disbelief. “What did you say? It’s real? That’s impossible. How could it be? Maisy has always been virtuous, unlike you, who lived together with
Christopher so mindlessly.”
Skylar’s heart turned cold. She scoffed. “Did Maisy say those things to you too? Hang up and check your
WhatsApp messages.”
Maisy could really come up with all sorts of things just to speak ill of her. She was such a classic example of someone who loved to drag others down with her.
A few minutes after the call ended, Sadie called again.
“Have you watched the videos?” Skylar asked.
Sadie responded, “Maisy needs to have a happy marriage in the future. This will ruin her chances. Listen to me, Skye. Let’s put an end to this. I won’t request you to apologize.
“But, you also can’t bring this up with anyone else. Let’s just say that Maisy owes you for this. I’ll talk to your Dad and make sure that you’re compensated. I reckon that they looked just a little closer than usual. They’re not actually involved with one another:”
I “So, you’re saying that even though they kissed, they’re not involved with one another? I really question your values, Mrs. Williams. I was right. I shouldn’t have any expectations toward any of you.”
Chapter 57
Skylar hung up right away.
Her heart had been crushed a long time ago. Because of what Steven said, she thought they were perhaps not as hopeless as she thought.
In the end, she expected too much.
When Joe went downstairs, he heard Skylar’s phone ring. He also overheard the things she said,
She didn’t shed a tear after the call ended. Even so, she looked like an injured puppy tending to her wounds pitifully.
The look in Joe’s eyes deepened. He felt something tugging at his heartstrings.
There was a time in the past when he also had to lick his wounds alone.
The sound of someone coming downstairs startled Skylar. She looked up at Joe. He was taken aback to see that her eyes were still filled with hatred and pain.
Skylar realized that she had lost
her composure. She lowered her eyes immediatel
Joe strode toward her. He could feel that she was in low spirits. “The tea you gave me last night was very effective,” he said.
About an hour after finishing the tea, his anxious heart quietened down. Before he realized it, he had fallen asleep
In a slight panic, Skylar nodded. “Good to hear that it was effective. I can make more for you. I have something else I need to do. I’ll be taking my leave.”
She didn’t want anyone to see the panicked and helpless side of her.
She grabbed her bag and ran to the door. She put on her shoes, pushed the door, and walked right out without taking a single glance at Joe.
Joe frowned. He looked at the tub of yogurt on the table. Skylar hadn’t had time to throw it away. If she was truly fine, she would make herself a nutritious breakfast in the morning.
The pitiful look in her beautiful eyes flashed across his mind. The frigid air around him became even more intense.
He glanced at the message that Paul sent to his phone earlier.
Skylar didn’t strike back at the Williamses on social media. It wasn’t because she had no evidence but because her accounts had been blocked.
The Williams family stood in her way. Following that, Sadie treated her so coldly. Despite finding out the truth, she still chose to slight Skylar.
Joe tapped his fingers on the table. He made a call to Paul.
5
2/2
“What are your orders, Mr. Martin?” Paul asked. He sounded a little rushed.
Ever since he changed his charm, he felt luckler for the past two days. He had mindlessly scratched a lottery ticket the day before and won a thousand dollars. It was the most he had ever won!
It was the first time in his life that he received such a windfall.
Also, if it wasn’t for Skylar’s remark, he might have even lost his life if he had continued wearing that
emerald charm.
is help!
Skylar was now being oppressed. He also knew about the truth. He’d feel bad if he didn’t extend his
His conscience nagged at him all night, causing him to lose sleep. He was enraged to see the people who didn’t know the truth being led on by the comments staged by the Williamses.
Even so, he had to wait for Joe’s command. He dared not help Skylar if Joe hadn’t instructed him to do so!
Chapter 58
“Don’t do it in Martin Group’s name. Come up with a way that can help her fight back. I think that she wants to handle some things herself.” (
Joe tapped on the table a few more times. He had come to a decision.
He didn’t have feelings for Skylar, and their marriage was contractual. Whatever it was, she was still his wife for the three years they were to stay married,
Although she was his wife only by name, he couldn’t allow others to oppress her so openly.
“Got it!” Paul answered promptly.
Before the call ended, Paul couldn’t help but probe. “Have you fallen for Ms. Sullivan, Mr. Martin?”
“You’re overthinking it,” Joe replied coldly.
Paul didn’t dare to continue asking. Joe’s thoughts were always mysterious. Besides, Gloria favored Skylar. Joe could very well be helping her for Gloria’s sake.
At Williams Residence, Sadie stared at the phone for a long time after the call ended.
She was unresigned. She took another look at the videos from Skylar.
Maisy was the daughter she had raised. So, she recognized her the moment she saw the videos. The person in the videos couldn’t have been anyone else other than Maisy.
She had met Christopher once. She had never liked the poor man since the very beginning.
Previously, she asked Skylar to part ways with him, but she was stubborn and adamantly refused. Ultimately, Christopher ended up getting involved with Maisy.
Didn’t Maisy say she had nothing to do with Christopher?
She claimed that Skylar was the one accusing her.
In the end…
Fury etched across Sadie’s face as she watched the videos. She took her phone with her and went to see Maisy.
Maisy was looking at her phone with glee. She was chatting with Christopher on WhatsApp about how to make his statement so that they could ruin Skylar’s reputation once and for all.
When that time came, they could make Skylar do anything they wanted. With nowhere to run, Skylar would have no choice but to obey them.
Maisy heard someone opening the door. She turned to look. “Yes, Mom?”
“What’s going on between you and Christopher, Maisy? Are you lying to me now?” Sadie questioned
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angrily as she flung her phone to Malsy.
Maisy was in a daze. She feigned Innocence. “What are you talking about, Mom? I don’t understand.”
Despite saying that, she had already picked up Sadie’s phone and was looking at it.
Sadie and Skylar’s chat was displayed on the screen.
There
e were two videos on it. She tapped on them and watched each one. She began to panic as she watched. Where did Skylar get these videos?
Sadie noticed the panic in Maisy’s eyes. She was disappointed.
“You’ve really let me down, Maisy. Christopher is just a poor man. He can’t give you anything you want. Why would you have an affair with him?
“How are you going to be together with Joe if these videos were to be released? Tell me. Have you slept
with him?”
Maisy’s hand, which was holding the phone, started trembling uncontrollably. But she quickly calmed herself down. When she lifted her head to look at Sadie, her eyes were brimming with tears.
“I don’t know what’s with these videos, either. At that time… Christopher was the one who kissed me. He said it was an accident. I know that he seems to like me.
“But why… why would I sleep with him? Trust me, Mom. I’m just scared by everything that happened
yesterday, even now. I don’t know what I should say. After all, I hadn’t expected Skylar’s boyfriend would
like me.”
The frown on Sadie’s face eased up after hearing Maisy’s explanation.
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apter 59
“Are you telling the truth?” Sadie asked.
“Why would I lie, Mom? You’ve seen from the videos. Christopher was the one who kissed me.” Maisy bit her lip. She maintained that innocent look on her face.
It was just two videos. They didn’t prove anything.
The videos couldn’t show what they were talking about, either. So, it was up to her how she wanted to
explain things.
Did Skylar think she could turn the tables by sending the videos to Sadle? No way!
Sadie breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good to know, then.”
“Mom, I’m sure that Skylar hates me to the core. She loves Christopher so much, but he likes me instead.
That’s why she tried
to ruin me completely.
“I really don’t deserve this, Mom. Now that she sent these videos to you, she surely won’t post her
apology online,” Maisy said while she looked sad and miserable.
Sadie sighed helplessly. “You are also a victim. Christopher should be the one to blame. As for Skylar’s apology, I’ll talk to her about it. After all, this happened because of her. If she hadn’t become involved with that poor man, all these troubles wouldn’t have happened.”
“Would Skylar still be willing to apologize?” There was a twinkle in Maisy’s eyes. She hesitated a little.
Why did she feel like Skylar was completely out of her control?
She didn’t go to the hospital to donate blood. Neither did she listen to Christopher, nor did she return home. She was really curious to know where Skylar had been staying these days.
She didn’t like the feeling of not being in control. She had to trample on Skylar.
Sadie frowned. The mention of Skylar made her feel impatient. “It’s not about whether or not she wants to apologize. She has no other choice.”
At the rented home, Christopher’s eyes were fixed on his phone. He had been waiting for Maisy’s reply for
a few minutes.
He looked at the half–edited statement on his phone.
He refused to give up and took a brief look at the comments on the Internet. They were all cussing at
Skylar
They were also waiting for his statement. As long as he gave his statement, he would be affirming the label of Skylar as an evil person.
Skylar’s indifference toward him came to mind. She wasn’t as easy to coax as she used to be. He took a
deep breath.
If he remained by her side after she was forced into a comer, perhaps she would never dare to leave him
again in the future.
All of a sudden, Maisy’s call came. He answered immediately.
“I want you to give your statement right now, Christopher. You have to post it immediately. Did you that Skylar has videos of us kissing at the mall?”
know
Christopher was shocked. “What? She even has videos? Wouldn’t our lies be exposed if she posted them? I’ll give my statement now, then.”
He also had a sudden realization. It was no wonder that Skylar had become indifferent to him out of the blue. It turned out that she had already discovered what went on between him and Mar
Maisy rolled her eyes. “She won’t be able to post anything. PR is all about grasping the right timing. We’ve reported her account, so she’s unable to post anything right now, not even the videos.
“Even if she could start posting again a few days later, we’d already be in control. We could just get someone to edit the videos, and she couldn’t use them against us anymore.
“Did you think that my family hired the PR and legal teams just to bum around?”
Christopher was still worried. “Your parents are her biological parents. Could they bear to see everyone scolding her?”
The words “biological parents” were like an arrow to Maisy’s heart. Her face became twisted.
“So what if they are her biological parents? I’m the most important person to them. Skylar is nothing. Do you still not get this?”
Christopher was convinced. “Okay, I’ll post my statement now.”
Chapter 60
After Christopher posted his statement, another wave of insults was hurled toward Skylar
The hottest response was the one that suggested Skylar be admitted to an asylurn.
There were even some invited professionals who labeled her as delusional. They claimed that Skylar was too in love with her boyfriend that the appearance of another woman by his side became an imaginary threat to her. They asserted that she really needed psychological help in such a situation.
These people practically appeared the moment Christopher posted his statement.
It became the biggest trending topic on the Internet.
Joe was in the car, swiping on his phone.
Although the driver was driving, he could feel the tension in the air. He didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly.
Paul got into the car mid–journey. He could tell Joe was on edge the moment he got into the car.
He glanced over, and his eyes landed on the page on Joe’s phone screen.
Being sharp–witted, he said, “Mr. Martin, I noticed a lot of those so–called ‘professionals‘ spreading lies on the internet. They’re really stirring up my sense of justice. I found people to expose these professionals. I couldn’t bear to see the public being deceived.
“The companies they partnered with will be able to give their statement in less than an hour. They won’t be able to spew rubbish in the future.”
What did those idiots know? They accepted money from the Williams family to talk bullshit.
Joe turned off the display on his phone. Then, he rolled down the window and lit a cigarette.
He felt like he had been paying too much attention to Skylar’s issue. He shouldn’t do anything to make her have unnecessary misconceptions or uncertainty. This matter…
After a few thoughtful minutes, he spoke to Paul with a dark expression on his face. “No need for any drastic actions. Just make sure the rumors on the internet die down. That’ll do.” T
Paul was stunned to hear his instructions. Was Joe changing his mind about helping Skylar?
After leaving Galaxy Villa, Skylar informed Daniel that she’d arrive a little later.
After that, she drove to the police station where she had made a police report the previous time.
She received many WhatsApp messages and phone calls along the way. She saw the screenshot from Natalie. It was Christopher’s statement on social media.
Chapter 60
272
His statement asserted that she was always a jealous person. She assumed that he was having affairs with all the women who appeared by his side.
He even said that Maisy was a victim who was dragged into this. On her behalf, he apologized to Mainy
and those she had hurt.
“Christopher is such a jerk! He has no conscience at all. I’ve updated my Facebook post earlier. I’ll vouch for you, Skye.” Natalie was mad.
She was disgusted by Christopher’s actions first thing in the morning.
Even though Skylar had mentally prepared herself, her chest still tightened when she saw Christopher’s
statement.
She took a deep breath. The look in her eyes was glum. She first thanked Natalie for helping her, then told her she was on the way to the police station. Afterward, she hung up.
As she was about to continue driving, Sadie called. Her tone wasn’t as arrogant as before.
“I’m sure that you’ve been through a lot. It’s all your boyfriend’s fault. He was the one who caused all this. Maisy is completely innocent. You can’t blame her.
“Now that it has all come to this, you should just apologize. Once you’ve posted your apology, we’ll find at way to let this trending topic die down. Then, we’ll send you overseas to study.
“Once you’ve had the experience of studying abroad, your father will arrange a position for you in the company after you return.
“We’ll also arrange a good marriage for you. Even though you might be at a loss right now, you won’t actually be on the losing end here.”
Skylar was amused. She burst out laughing.
“What are you laughing at?”
Skylar suppressed her laugh. “I’m laughing at how crazy you people are, fantasizing like that.”
“How rude, Skye! Who taught you to speak to me like that? I’m your mother!” Sadie said angrily.
Skylar argued with them time and time again. She even spoke so rudely to infuriate her. Wasn’t she afraid that their family would disown her?
Skylar tapped on the steering wheel lightly. “Maisy was the one who went overboard. You’re the one who couldn’t see right from wrong, Mrs, Williams.
“There’s no sign of any decent upbringing on any of you people in the Williams family. Do you think that you deserve to say that I was being rude?
“Tell Maisy that she has gone over the line. I’d like to see how she handles it when she ends up shooting herself in her own foot.”
