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Even though Paul wouldn’t dare look at Skylar and Terence was elderly, Joe still didn’t want anyone to see her dressed like this. He intended for Skylar to show it to him privately at
home.
Skylar was still dazed but nodded nonetheless. “Okay.”
As she went to the fitting room to change out of the traditional dress, she suddenly realized that Joe was no longer upset.
That night, he exuded a cold and intimidating demeanor when he got out of the car and left.
When Skylar emerged from the fitting room, Joe took her hand. Then, he grabbed the traditional dress from her and didn’t bother to let Ralph bag it.
He turned to Paul and said, “Skylar and I are heading out first.”
Paul nodded in agreement. Terence and Ralph were slow to catch on. They only then realized that this young lady was Joe’s girlfriend.
Seeing that Terence and Ralph were still in shock, Paul smiled and said, “Let me settle the remaining balance.”
When Joe saw Skylar walking out of the fitting room, his eyes widened in astonishment
Skylar’s figure was truly stunning.
No wonder Joe couldn’t resist and immediately pulled her away. Whatever conflicts they had before were now forgotten.
Joe gave him a raise, which was well deserved. Just look at how smoothly he managed their encounter today, leaving no trace behind.
Back in the car, Joe took the passenger seat.
Every time Joe sat in her car, Skylar’s car seemed even smaller and narrower. His long legs. seemed to have nowhere to go.
“You…”
Just as Skylar was about to speak, Joe suddenly cupped her face. He pulled her toward him and planted a kiss on her that left her speechless.
It was intense and commanding.
The kiss was urgent and prolonged.
Skylar’s heart raced.
Faintly, there was a sense of illusion. She wondered if Joe had truly developed feelings for
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her. Otherwise, the kiss seemed to carry a touch of genuine emotion.
212
When Joe finally pulled away, he looked at Skylar’s flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips. His fingers gently combed through her soft hair.
“Put on the traditional dress for me when we get home,” he said with a possessive tone.
Joe would have taken things further with her if they weren’t in the city but a secluded spot in the woods.
Skylar couldn’t find a word to say and asked, “You’re going home too?”
Joe’s hand paused briefly. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said, “Where else would I go if not home? I can pretend I never heard what you said before. Just don’t bring it up again.”
He was committed to spending his life with her and wasn’t considering divorce. Any concerns she had, he could handle.
Skylar was stunned. The fluttering in her heart made her acutely aware of her feelings. She looked down at the steering wheel in her hands and finally asked, “Do you like me?”
Joe was momentarily taken aback. He glanced at her lowered eyes, noticing the fluttering of her long lashes.
“We don’t talk about these things,” Joe said. His voice was low and serious.
Joe wondered if he had developed feelings for Skylar. He questioned himself once again. He had never experienced romantic love between a man and a woman before, and he didn’t really know what it meant to love someone.
Skylar tightened her grip on the steering wheel and said softly, “Can we talk about it?”
Joe raised an eyebrow. “Talk about what?”
Instead of discussing it, Joe thought they should hurry home. Her image in the traditional dress was still vivid in his mind. She was so alluring. It almost made him feel like he was losing his composure.
Skylar’s heart sank as she heard Joe’s casual response. She took a deep breath and said, ” What I said last time was sincere. Although it was a sudden decision, after reflecting over the past few days, I believe we’re not suitable for each other.
“Life is long and full of unexpected events. Even two people in love might not stay together for a lifetime. So, let’s just fulfill our three–year agreement.”
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Natalie didn’t notice the person following her. After the elevator doors closed, she watched as it ascended.
Soon, she reached her apartment door and was about to unlock it when her phone rang. It was Austin calling her.
“Hello, Mr. Powell,” Natalie answered cheerfully.
Austin’s concerned voice came through the line. “Are you home yet?”
Natalie smiled and replied, “I just got home. My complex has security guards, so don’t worry about my safety, Mr. Powell.”
She was joking, but Austin was truly someone who could make people feel warm and cared for anytime, anywhere. Even though he was injured, he insisted on driving her home and was now calling to check on her.
His warmth and kindness always comforted her. This was the kind of idol she had admired for years.
Austin chuckled softly. “That’s good. Get some rest.”
“I will, Mr. Powell,” Natalie responded promptly.
Even as she ended the call, she could still hear Austin’s laughter.
It had been such a joyous day with everyone together. It was rare to experience this kind of atmosphere since graduation.
As she stepped into her apartment and was about to close the door, a shadowy figure grabbed it. The person seemed to prevent the door from shutting.
Natalie froze in fear. She was ready to scream for help from her
neighbors.
Most people should be home at this hour.
“It’s me.” That voice made Natalie’s expression darkened, and her smile vanished instantly.
She slowly looked up to see Jeremy standing there.
“What are you doing here?” Natalie asked coldly.
Natalie gripped the door handle stubbornly. She didn’t want him to
come in.
Whenever she saw him, her heart, which she thought was strong, would instantly be filled with pain. It felt like it was falling apart.
A chill ran through her.
Jeremy glanced at her hand clutching the door handle. He realized she truly didn’t want him to enter.
This apartment was once filled with memories of their love. He still had a key to this place.
“Nath, let me in. We need to talk,” Jeremy said. He tried to calm the intense emotions he had just experienced.
Seeing her just after she had parted ways with Austin stirred something in Jeremy. Her phone call with Austin right before she stepped into the home intensified his feelings.
He felt an uncontrollable urge to take her away and keep her from seeing anyone else. This impulse was almost overwhelming.
i
“I don’t think there’s anything left to discuss between us. I’ve already said what I needed to say before, and I’ve handed over the
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divorce proceedings to the lawyer. If you want to talk about
Annabelle coming to see me today, I’ve already clarified that on the phone.
“Tell Annabelle not to worry. I’m definitely not an obstacle between
you two. Even if you weren’t coming to see me because of Annabelle but because of another woman, I wouldn’t hold it against you. I’m very generous. I’ll still wish you well out of respect for the fact that I once treated you like family,” Natalie said.
Natalie was influenced by the alcohol. She said a lot more than
she intended.
She was struggling and feeling deeply wronged. It was hard to believe that Jeremy was still bullying her this way, and she wondered if she appeared so easy to bully.
Jeremy’s forehead twitched with frustration. “There won’t be any more Annabelle or other women around me. My wife will only ever be you, and you alone. Nath, there are some things we can clarify with Skylar. I didn’t intentionally cheat.”
“You didn’t intentionally cheat? Is it because Annabelle seduced you? You couldn’t resist her temptation and ended up in bed with her? Jeremy, do you really have to be so cruel?
“I might not be the smartest, but I’m not a fool. I can tell the difference between facts and lies. Are you trying to tell me that even though you cheated physically, your emotions stayed faithful? Jeremy, you make me sick!” Natalie shouted.
Her eyes reddened with anger.
Jeremy’s face tightened. His muscles were tense. “Natalie, calm down. I don’t deny that I had an affair with Annabelle, but this situation was a setup.”
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Natalie retorted coldly, “You blame it on drunkenness? Is that your reason for not wanting a divorce? Jeremy, no matter your excuse, you’re tainted in my eyes. Tainted, do you understand?”
Jeremy felt a sharp pain in his chest. His face turned pale. “Natalie, you drank too much. You’re not thinking clearly.”
“No, I did drink, but I’m not drunk. I’m clearer than I’ve ever been. Jeremy, from the day you cheated, we were done. Completely done.
Natalie’s face was also pale.
Each word she spoke cut into Jeremy and herself as well.
Jeremy’s lips tightened, his presence growing colder. “We’ll talk when you’re sober. Get some rest.
With those words, he walked out. He gently closed the door behind
him.
The moment the door shut, tears streamed down Natalie’s
reddened eyes. She crouched down, and her head buried in her knees. She cried silently.
She hated Jeremy. She hated him deeply.
All the happiness they once had was shattered. The love she had always been so proud of now seemed like a cruel joke.
And now Jeremy had the nerve to stand before her and make excuses. He claimed that it wasn’t what she thought, that it was just a physical betrayal. He even suggested it might have been a drunken mistake.
Natalie wondered if he even understood what he was saying.
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Drunkenness didn’t absolve him from cheating. Just because he couldn’t resist temptation didn’t mean it wasn’t his fault.
When Rowan arrived at Mystic Bar with his friends and spotted. Joe drinking alone, he finally confirmed he wasn’t being tricked.
“Damn it! It really is Joe. Doesn’t he rarely come to places like this?
someone asked Rowan.
Rowan raised an eyebrow. “You said he rarely came here, not that he has never been here before.”
For Joe, this place was indeed too noisy.
Though Joe was drinking alone, several women nearby attempted to approach him and initiate conversations. Anyone with eyes could tell Joe wasn’t an ordinary man.
However, it was clear Joe wasn’t here to have fun. He looked like he was trying to drown his sorrows.
Rowan walked over briskly and sat beside Joe. “What made you come to a bar?”
“To drink,” Joe replied. He handed Rowan a bottle.
Rowan looked at the offered bottle and couldn’t help but twitch his lips. “You’re just drinking like this? Didn’t you ask me to bring people?”
He had brought both men and women. The men looked uneasy when they saw Joe, while the women blushed, and their hearts skipped a beat.
This was Joe Martin, someone they had never dreamed of meeting before.
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If one of them could catch Joe’s eye, their status at home would surely rise.
Rowan knew what these women were thinking and didn’t stop them. Joe wasn’t as resistant to people getting close to him as he
used to be.
Felicia Ingram sat next to him. She had a delicate, almost angelic appearance. She maintained just the right amount of distance. without encroaching too much.
“Mr. Martin, we’ve actually met twice before. The last time was just a few days ago at a charity gala,” Felicia said softly. Her voice was gentle and pleasant.
She even looked a bit like Skylar.
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Rowan was curious to know if Joe truly had feelings for Skylar. Hence, he stayed silent. He took turns with his friends and
continued to drink with Joe.
Joe glanced at Felicia. His eyes lingered for a moment.
Felicia’s heart skipped a beat. Previously, Joe always had a cold, aloof demeanor when she saw him.
Many people wanted to get close to him but were too intimidated. The most common thing people heard about him in Jipsburg was how ruthless he could be.
Many women admired him, but he never paid them any attention.
Tonight, Joe was looking at her.
“Have we met before?” Joe’s voice carried a hint of coldness, though it was not unusual for him.
Felicia was taken aback but tried to remain composed. “Yes, but there were so many people, and I didn’t dare approach you. So, your probably don’t remember.”
The other women nearby noticed Joe speaking to Felicia and felt jealous.
Felicia noticed their envy but didn’t care. In Jipsburg, if she managed to form any connection with Joe or if luck was on her side and she got to marry him, every socialite would envy her.
Joe raised an eyebrow: This woman did resemble Skylar to some
extent.
But there was a significant difference. Skylar, that heartless
woman, could act as if she never saw him, even when she did.
It wasn’t that she was too intimidated to speak to him. She simply had no desire to engage.
Many women wanted to get close to him. With just a nod, he could have had countless women eager to spend their lives with him. Yet, Skylar turned him down.
Thinking of this, Joe took another heavy gulp of his drink.
Felicia waited for a response from Joe, but his silence made her smile falter.
Rowan wasn’t surprised by the situation. It was actually better than he expected. He tentatively asked, “Is there something wrong?”
With others around, he couldn’t directly ask Joe if he’d fought with Skylar.
It certainly wasn’t about Martin Group matters. No matter how many issues the company faced, Joe wouldn’t pay much attention, and his mood would not be affected. For a workaholic like him, work–related problems were always manageable.
“It’s nothing. Just drinking,” Joe replied tersely. Although he said. nothing was wrong, his demeanor made it clear that approaching him was intimidating.
Rowan had picked up on some clues. Given that they had grown up together, he might as well leave if he couldn’t pick up on such
signs.
He didn’t press further. “Alright, let’s just drink.”
Rowan had guessed the issue was probably related to Skylar. Skylar was really something else.
She managed to stir Joe’s emotions, which was rare. Even more.
3/
remarkable, she could affect his mood.
Seeing that Rowan was only drinking and not asking questions, the others dared not speak up.
However, Felicia had a sudden idea and took a discreet photo.
She then posted it on Instagram with the caption, “Joe isn’t that intimidating.” She also added a playful tongue–out emoji.
Coincidentally, Paul followed Felicia on Instagram.
In Jipsburg, many tried to get close to Joe through Paul, who was known for his charm and diplomacy. Naturally, he accepted follow requests from attractive women, though they rarely interacted beyond that.
Lying in bed before sleep, Paul scrolled through his phone as usual. At first, he thought he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, and his eyes widened in shock.
“What the heck! What’s going on? Shouldn’t Mr. Martin be with Skylar right now? He seemed completely focused on her when he left the traditional dress shop. How is he possibly at a bar so close to another woman? Damn it! Is something wrong again?”
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A sense of foreboding stuck with Paul. He sighed. “Is tomorrow going to be hellish? What on earth did Skylar do to upset Mr. Martin? Mr. Martin is letting other women get close now.”
Looking closely at the photo, Paul noticed that the woman resembled Skylar. “Is this a stand–in?”
He thought this was a disaster. He wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.
Back at Hughes Residence, Jeremy tried calling Joe several times, but there was no answer. Jeremy wondered if Joe was already in
bed.
He tossed his phone aside and examined the items on the table. They were all things he had found at Annabelle’s place.
Jeremy had seen these items before and had questioned their presence. They didn’t fit Annabelle’s usual style, and she wouldn’t normally carry such things.
He also found the painting unusual. It didn’t match her home decor, and she wasn’t the type to collect artwork like this.
These items seemed out of place, almost deliberately put there for him to see. When Jeremy first saw the painting, he felt a sudden urge–having a child with Annabelle seemed intriguing.
However, the thought quickly faded.
Jeremy seethed with anger as he recalled the situation. It was clear that Annabelle had done this on purpose.
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“Annabelle, you’re asking for trouble!” His eyes were icy, and his voice was equally cold.
Meanwhile, Annabelle had just returned home. Her flight for the following day was already booked.
She confirmed with Raelyn that Mason was going to Jipsburg City. They knew she had money and demanded she give it all to them to enjoy.
They assumed she was still young enough to earn more.
They now knew her address. Annabelle never imagined that Jeremy would actually follow through on his threats. He truly hated her.
Even now, she couldn’t understand. She had thought that, even if he didn’t like her, he would still hold some regard for her after all the time they had spent together.
“Jeremy, you’re too heartless. You know my past. You should understand that I need care and affection the most. Do you have any sympathy for my plight?”
Her desperate questions seemed to mock her at this moment.
not
The next moment, she returned home. She went to her room to pack and glanced at the wall.
A painting that had been hanging there was now missing.
Her eyes widened in alarm as she quickly searched the rest of her belongings. The items that had been in her vanity drawer were also
gone.
“How could this be? Jeremy, did you notice something? No, you couldn’t have noticed. It must be a thief who broke in.”
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She frantically called the airport customer service. Her hands were shaking.
She said, “I need to change my flight. Are there any flights tonight?
I just need to get out of Jipsbury. Any available flight will do.”
“Sorry, all fights tonight are fully booked,” the staff replied.
Annabelle felt a wave of despair and collapsed onto the floor.
“Take the train. Yes, I can take the train to leave right now.”
She had to leave before dawn, and she needed to leave
immediately. If Jeremy discovered the truth, it would be the end of
her.
—
The following day, Skylar woke up to find Joe missing While preparing breakfast, she received a phone call.
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It was Jeremy calling Skylar.
Skylar didn’t answer his call right away. She wondered why Jeremy was calling her. She then thought the reason was likely related to Natalie.
After a few seconds of hesitation, she answered, “Mr. Hughes.”
“I know you work with Mr. Gardner Senior and have helped Mr. Doherty Senior. I need your assistance with something.” Jeremy’s voice was serious.
Skylar suddenly realized something. “Mr. Hughes, please be direct.”
Since Jeremy mentioned Alexander and Frank, it wasn’t about asking her to convince Natalie. Jeremy’s phone call made her remember something she had overlooked recently.
“I have some items here that seem out of place. Should I send them over for you to see, or would you prefer I send you some photos?” Jeremy asked.
Without hesitation, Skylar replied, “Please send me the photos first.
Jeremy didn’t have Skylar’s WhatsApp, so he first added her
contact. Then, he sent her the photos.
There were seven or eight items in total. She had seen two or three of them before.
Someone had previously asked Skylar about these items, but she had turned down those orders. One of the items was a bracelet she had seen Anabelle wearing.
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Skylar’s gaze turned serious as she immediately called Jeremy back. “These items belong to Annabelle, don’t they?”
Though her tone was questioning, Skylar’s statement was certain.
Jeremy didn’t hide anything. “Yes, these items belong to her.”
Skylar was quick to explain, “You guessed correctly. These items are problematic. You can’t resist the temptation because those items could confuse your mind.
“If
your willpower isn’t strong enough, even the slightest wavering will lead to their influence. In other words, it’s not Annabelle as a person who is tempting you, but these items themselves,” Skylar explained.
Jeremy’s expression changed. Thankfully, the phone call
prevented Skylar from seeing his sudden shift in demeanor. “So,
it’s true!”
Annabelle was really something. She had used these peculiar
items on him.
“These items are designed to confuse the mind and make it easy to lose rational control. They are similar to a type of drug currently popular in Murida that causes hallucinations. But Mr. Hughes, your willpower was compromised, which is why you were influenced by these negative items,” Skylar said gravely.
Although Jeremy felt wronged by how Annabelle had used these items to sway his will, it also highlighted something crucial. It indicated that his feelings for Natalie were not as strong as they once were during the period he was tempted.
Skylar wanted to remind Jeremy not to place all the blame on others. It wouldn’t be fair to Natalie otherwise.
Jeremy remained silent for a full minute before responding heavily, “I don’t intend to make excuses. I’m the one who made mistakes, but divorce is not an option. I won’t let go and will make it up to her.
Hearing Jeremy’s firm tone, Skylar frowned.
“Thank you for the information.” Jeremy ended the call. Then, he immediately called Tristan. “Bring Annabelle back.”
Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Run
Chapter 567
Joe had spent the night at Rowan’s place. He was momentarily disoriented when he woke up and saw that he wasn’t at Galaxy Villa.
Rowan was standing at the door with a cup of water. “I called Paul last night and told him you’d be late to the company today. What happened to you? I’ve never seen you drink like that before. Do you treat alcohol like it’s just water?”
Joe got out of bed. He ignored Rowan’s questions and asked coldly, “Where’s the bathroom?”
“Over there.”
While Joe was in the shower, Rowan ordered breakfast. By the time Joe came out, the food had already arrived.
Joe had no appetite and headed for the door. “You eat it.”
“I ordered a lot of food. Aren’t you going to eat a bit? There are both Wiscadian and Floan cuisines,” Rowan asked.
“I’m not interested.”
“By the way, Jenny just messaged me. She said she’ll be back in about a month. Where is she going to stay?” Rowan inquired. Jenny’s message gave him the impression that she wanted to stay. at Galaxy Villa.
Although Jenny hadn’t been direct about it, she had no relatives in Jipsburg City. She used to stay at Pearlhall Residence and moved to the school’s dormitory during high school. She only came back during the winter and summer breaks.
After nearly four years of college, she rarely returned to Jipsburg. When Jenny returned to Jipsburg for work, she would need a place to stay.
Joe glanced at Rowan as he reached the door. “Since she’s an adult now, she can live on her own. I gave her a house when she turned 18. It should be sufficient for her future needs.”
He had fulfilled all the promises he made to Jenny’s mother.
Upon hearing Joe’s words, Rowan was momentarily stunned. “Are you going to leave her on her own out there? Isn’t it too unsafe for a young woman to live alone? I remember Galaxy Villa being. spacious and having many rooms. She could stay there.”
Joe’s eyes darkened.
Rowan quickly realized his mistake. “I was just suggesting. I overstepped.”
“Galaxy Villa is my marital home with Skylar. Do you think there’s space for a third person in our home?” Joe’s voice was cold as he retorted.
Rowan’s expression changed.
As the door closed, Rowan muttered a curse.
“Skylar is now more important to Joe than Jenny. It’s clear now that Jenny is merely a promise to him. It’s a pity for Jenny. She still doesn’t realize and is determined to get involved with Joe.” Rowan. frowned deeply.
A few minutes later, Jenny called.
“You mentioned Joe was staying at your place. I didn’t think much of it then, but shouldn’t he be at Galaxy Villa? Why was he drinking
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so much? Are other girls still allowed to get close to him? Has something happened between him and Skylar?”
m
Jenny had asked several questions, and Rowan wasn’t sure which one to answer first.
“I’m not clear on what’s happening between Joe and Skylar. The woman who was with him yesterday is just a friend of mine. Jenny, suggest you let go of those thoughts. You and Joe are not meant to be,” Rowan advised kindly.
Jenny remained silent for a moment. “Some things can’t be ignored just because you say so. You should understand how I feel about him.”
She still couldn’t understand why Joe had married Skylar. She wondered what it was about Skylar that Joe liked if it was just her looks and figure.
Rowan was speechless. He replied, “Being obsessed isn’t good. When you were 18, Joe gave you a house, right? You could give me the key and send me your preferred style. I can renovate it so you can move in when you return.”
“I… I don’t want to live there. There must be enough room for me at Galaxy Villa, right?” Jenny’s voice was slightly subdued.
“I just tested Joe, and he said he had gifted you a house. However, Galaxy Villa is only for him and Skylar. There’s no room for a third person. I think Joe is aware of your feelings. You should really consider this carefully,” Rowan continued to advise.
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Rowan was only this patient when dealing with Jenny. Although he couldn’t see Jenny and could only hear her voice on the phone, he could imagine how heartbroken she must be.
She was a woman who could effortlessly elicit sympathy from others.
“He sees you only as a sister,” Rowan clarified further.
Jenny’s voice seemed to crack with tears. “Did he really say that? Did he really say there’s no room for a third person at Galaxy Villa?”
When she decided to return to Jipsburg City, she had planned to live with Joe. She wanted to see him daily and understand how het felt about Skylar.
She wondered if Joe only married Skylar to make Gloria happy, not because he genuinely liked her.
But now, Joe had outright rejected her. It proved he cared more about Skylar.
“Yes,” Rowan confirmed.
Jenny burst into tears. “Rowan, is Skylar really that amazing? Is she worth him hurting me just to protect her? He doesn’t want me staying at Galaxy Villa because he’s afraid Skylar might misunderstand. Even before Skylar said anything, he had already preemptively excluded me. He’s clearly protecting Skylar.”
Rowan was momentarily at a loss for words. “Even without Skylar, you and Joe would never work.”
“I have other things to take care of. I hope you don’t let Joe know I
called you,” Jenny said before hanging up.
Rowan stared at his phone. After a moment, he clicked his tongue in frustration.
When Natalie called, Skylar had just started her workday and was preparing for her tasks.
“Skylar, come over to my apartment after work today. I’m off today and don’t want to have dinner alone.”
“Sure, I’ll bring dinner tonight.”
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
On his way to the company, Joe glanced at his phone. As expected, there were no messages from Skylar.
This only confirmed his assessment that Skylar was indeed
heartless.
However, there were a few missed calls.
The calls were from Jeremy.
Jeremy wouldn’t call unless it was something important. Hence, Joe returned the call.
When the line connected, Joe asked, “Is something wrong?”
“I was looking for you to reach Skylar. After you missed my call, I managed to get in touch with her this morning, and the matter is resolved,” Jeremy replied briefly, leaving out the details.”
There was an unspoken understanding among them. For straightforward issues, there was no need for elaborate
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explanations.
Joe now recalled that Jeremy had mentioned Skylar earlier.
“Looking for Skylar? What’s up?” Joe asked.
Jeremy was somewhat surprised but still truthfully explained how Annabelle had tried to deceive him.
In the end, he praised Skylar’s skills. “Skylar is impressive. I just spoke briefly with Mr. Gardner Senior, and even he had some gaps in his knowledge about this. He didn’t fully understand. But Skylar was able to determine the details from the photos. You should cherish her.”
Jeremy was about to remind Joe not to be manipulated, but then he recalled Skylar’s words. All confusion ultimately depended on the strength of one’s willpower.
Over the years, many people had tried to drug Joe, but he had always resisted. He relied almost entirely on his willpower.
Even at the charity gala a few days ago, he was able to see through Annie’s trick and ended up with Skylar.
ning Out!
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Chapter 569
Jeremy felt a heaviness settle in his chest as he realized this.
Joe nodded in agreement and asked, “Did you tell Natalie about this?”
“Not–yet. I’ll mention it when the time is right,” Jeremy replied. He lit a cigarette and stood by the window.
He was gathering this information as leverage. His goal was to ensure Natalie couldn’t divorce him. It was a despicable tactic.
Meanwhile, Steven was interrupted at work by a colleague who informed him someone was there to see him. It was unusual for his family to visit during work hours.
“Alright,” he said. Then, he put aside his current experiment and headed out.
Visitors weren’t typically allowed inside the company, so the person waited in the lobby.
The person waiting for him was sitting on a chair in the lobby.
From the back, she appeared to be a well–maintained middle–aged woman. However, Janine typically wouldn’t dress like this. The clothes this woman was wearing were all luxury brands.
As he approached, Steven greeted her, “Hello, I’m Steven Sullivan. Were you looking for me?”
When Sabrina saw Steven, she was taken aback.
Contrary to what she had imagined, Steven didn’t look like he came
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from a humble background. Instead, he seemed like a young man from a wealthy family.
No wonder Annie had fallen for him.
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“I’m Annie’s mother,” Sabrina introduced herself. Her tone carried an air of superiority as if to make Steven understand the disparity
between him and Annie.
Sabrina believed that Steven’s being with Annie was his great
fortune.
“Annie’s mother? Mrs. Silver, what can I do for you?” Steven’s tone was cool, but his respect for elders kept him from being outright dismissive.
Sabrina’s brows furrowed at Steven’s cold demeanor. “Annie’s father and I know about the relationship. We didn’t approve at first,
but…”
“Wait a minute. You said you disapproved of us being together?” Steven confirmed again.
Sabrina’s eyes flickered. “It’s not that we were entirely against it initially, but we had our reservations at first. Over the past couple of days, Annie’s father and I have come to realize that her happiness is what truly matters. So, we now approve of you and Annie being together. However, you’ll need to prove yourself. You-”
Before she could finish, Steven interrupted her once again.
“You should stick with your initial decision. I’m not worthy of Annie, and there’s no need for me to prove myself. We’ve already broken up. Didn’t Annie tell you?” Steven asked.
Sabrina hadn’t expected Steven to be so straightforward. Of course, Annie had mentioned their breakup.
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At first, Sabrina thought Steven was just bluffing. After all, Annie was so exceptional that countless suitors wanted to marry her.
She wondered if Steven could really let Annie go so easily.
Days had passed, and the Silver family was in chaos. When Sabrina questioned Annie, she confirmed that Steven had indeed broken up with her and showed no intention of reconciling.
Sabrina still looked down on Steven. However, they had no other choice. She needed him to achieve their goals.
Now, faced with Steven’s cold response, she felt embarrassed.
She took a deep breath and said, “Are you still angry at Annie? Everything she told you is true. We were so blinded that we almost harmed her. She’s been isolating herself in her room for the past few days. She refused to eat or drink. Her condition is very poor. She really does care about you.”
Steven interrupted her, “I have work to attend to. Mrs. Silver, please leave.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the elevator.
Sabrina was stunned. She shouted, “You! Don’t you care about Annie?”
“We’ve broken up. Her matters are no longer my concern. Don’t come looking for me again. I
too well.
stand your family’s situation all
“Your visit today has revealed your true intentions. Such an ugly display!” Steven threw these words over his shoulder as he
stepped into the elevator.
Chapter 570
“Such an ugly display?” Sabrina repeated the words, and her face contorted with anger.
“You’re nothing compared to Annie. Being with her is a blessing you could never earn in a lifetime!”
Unfortunately, Steven was already in the elevator, and Sabrina wasn’t sure if he heard her.
She was too furious. Then, she returned to her car and called Annie.
“This Steven is so arrogant and disrespectful. I came to see him in person, and he dared to show me attitude! He’s clearly someone from a humble background who’s never seen the world. Even if he comes to you later regretting his actions, you must not acknowledge him. Do you understand?”
Annie had insomnia last night. She only managed to fall asleep in the morning and was woken up by a phone call after three hours of sleep.
She said, “Mom, why didn’t you let me know you were going to see
Steven?”
Sabrina always preferred to handle matters on her own. As a result, things often backfired.
Several days had passed, and the Silver family was now in an irreparable situation. Yet Sabrina remained unconcerned.
“Do you not understand why I’m here to see him? Look at what’s happened to our family these past few days. Do you know how dire the situation is? I’m giving Steven a chance now.
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“You should be well aware of your father’s and my previous stance -we were absolutely against your relationship. But now, as long as he can make some contribution, we will not only approve of your relationship but also hold a wedding for you,” Sabrina said with a self–satisfied tone.
Annie was left speechless.
“Mom, since Steven has decided to break up with me, he won’t come back. He’s not interested in being a wealthy family’s son–in- law. Your visit will only make him more certain that ending things with me was the right choice. Who would dare come near me now with the current state of our family?
“As for other wealthy families, do you think they would accept me? Mom, it’s time to let go of your pride. Our family might end up worse off than the Williams family. If it weren’t for what happened that night, Steven might have forgiven me, but now…
“Let’s forget about it; it’s impossible. I suggest you and Dad prepare to leave Jipsburg as soon as possible,” Annie said calmly
Sabrina was still stubbornly holding on. “Our family is different from the Williams family. They have barely any foundation in Jipsburg, while our family is large and well–established across many industries. We can’t possibly collapse.”
It was clear that Sabrina didn’t want to leave Jipsburg. She was accustomed to Jipsburg’s grandeur and found it difficult to tolerate the modest surroundings of other places.
“Alright, I’ll just let you and Dad continue to deceive yourselves,” Annie resignedly said.
Sabrina retorted, “What do you mean, ‘deceive yourselves‘? Fine, I don’t want to waste any more time arguing. I’m warning you–if
Chapter 570
Steven comes looking for you, you must not acknowledge him. Do you understand?”
“Mom, you’re overthinking it.”
A few minutes later, as Annie was getting ready, she picked up her phone. After some hesitation, she sent a message to Steven.
“Sorry, I didn’t know my mom went to see you.”
The message didn’t go through. Steven had blocked her.
When Steven was in love, he was wholly dedicated. However, once he decided to end the relationship, he did so decisively, leaving no room for reconciliation.
Annie looked at her reflection in the mirror, her face pale and drawn. Reflecting on recent events, she realized everything started with her possessiveness over Joe. This led her to actions she now regretted.
The unfolding situation had far surpassed her expectations. It spiraled out of her control, bringing her to this point.
The future seemed bleak, obscured like a thin mist on a mirror. She knew that what lay ahead would be challenging.
Meanwhile, the Williams family’s situation was also in disarray.
Chapter 571
The small Elden Residence’s living room was in shambles, and an unpleasant odor permeated the air.
The neighbors had come knocking again. “What’s going on at your place? It smells awful! Can you do something about it? If there’s a cleanliness issue, you need to clean up.”
“Alright, we’re cleaning up now,” Peter replied curtly.
The neighbor had nothing more to say and left. Peter turned back to look at the messy living room. Then, he glanced at Sadie, who lay on the couch.
Once a wealthy socialite, she now resembled a beggar. The stench almost entirely came from her.
Peter was out delivering food every day and had no time to take care of Sadie. Kenny stayed home all the time.
However, he only ate, slept, or drank. He remained listless.
On the other hand, Samuel was out every day and rarely brought home any money.
Peter could barely handle this situation any longer. He walked a few steps to the guest bedroom and slapped Kenny, who was fast asleep on the bed.
Kenny was jolted awake by Peter’s slap. He furiously retaliated, ” Peter, have you lost your mind? I’m your brother. How dare you hit
me!”
Peter’s response was sharp. “Don’t think being my brother gives you special privileges. Even if you were my father, I’d still hit you.
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to be the head of our family, yet you stay home every day. All you do is eat, drink, and sleep while spending the money that I earn.
“On top of that, you don’t even clean up the house. Look at Mom- just look at what she’s become. If you don’t clean up the house and take care of Mom today, then you’d better leave!”
Kenny felt deeply wronged. He said, “Why should I be kicked out? It’s your incompetence that led to the company’s bankruptcy. If it weren’t for you, I’d still be the scion of the Williams family.”
“Dream on! You’re the useless one. You have hands and feet, but don’t think about supporting yourself. Instead, you shift the responsibility onto me.
“Don’t forget, you could live so comfortably only because I was working tirelessly in the company.” Peter cut through the pretense and pointed out the harsh truth.
“You!”
Peter grabbed Kenny by the collar and dragged him to where Sadie was lying. “Get Mom cleaned up.”
Kenny hadn’t properly looked at Sadie for days. She lay with her eyes open but unfocused. She didn’t look at either Kenny or Peter.
She just kept murmuring, “It’s retribution. It’s all retribution.”
“I can’t stand this anymore. I’m going to find Skylar. I’m going to find her,” Kenny declared. He tried to storm out.
Peter let him go. He was also curious if Skylar really had abandoned them.
Skylar was rear–ended on her way to Natalie’s house after work.
Chapter 571
The vehicle that hit her was a Maserati.
She got out to assess the damage!
The owner of the Maserati was also a woman. She walked over in high heels.
Nearby, several people exclaimed, “Isn’t that Felicia Ingram?”
“It really is her. I can’t believe we’re witnessing a celebrity car accident today. The owner of that small domestic car is going to be in trouble.”
“This is clearly a rear–end collision. Felicia should be at fault.”
“How do you know it’s not a scam? Maybe the owner of the domestic car saw the luxury car and decided to fake an accident. These things have happened before.”
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Because the other party was a female celebrity, many people
quickly parked their cars and gathered to watch.
Felicia was wearing sunglasses and a formal gown. She seemed to be on her way to an event.
Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!
Chapter 572
Felicia was a rising star in the entertainment industry. She had
recently gained fame and was regarded by many men as their ideal woman.
As people wanted to question Skylar, their words died on their lips once they saw her face.
Standing next to the glamorous celebrity, she was not only a match for her in appearance but even more striking.
They couldn’t help but think, “How can someone so beautiful be driving a domestic car? The top model of that car barely cost over ten thousand dollars.”
“Shall we call the police?” Skylar asked Felicia.
Skylar vaguely remembered seeing Felicia in a TV drama before She hadn’t expected to meet her in person, especially during a rear- end collision.
Felicia, wearing sunglasses, could scrutinize Skylar without
restraint. She had heard of a woman named Skylar who worked for Alexander, and this woman resembled her.
It was clear from the photo that they resembled each other quite a bit. However, the images were side profiles and a bit blurry, likely taken surreptitiously.
Seeing Skylar in person, Felicia felt uneasy. She was at a disadvantage compared to Skylar.
No wonder she managed to stay close to Joe. Unfortunately, she lacked a proper background, and flattering men wouldn’t help her much.
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Skylar noticed that Felicia had been silent. Her eyes behind the sunglasses seemed to be fixed on her.
Skylar raised an eyebrow. She realized that this female celebrity might have an attitude.
Skylar took out her phone and called Natalie.
“Nath, I might be late. I was rear–ended and am dealing with it.
Don’t worry,” Skylar explained the situation to Natalie as soon as the call connected.
Natalie didn’t immediately respond. She seemingly processed the information.
As Skylar was about to end the call, Joe’s voice came from the other end. “Where are you?” Joe asked.
“Joe?” Skylar thought. She realized she had inadvertently dialed Joe instead of Natalie.
“I can handle it. It’s just a minor accident. My car isn’t badly damaged,” Skylar replied quietly.
Joe asked again, “Where are you?”
Skylar glanced at the increasing crowd around her and said, “There are quite a few people here.”
“Does it matter?” Joe asked in return.
From Joe’s tone, it was clear he was becoming impatient. Skylar remained expressionless. She didn’t insist further and provided Joe with the address.
Conveniently, the location was close to the Martin Group, so Joe should arrive in less than ten minutes.
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Felicia wasn’t sure who Skylar was talking to on the phone, but she had seen enough.
In her mind, she guessed that Skylar had undergone cosmetic surgery to blend her features with those of others. This was why she looked even more attractive than Felicia herself.
It really was true that ugly people often caused trouble.
Felicia’s face had indeed been used as a model by several cosmetic surgery clinics. She hadn’t thought much of it before, but now it bothered her.
“Did you slam on the brakes just now?” Felicia asked.
Skylar couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. “Do you have a dashcam in your car?”
She wondered if Felicia was trying to shift the blame onto her to avoid negative publicity.
Felicia’s voice turned serious: “I drive very cautiously. I don’t have a dashcam.”
“Oh, but I do. Let’s wait for the police,” Skylar said calmly and unhurriedly.
Facts spoke louder than words.
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Skylar didn’t feel the need to waste her breath on Felicia.
If Felicia had admitted her mistake and offered to compensate from the start, they wouldn’t have had to involve the police.
Felicia was taken aback. “For such a minor accident, do we really need to bother the police? Just report it to your insurance company and cover my repair costs. It’s not that complicated.”
Felicia had heard that Annie had a hard time dealing with Skylar. Now, it seemed it wasn’t because Annie was incompetent but because Skylar wasn’t as naïve as she appeared.
She wasn’t easy to deal with. Felicia had indeed hit her car on
purpose.
After taking a photo with Joe at the bar, her family started paying more attention to her. Her parents encouraged her to keep going.
Learning about a potential obstacle, she felt the need to confront it head–on.
“You seem skilled at shifting the blame,” Skylar remarked in a cold, mocking tone.
Skylar wondered if there was no longer any bar to entry in the entertainment industry. It seemed like anyone could get in easily.
Felicia frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
A male fan of Felicia’s shouted at Skylar, “Did you purposely slam on the brakes just to cause an accident? You saw someone driving a luxury car and decided to take advantage?”
As soon as the guy spoke, many others joined in questioning
Skylar. If the Maserati owner hadn’t been Felicia but someone else, it wouldn’t have had the same effect.
Skylar wondered if fans nowadays follow celebrities blindly. She didn’t want to engage further.
Fortunately, this wasn’t a main road, so there was another lane for cars to pass through.
While Skylar was being criticized by the crowd, she called the police and waited for them to arrive.
Felicia noticed Skylar’s calm demeanor in the face of the crowd’s accusations and her lack of any sign of retreat. She couldn’t help but feel a chill. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“There’s nothing to say. We’ll wait for the police,” Skylar replied coldly. She glanced at Felicia.
Just then, Felicia received a call and told the person on the other end about the accident. It seemed her celebrity agent, Adele
Wilkinson, had given her some advice.
After hanging up, Felicia started taking selfies and snapping pictures of the damaged cars.
She immediately posted on Facebook. Celebrities needed to chase clout. If Felicia could capitalize on this clout today, her fame could rise another notch.
Skylar observed Felicia’s actions from the sidelines. She opened her Facebook and saw Felicia’s post.
Within minutes, the incident had started trending on Facebook.
It seemed likely that Felicia had paid for this clout. Otherwise, the incident would not have gone viral so quickly.
Today, Skylar was just unlucky enough to be a scapegoat for
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Felicia’s fame.
“Never mind, I don’t need your compensation. I have an event to attend shortly and don’t have time to wait here. Besides, we’re blocking traffic,” Felicia said.
She adopted a very generous attitude after finishing her Facebook updates.
She tried to shift the blame onto Syklar with just a few words.
“Have you finished taking photos? Your Facebook post was very timely. Ms. Ingram, you’re used to being flattered in the
entertainment industry and believe everything should go your way. I saw your recent post. My car is in the photos as well. If things go as expected, your fans will probably start harassing me online.
“Ms. Ingram, you have two choices. One, clarify the facts and apologize on Facebook. Two, wait for my legal letter,” Skylar said calmly.
Skylar remained calm and composed, even when dealing with a celebrity. Her calm demeanor drew skepticism from the onlookers. They began to question Felicia’s actions.
“I feel like Felicia caused the rear–end collision.”
“There’s still a distance from the red light, and this isn’t an intersection. It’s unlikely she braked suddenly.”
Irritated, Felicia pursed her red lips. “Your actions caused the rear- end collision, so you’re fully at fault. I’ve only stated the facts on Facebook, so I don’t owe you an apology. Now, I have things to do, so I’m leaving.”
As Felicia attempted to leave, she was suddenly stopped by
someone.
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Skylar had already saved the photos from Felicia’s Facebook, which saved her the trouble of taking additional evidence. Hence, she didn’t stop Felicia from leaving
Seeing that Paul was the one stopping Felicia, Skylar turned her attention to Joe, who had just stepped out of his car and was walking over.
Chapter 574
Seeing Joe, Skylar didn’t know how to react. The events from last night were still fresh in her mind.
When Joe exited the car, his first glance fell precisely on Skylar. She was surrounded by a crowd and looked somewhat pitiful and vulnerable.
He scanned the Maserati. He couldn’t believe that the accident involved this car.
Joe took a few steps toward Skylar and asked in a deep voice,” Were you frightened?”
Skylar met his gaze. Initially, she felt indifferent, but his question made her feel a twinge of grievance. She replied, “No, I’m just
waiting for the police.”
“Did you cause the rear–end collision?” Joe turned to look down at Felicia.
Felicia’s face showed shock when she saw Joe. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Why was Joe there? Could it be…
Felicia suddenly recalled that Skylar had made a phone call earlier. She had mentioned the accident. It turned out that Skylar’s call had been to Joe.
She had to admit that Skylar was quite skilled. Although, she
couldn’t help but wonder if such a minor accident was worth bothering Joe with. Didn’t Skylar know how busy Joe was? Besides, it was a workday too!
What a pretentious person.
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Felicia stared blankly at Joe. She looked somewhat flustered. “Mr. Martin, it was indeed my fault that I caused the rear–end collision. However, it happened because she suddenly braked.”
Joe raised an eyebrow. “Do you know me?”
Skylar was somewhat surprised. It seemed like Felicia knew Joe.
Felicia was astonished. She blurted out, “I met you at the bar last night. We even had drinks together”
It was indeed from last night. Felicia had toasted him several times.
Could it be…
“A bar?” Skylar looked at Joe.
Skylar found it hard to believe that Joe went to a bar after leaving Galaxy Vila. She was even more surprised to learn that he was drinking there with Felicia.
Joe looked at Skylar. “Yes, I went to the bar. But I don’t remember
who she is.”
That was his explanation to Skylar
Felicia felt utterly embarrassed. “You don’t remember?”
After spending several hours together last night, Felicia wast shocked that Joe’s only response was that he didn’t remember her. She didn’t leave any impression on him at all.
“I reviewed the scene. It was indeed a rear–end collision caused by you,” Paul said to Felicia with a neutral expression. He suspected that Felicia was deliberately causing trouble.
She really thought that a photo with Joe and a night of drinking at the bar gave her the right to meddle in his affairs. She even dared
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to appear before Skylar.
“I was too hasty earlier and thought you slammed the braked intentionally. I realize now it was my mistake, as I didn’t notice the speed then.” Felicia quickly apologized to Skylar.
Felicia was skilled at reading people in the entertainment industry and knew better than to offend the wrong people. She hadn’t expected Joe to show up.
She turned to Skylar and continued, “I’ll cover the repair costs and any compensation for your lost income. I’m truly sorry. It was my fault.”
Onlookers were stunned. They were astonished at how quickly a celebrity could change her attitude and wondered about the formidable man who had appeared.
Felicia didn’t care about the crowd’s opinions. She was sincere and took off her sunglasses. “I’m really sorry for my earlier attitude. Can you forgive me? I’ll delete the post and pin an apology post on my Facebook.”
Her sudden change in demeanor and willingness to make amends were evident. Skylar decided to accept her apology. “Alright,” she said.
Her gaze lingered on Felicia for a moment. When Skylar had
watched Felicia’s TV dramas before, she had been surprised at how much the actress resembled her.
The resemblance was even more striking now that she saw her in person. The situation was resolved 20 minutes later.
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Joe had Paul drive Skylar’s car to the car dealership.
Skylar then got into Joe’s car. The car was the same one from the night before, with the same driver, Lucas. The only difference now was that it was daytime.
Their relationship had grown more strained.
Once in the car, Skylar said, “Just drop me off at the complex ahead. I have an appointment with Natalie.”
Joe raised an eyebrow. His gaze grew colder. “Are you trying to avoid me? Don’t you want to know why I was at the bar last night or why that woman said she knew me?”
In that situation, it was obvious to anyone that the woman was interested in him. Joe didn’t believe Skylar didn’t notice.
“If you wanted to tell me, you would have. If I were to ask rashly wouldn’t I be meddling in matters that don’t concern me?” Skylar
retorted.
Besides, he hadn’t even remembered Felicia’s name. She could tell from Felicia’s reaction that their encounter was likely just a coincidence at the bar.
Many people knew Joe, but Joe didn’t necessarily know everyone who knew him.
Joe’s expression darkened instantly. “You’re really calm. Don’t forget your status. You’re my wife now.”
“Why do I feel like you want me to be jealous? I’m not jealous. Are you upset?” Skylar looked at him thoughtfully.
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Skylar wondered if Joe had feelings for her. Her heart skipped a beat as she fixed her gaze on Joe.
Joe was taken aback. After a few seconds of silence, he said, ” You’re overthinking it.”
Skylar lowered her gaze and looked out the car window. “So, there really isn’t a need for me to ask.”
Joe was momentarily at a loss for words.
“Just drop me off here. Natalie lives around this area,” After they passed an intersection, Skylar spoke again.
Joe glanced at her with a heavy look in his eyes.
As Skylar got out of the car, Joe’s voice came from behind. “I’ll be home tonight.”
Skylar hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Alright.”
When she reached the entrance of the complex, she looked back. Joe’s car had not driven away. He was still in the car, watching her through the lowered window.
Their eyes met, and Skylar felt her heart tighten.
His gaze seemed full of emotion, but she quickly reminded herself it was just an illusion. He had no real feelings for her.
His care was merely due to Gloria’s influence. She quickly looked down and turned into the complex.
After Skylar disappeared into the complex, Joe’s lips curled into a cold smile as he muttered, “Heartless.”
Lucas was once again startled. He wondered what was going on between Joe and Skylar. They had been getting along well before,
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but now they seemed to have conflicts whenever they met recently.
“Head to Pearlhall Residence first, then back to the Galaxy Villa,” Joe instructed.
Lucas replied, “Understood.”
As Skylar entered the elevator, she checked her Facebook.
Felicia’s top Facebook post had indeed been updated to an apology to her.
Her fans‘ comments were overwhelmingly positive. They praised Felicia for taking responsibility and owning up to her mistakes.
Her handling of the situation once again boosted her popularity on
Facebook.
Skylar had to admit that people in the entertainment industry were quite adept at managing their public image.
…
Felicia had just finished an event when she saw Adele had hired online influencers to promote her on Facebook. This move once again boosted her popularity following the accident.
Although it was something to be happy about, she couldn’t shake off her dissatisfaction.
Joe’s attitude today left her feeling embarrassed. She wondered whether he truly didn’t remember her or if he was putting on an act in front of Skylar.
“I did some checking. There’s a D–list actor named Charles Sullivan, who is Skylar’s brother. Coincidentally, he’s the third male lead in your next project,” Adele said
Chapter 576
Adele was Felicia’s cousin. She would benefit from Felicia’s eventual success. If they got Joe on their side, they would become an unstoppable force in Jipsburg.
In addition, Felicia’s family had also been hoping for someone to introduce Felicia to Joe.
Felicia’s eyes darted around the room. She exclaimed, What a coincidence!”
“Right. Our investigations have hit the nail on the head. Skylar had caused a commotion in Jipsburg for being the real heiress to the Williamses. Now, we know that Charles isn’t her biological brother. Instead, Samuel is.”
A plan brewed within Felicia. She remarked, “Charles? He seems pretty popular recently. You’ve not seen Skylar. She’s revolting. She got plastic surgery based on my likeness while incorporating the features of a few others. In the end, she turned out prettier than me. How sickening.”
“Perhaps she’s one of your fans. If not, why would she use you as a template? If that’s the case, Mr. Martin’s type is probably women like you. Skylar is only your replacement.”
Felicia’s eyes brightened. Was Skylar her replacement? Had Joe ignored her during their past meetings to attract her attention?
“Don’t tell my family about this for now. You have to send me to all possible future events. I want more opportunities to interact with Joe.”
Adele immediately agreed. She said, “Alright, don’t worry. We aren’t in a position where we’ll run into Joe frequently.”
“No worries. We have countless days ahead of us. I’ve been getting along well with Rowan and his friends lately. He invites me to many events. My chances of encountering Joe will increase in time.
“Right, you told me that I will be starring in my next movie with Charles. When the time comes, pay special attention to him for me. Perhaps we can use him to our advantage,” Felicia advised.
“Alright.”
Natalie brought two smoothies over. On the coffee table, there was also a plate of fried chicken and a pizza, along with a fruit platter.
“These are the takeouts that I’ve just ordered. Did you say that someone rear–ended your car just now? What happened?” Natalie scanned Skylar from head to toe to check whether Skylar had gotten hurt.
Skylar described what had happened.
Natalie was stunned. She ranted, “Isn’t she a little too shameless? At first, she wouldn’t admit to her mistakes. Back then, she definitely thought that you were weak and easily controlled.
“Yet, upon seeing Joe, her attitude underwent a complete change. If Joe hadn’t shown up today, who knows what scandals she’d whip up about you?”
After becoming Austin’s assistant, Natalie had heard many stories about the entertainment industry from Hank and witnessed some of them firsthand.
She knew that some people would do anything to make themselves go viral. They would even resort to unethical methods to do so. Natalie looked down on them.
They made Austin seem like a rare gem in the entertainment industry.
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“This is the world we live in. Thankfully, it yielded acceptable results.”
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In a swift change of topic, Natalie said, “I’ll be leaving Jipsburg for around two weeks to accompany Mr. Powell to a movie set in a neighboring city. I invited you here today to talk about my relationship with Jeremy. You’re the only person I can discuss this with.
Natalie gnawed into her fried chicken. At this point, only her favorite food could provide her some semblance of emotional security.
Skylar nodded. She thought of how Jeremy had gotten seduced under the influence of black magic. She wondered if she should tell Natalie about it.
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Skylar decided to keep it to herself for now. She could tell that Natalie’s emotional state had been volatile recently.
“Jeremy met me yesterday. He still hasn’t agreed to get a
peacefully. It might involve both our parents. That’s what/ce. I don’t think we’ll be able to divorce
been dreading the most. It’ll make them
worried. In addition, I’m scared they’ll convince me to forgive Jeremy.”
Skylar asked, “Are you set on divorcing Jeremy? Would you remain determined to divorce him even if he’d cheated on you due to circumstances out of his control?”
Natalie–chuckled and answered, “Circumstances he couldn’t control? Even if he’d been drugged and thus slept with Annabelle without even knowing, I wouldn’t be able to accept it.
“Furthermore, he might’ve slept with her involuntarily the first time. Yet, a long time has elapsed since then. Is he still sleeping with her involuntarily? That video still replays in my brain now.
“Even if he could give me an explanation for his affair, we wouldn’t be able to return to how we had been prior to this incident. I would rather give up on a broken marriage than persevere on this road.”
Skylar said firmly, “I’ll support you no matter what happens, regardless of the decisions you make,”
Tears pooled in Natalie’s eyes uncontrollably. She replied, “I’ll always support you too.”
Suddenly, she felt that they were being overly courteous with each other.
Natalie forced a smile and pointed at the food on the table. She implored, “Quick, try some. This is our favorite fried chicken. My house is too far from our school, so I had someone send it over.”
Skylar swallowed. She remarked, “So that’s why it looks familiar.”
The fried chicken stall was quite small. It was the only one of its kind in Jipsburg, located near their old
school.
The students were probably the only ones who knew how delicious it was.
“I also sent someone to buy the smoothies for us. Although it’s from a chain store, the other outlets don’t give as much toppings as this one outside our school,” Natalie reminisced. She leaned on Skylar’s shoulder.
Skylar also took a trip down memory lane. She said, “Back then, you drank two smoothies a day. Then, weight. You drank eight smoothies a day at you saw online that a smoothie–only diet would help you lose
1
your peak. In the end, you didn’t lose a single pound. Rather, you were
and barbecues consecutively. You gained four pounds instead.”
Stand as a result and ate stews
“You even exclaimed about how you were the only one who’d slimmed dow
among all our roommates
after those fattening meals. You’ve got a miraculous body!” Natalie said in admiration.
After finishing their smoothies, Natalie took out a bottle of champagne. It would go well with their fried chicken and nuts.
They drank till ten at night.
Suddenly, someone called them in their drunk state.
Natalie slurred, “Skye, someone’s calling you.”
Skylar had a low tolerance for alcohol and was reacting sluggishly. She picked her phone up Without checking who was calling, she accepted the call and greeted, “Hello.”
slowly.
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Joe said, “I’m outside Natalie’s neighborhood. Tell me when you’re ready to leave, and I’ll fetch you home.” Skylar blinked. She thought she’d misheard him and repeated, “Fetch me home?”
She held her phone up and stared intent/
at the caller’s ID. Then, she said, “Oh, it’s really Joe. Why would
you be kind enough to fetch me home? I’m not going home, definitely not.”
“Have you been drinking?”
Skylar could imagine Joe raising an eyebrow at her coldly in her mind’s eye. How terrifying.
Thankfully, she was a brave woman. She wasn’t scared of him at all.
“Correct. I’ve been drinking. I’ve drunk so much winel” she hung up immediately after finishing.
A chilling gleam flashed across his eyes when Joe realized she’d hung up on her. He immediately called Jeremy to ask him which floor Natalie was on.
Chapter 578
Natalie gave Skylar a thumbs–up and praised her, “Skylar, you’re such a brave woman! How did you gather the courage to hang up on Joe? Do you know how scary he is?”
Natalie did not encounter Joe frequently. She could count the number of times they had met with just one hand, and each encounter was terrifying.
Skylar was talented. She wasn’t scared of Joe at all.
“How scary could he be? It’s not like he could seek me out here. I’ll sleep at your place tonight.”
Natalie agreed without hesitation. She rejoiced, “Excellent! I’ll get another flute of champagne. I’m telling you, I’ve got a lot of alcohol with me here. We can drink as much as we want!”
She stood up shakily and stumbled over to her wine cabinet.
Before she reached it, the doorbell rang.
“Who’s that?”
Natalie headed toward the door. Although she was drunk, she remained vigilant. Natalie looked out of the peephole only to see an expressionless yet handsome face.
“Joe?”
As she opened the door, Natalie turned back to Skylar and said, “You’re right. Joe has found you here!”
When Skylar heard Natalie say that, she sobered up slightly and asked, “What did you say?”
Had she misheard? Had Joe sought her out? How had he found her?
As questions raced through Skylar’s addled mind, she saw Joe standing by the door.
Joe would always become the center of attention no matter where he was. Even if one didn’t know his identity, they would be attracted by his outstanding looks and gorgeous figure. Skylar saw him immediately.
Skylar gulped and asked, “How did you find me here?”
Joe glared at her. When he saw Skylar gawking at him, he knew that she’d been drinking. Joe said, “I’ll take you home.”
“Oh, alright, thank you,” said Skylar. She stood up and walked toward Joe. When she did so, her head spun.
“Hey, why are there two Joes? Which one is real?”
Skylar pointed at Joe. Then, her finger shifted slightly to the side.
Natalie could handle her alcohol better than Skylar. Especially after meeting Joe, his chilly demeanor sobered her right up. After a brief moment of speechlessness, she complained, “You graduated years ago. Why can’t you hold your liquor?”
or der
“I’m not drunk,” Skylar adamantly denied.
Which part of her looked drunk?
She stumbled to Joe. When she approached him, she tripped and tipped to her side.
Joe caught her in time and mocked, “Stubborn woman.
Skylar could barely walk in a straight line. Yet, she was still insisting that she wasn’t drunk.
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Natalie frowned. She warned him, “Joe, you better treat Skylar well. You mustn’t cheat on her! If not, I’ll make you suffer!”
Skylar had been betrayed once. She couldn’t go through it once more. It hurt too much.
Joe stared intently at Natalie. He hummed in acknowledgement. It made tears well up in Natalie’s eyes.
Once Joe left with Skylar, Natalie curled into the couch. She hadn’t felt anything while Skylar was there.
Now that she was alone at home, the alcohol began draining from her system. Her brain cleared up.
At that moment, someone called. The chime of her phone broke through the silence.
Natalie looked down at her phone. When she saw that it was Jeremy calling, her heart throbbed painfully.
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hapter 579
Agony coursed through Natalie’s veins. All those memories rushed to the forefront of her mind. She threw. her phone aside and allowed it to continue ringing.
Initially, she’d thought that Jeremy would give up afterward. Yet, he continued calling. It looked like he would continue calling her until she picked up. If she still didn’t offer any response, he might even come
over.
Natalie did not want to see him at all.
She accepted the call and asked, “Why have you called me?”
Jeremy was silent after Natalie’s icy question. He then asked, “You’ve had a lot to drink, haven’t you?”
Natalie frowned. That explained why Joe found Skylar at hers. He’d asked Jeremy. She replied, “I haven’t drunk much. If you don’t have any pressing matters, I’ve got matters to attend to.”
“Let me come over and take care of you,” said Jeremy.
Natalie sat up immediately. She shouted, “Jeremy, can you stop pretending like nothing has happened between us? Don’t be so selfish. You know me better than anyone, so you must know how I’m feeling now. I can’t face you right now. The second I see you, I think of how you cheated on me with Annabelle. I can’t forget it!”
“Natalie, forgive me this time. Just this once. I can prove that you’ve got a skewed understanding of what happened. You’re the only woman I love,” Jeremy said lowly.
Natalie sounded as though she’d heard a hilarious joke She shot back, “With this single occurrence, you’ve damaged every semblance of trust between us. I can forgive you, but I’ll never get back together with you. From today onward, we can be as close as siblings. However, we cannot be a married couple Can’t we separate amicably?”
Jeremy’s fingers tightened around his phone. After a long pause, he responded, “Impossible. You’ll make sense of this after a while.”
Then, he hung up before Natalie could.
Blood drained from Natalie’s face upon hearing Jeremy’s declaration.
Why was he so set on this? Why would he want a marriage broken by an affair?
On the way back to Galaxy Villa, Skylar curled up with her head on Joe’s lap. She breathed steadily.
Joe stared at Skylar, who was snoozing away without a care in the world. He raised an eyebrow. She’d begun sleeping the second she got into the car. How could she insist that she wasn’t drunk?
Joe complained coldly, “How stubborn.”
Lucas immediately straightened up.
Skylar had already fallen asleep. How could Joe still be angry? He was terrified that Joe would throw her out in a fit of rage.
Then, Joe instructed, “Drive slower.”
“Oh, alright,” Lucas answered. Joe’s mood had changed in an instant. It looked like a hurricane was brewing behind his eyes for a second there. In the next moment, Joe became concerned over how fast he was driving.
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Clearly, he was worried that Skylar’s sleep might’ve been affected if Lucas drove too fast.
Lucas had been driving at a sloth’s pace. Many cars had overtaken him. Every one of them looked back at him after doing so. A question seemed to be written across their glares. Lucas was driving such a great car, yet his driving skills were atrocious.
Despite their slow pace, they finally arrived at Galaxy Villa after 40 minutes.
Joe carried Skylar out of the car.
“Mr. Martin, I’ll open the door for you,” Lucas said. After getting out of the car, he immediately ran over to help Joe.
They’d arrived at Galaxy Villa. Yet Joe didn’t want to wake Skylar up. He definitely treasured Skylar. However, Joe tended to remain expressionless, making it difficult for Skylar to detect his love.
Lucas couldn’t help but feel extremely nervous for Joe.
Before walking in, Joe glanced at Lucas. He seemed to have something to say to him. He asked, “Do you have anything you’d like to tell me?”
Lucas responded, “I do have something to say. However, I’m not sure it would be appropriate.” “Speak.”
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Chapter 580
Chapter 580
“Mr. Martin, you don’t seem to treat Mrs. Martin well. She might think that you don’t care about her. Women need to be coaxed and appeased.
“My wife really appreciates thoughtful gestures. I bring her home dinner and a small cake after work each day. Then, I would shower her with some kind words. A little always goes a long way. Perhaps you could show Mrs. Martin similar kindness to make her feel cared for.”
Lucas gave Joe some genuine advice. He hoped that Joe would listen.
Joe raised a brow. He asked, “She will be filled with adoration for cake?“.
you just because of some food and a
Lucas reminded sternly, “Mr. Martin, you must also feed her with pleasantries.”
Being gentle was the key component of this plan.
Joe looked down at the woman in his arms. He seemed to be thinking about Lucas‘ words.
Lucas couldn’t read Joe. He regretted running his mouth without thinking about it beforehand.
Joe definitely knew that.
“In that case … I’ll take my leave, Mr. Martin,” Lucas said hesitantly.
Joe glanced at him and replied, “Alright!”
Lucas ran away immediately.
Joe carried Skylar upstairs and placed her in bed. As he helped her change, she remained motionless. Skylar was as obedient as she could be.
Most of Joe’s rage dissipated. He asked, “You should’ve been obedient all this time. It would’ve saved us much hassle.”
Skylar seemed to be heartless. She drank till she was unconscious.
Although Joe grumbled about Skylar, the wrinkle between his eyes smoothened to the rhythm of her calm breaths.
When Skylar woke up the next day, she had a horrible headache.
Skylar felt extremely confused when she found herself in Galaxy Villa. She felt as though a chunk of her memory was missing. Wasn’t she supposed to be at Natalie’s place?
How had she come home?
Joe asked from beside her, “You’re up?”
Skylar glanced over immediately and questioned, “When did you come home?”
Joe sat up. He was shirtless, showing off his rippling muscles without inhibition. He said, “Have you forgotten what happened next?”
Alarm bells began ringing in Skylar’s brain. She couldn’t be bothered to enjoy the view before her. She questioned, “Did something happen last night?”
Why did she lose her composure every time she drank? She forgot everything that happened while under the influence. Skylar had no clue of how she returned home.
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Suddenly, she recalled Joe telling her he would be coming home that night before she exited his car. How about her?
Skylar couldn’t discern anything from his somber gaze
She felt insecure. Had something really happened?
Although Skylar tried to hide her emotions, Joe could tell she was concerned. Joe wavered. Casually, he you while said, “You didn’t do anything too outlandish. You merely held onto me, asking me never to leave saying that you couldn’t survive without me. You wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.”
“What?” Skylar exclaimed in surprise.,
Had she forced Joe into making promises while she was intoxicated?
Joe gazed at Skylar and asked, “So, does this mean you’ve fallen for me?”
Joe seemed to be awaiting an answer from Skylar.
Her expression changed.
Upon seeing that, Joe also turned somber. He looked away and got out of bed. He said, “I was joking. I know you won’t fall in love with me. Breakfast will be sent over from Pearlhall Residence.”
Chapter 581
After finishing, Joe took his clothes and walked out of their bedroom. Skylar watched him leave.
Joe’s words had exacerbated her headache from her hangover. Thankfully, he’d only been kidding. He hadn’t meant it. However, Joe had miscalculated this time despite his previous success in scheming.
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Skylar learned what happened last night from a call with Natalie on the way to work. Joe had gone over to pick her up.
“You have no idea, Skye. I was dumbstruck when Joe showed up. You’re doing well for yourself, Skye. He looks like he loves you. Stay with him. Although Joe might seem like an unapproachable iceberg of a man, he cares about you infinitely. He was
o gentle when he carried you out. Literal boyfriend goals.”
Skylar’s knuckles turned white around the steering wheel. She did not explain the truth to Natalie.
After all, Natalie had gotten drunk last night. How would a drunk woman know whether he was gentle with Skylar or whether he adored her?
“Focus on driving. We’ll talk soon. I’m on the way to work. I’ll be leaving Jipsburg tomorrow. Once I’m back, we’ll work on raising your tolerance to alcohol. With how lousy you are at holding your liquor, you’ll be gobbled up by Joe in no time.”
Natalie only hung up after teasing her once again.
Skylar was driving Joe’s car. Her car would only be ready in two days.
Although it was the least flashy car in his garage, Skylar’s colleagues still crowded over when she arrived at the office.
“Skylar, is this your car?”
“Nah, it belongs to a friend of mine. My car got rear–ended yesterday,” Skylar replied.
Her colleague hummed in acknowledgment as they studied the car. She said, “I’ve seen this car online. It’s a limited edition model with a formidable price. One would only be able to look at it as a result. Rumor has it that there are less than ten of them in Jipsburg. Your friend is amazing. He’s able to lend such an impressive car to you.”
She was extremely jealous.
Skylar smiled and said that she knew little about cars. Then, she went upstairs with her colleague.
Just as she got ready to work, Alexander sent word that he would like to meet her.
Once Skylar met Alexander, he passed two pictures to her. He said, “Come take a look. This was given to me by one of my friends, Harry Solarius. He lives in Liberty County after retiring.
“Two years ago, he bought this overseas. Afterward, chaos befell his family. His children were involved in car accidents, and others fell sick. Coincidentally, I saw this painting hung on his wall. Could this painting have been the cause?”
“Alright, I’ll take a look at it.”
Skylar scrutinized the two pictures. Then, she shook her head and said, “There’s nothing wrong with the painting.”
ལ་ག་་མ་ནང་་
“Is there nothing wrong with the painting? Can you come to Liberty County and look at his house?”
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Many things had happened to Harry. He’d been busy in the past and did not have time to contact him. Recently, a series of weird happenings had occurred. Alexander felt like a puppetmaster of fate was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Without hesitation, Skylar agreed, “Alright. You can set a time for it.”
“That’s great. I’ll start making arrangements. If possible, we should make the trip by today. It takes around five hours to get there. We’ll be able to come back by tomorrow.”
Alexander immediately called his driver to set a time.
Skylar thought for a moment. Then, she called Joe. He must’ve been in a meeting and had muted his phone. He did not pick up.
Thus, she sent a message to Joe, saying, “I’ll be going to Liberty County to help Alexander with something. I’ll be back by tomorrow.”
Initially, she was going to ask him not to worry. After some thought, she believed that he wouldn’t worry about her anyway. She deleted that.
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Chapter 582
Indeed, Joe had been in a meeting. Half an hour through the meeting, he saw that Skylar had called and texted him. He glanced at the time and called her back
His call went through after a few seconds.
Joe asked, “I was in a meeting just now. Are you already heading there?”
As he spoke, she also heard the click of his lighter. Skylar said, “Yeah, we’ve set off already. We’re on the highway now.”
Joe flicked his lighter open. However, he didn’t light a cigarette. He merely looked down, a cold glint flickering in his eyes. He said, “When you get there, do te
“Alright.”
me.”
“Be careful,” Joe added.
Skylar’s eyelashes fluttered as she responded, “Alright, don’t worry. I’ll take care of myself.”
worry. I’ll take care of myself.”
The second she hung up, Skylar felt as though there was a hole in her heart. It was uncomfortable.
Alexander asked with a smile, “Was that Joe calling you?”
Skylar halted her train of thought. She replied, “Yeah. I was telling him that I wouldn’t be going home tonight. I was scared he’d be worried.”
Alexander nodded cheerily. He said, “Joe is a good kid. He’s pitiable as well. Only his Grandma truly pampered him growing up. Men tend to be hard–headed. Although Joe seems uncaring, he does value a select few. I can tell that he cares for you.”
Skylar added, “He’s good.”
At this age, Alexander was extremely perceptive. He could tell what they were going through at a glance. However, he did not point it out. They would only truly comprehend it once they went through it themselves.
It did not matter how much advice their elders gave. They would probably not be able to understand it
anyway.
They were a good pair. He would let them pave their own way, and then they would learn their lessons. A few hours later, they arrived in Liberty County. Although they were in a rural area, Harry lived in a mansion. It was like a mini estate, and it was the only one of its kind in the village.
There weren’t many people in the county. It made the estate seem even quieter.
It was a great place to retire. One could enjoy peace and focus on spiritual development here.
Many people chose to build mansions here after consulting divination masters.
Before stepping onto his estate, Skylar felt he’d chosen a good location to build his mansion. One relaxed easily there.
However, the second she stepped into the estate, Skylar felt her heart sink to the bottom of her stomach. A chill prickled over her skin.
Harry was a nice man.
On the way there, Alexander had told her about Harry’s background. He had five sons and two daughters.
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His three sons had fallen sick one after another in the past two years and were extremely weak. His other two sons were fine as they were overseas.
His two daughters had recently endured a string of terrifying ordeals. One moment, they were victims of a car accident; the next, they were nearly drowning after suffering severe cramps while swimming. It seemed danger was a constant, unwelcome guest in their lives.
Harry had been affected too. His body health had been deteriorating in the past few years. He needed a wheelchair to get around. If not, he would be panting desperately after a few steps.
Under such circumstances, Harry found himself in a weird situation. He’d asked divination masters to help him investigate.
They’d looked at his mansion and ancestral graves. There was nothing wrong with them, and multiple divination masters had agreed.
Harry could only dispel his supposition that this was the result of black magic. He thought of it as a coincidence.
Alexander hadn’t told Harry about who was coming. He was terrified that Harry would be disappointed by the outcome.
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Chapter 583
After all, Alexander wasn’t sure what was going on.
“I’ve lived here for many years. In the past few years, I’ve started to regret building such a great estate,” Harry reflected.
He wasn’t in a wheelchair today. He held a walking stick in hand.
Although he wasn’t walking very quickly, he began panting after a while.
Harry looked ten years older than Alexander when the former was younger than the latter.
Alexander’s heart was in agony. Harry used to be a handsome young man who was impulsive and reckless. It seemed like yesterday. While video calling, Alexander hadn’t felt anything much. Now that they’d met, sadness overcame him.
They had all grown old.
“It’s alright. The only problem is that there aren’t many people living here, which makes it seem big. The scenery here is excellent.”
Skylar looked around imperceptibly.
When they’d first met Harry, Alexander merely introduced her as his employee. Thus, no one was paying her much attention. She could scan her surroundings meticulously.
After entering his mansion, she observed the interior. There were all sorts of antiques on display.
Although Harry did not have many helpers in his house, he’d installed a security system and had guards on duty.
The people in Liberty County were honest people. No one dared to break in or do anything to them.
Skylar could tell that Harry was an avid collector.
Suddenly, Skylar’s eyes caught on a small antique. It was merely a small phoenix- shaped porcelain figurine. It wasn’t a modern piece.
Due to the vastness of the mansion and the number of things there, the figurine was easily overlooked.
“It’s just a small figurine. If you like it, you can take it,” Harry said kindly. He’d noticed Skylar’s gaze.
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It wasn’t worth much–rather cheap as a meeting gift. However, if she liked it, it would be worth more than its material value
Alexander immediately looked at the figurine. Then, he shot a questioning look at
Skylar.
She smiled at Harry and thanked him. Then, she refused it by saying, “This is an antique. It’s expensive. I can’t accept it.”
Then, she nodded at Alexander. This little figurine was the problem. It was easily ignored.
“Where did you buy this?” Alexander asked Harry.
Harry was about to say something. When he heard Alexander’s question, he replied with a smile, “Two years ago, I’d won that painting in an auction. My friend gifted it to me. It looked pleasing to the eye. I accepted it because I didn’t want to refuse his kindness.”
“A friend? Do I know him?” asked Alexander.
Harry did not think much of it. He answered, “Probably not. I hadn’t known him for long when he gave that to me. We got along well and won many things in an auction. Once I returned to the country, we lost contact.”
“So that’s what happened. He must’ve done so on purpose. He approached you on purpose just to give the porcelain figure to you,” Alexander said. His eyes narrowed as his expression turned somber.
Harry was dumbfounded. He asked, “What? Was it done on purpose? This figurine shouldn’t be worth much. Why did he get into trouble for doing this?”
Upon asking the question, an idea popped into his head, and his expression changed swiftly. He said, “Alexander, are you saying that there’s something wrong with this figurine? Has it caused all the misfortune that befell us in the last two years?”
“Right… It seems like everything began after I came back from overseas. Accidents happened one after another. I’ve asked numerous people to help me understand what’s happening, but none could tell. How did you figure it out?”
Alexander shook his head somberly and answered, “I wasn’t the one who figured it out. It was Skye. She’s been Viola’s apprentice since a young age.”
At the mention of Viola, Harry’s eyes widened.
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Chapter 584
Harry was shocked. “She’s Viola’s apprentice?”
More than a decade had passed since Viola had left Jipsburg. Even now, no one knew where she was. When he’d invited those divination masters to his house, he’d hoped Viola could come.
It was a pity none of them had news of Viola.
“Yes, I learned from Grandma Viola as a kid. However, I’ve only partially mastered her
skills.”
Harry nodded and said, “I can tell you’ve been an apprentice under her since you were young. Is this tiny figurine really the source of our misfortune?”
Skylar nodded and said seriously, “Indeed, this figurine is behind all that. It contains powerful black magic. It aims to murder the Solarius children.”
“What?” Harry stumbled backward.
Alexander caught him in time before he could fall.
Alexander’s face had paled too. He asked, “Is it more powerful than any artifact you’ve seen?”
“Yeah,” Skylar replied. She pulled a pair of gloves out from her bag and put them on. Then, she placed the phoenix figurine in her palm to scrutinize it.
If one didn’t look closely, they wouldn’t realize the mysterious patterns covering the figurine. It looked ominous, as though it were the symbol of an ancient curse.
Skylar’s expression changed. Her palm turned cold abruptly. Before she lost consciousness, she screamed a reminder, “Don’t touch it! Cover it with a box!”
As Skylar collapsed, the figurine slipped out of her palm.
Alexander and Harry exclaimed at the same time, “Skye!”
Joe had been checking through some files As he signed his name on a document, his heart squeezed painfully. He immediately frowned.
The pain lasted briefly before disappearing as though what had happened was an illusion.
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“Mr. Martin?”
One of the departmental heads had come in to pass Joe a document. When he saw Joe’s frown, his heart leaped into his throat. He stared at Joe nervously. Each time he came to see Joe was a test of his courage. With his anxiety, he felt like a heart attack was imminent.
Joe looked up at him. Then, he signed the document expressionlessly before passing it back to him.
His heart fell back into his chest. He’d been scared to death! Thankfully, there weren’t any problems.
After he walked out, Joe received a call. He glanced at the caller ID, only to find it was Alexander.
He accepted the call and greeted, “Mr. Gardner Senior.”
Shouldn’t he be with Skylar in Liberty County at Harry’s house? Why was Alexander calling him?
Joe furrowed his brows. He had a bad feeling about what was to come.
Chapter 585
Chapter 585
Alexander spoke in a hurried tone. When the call went through, he said immediately,” Come over as soon as possible. Something has happened to Skylar. I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect her. Come quickly. We’re in Liberty Hospital. Take Dr. Grey with you!”
Joe gripped his phone tightly, a serious expression on his face. He hung up immediately and called Paul over. At the same time, he asked Howard to set off for the highway.
Paul was extremely on edge on the way there. He looked at Joe, whose facial muscles were pulled taut. Then, he reported, “Liberty Hospital has sent news that Mrs. Martin is still unconscious. They can’t tell what’s wrong as their skills are limited. Considering her current condition, they’re nervous to transfer her to another hospital.”
No one had expected this to happen, and they were unprepared to deal with it. Alexander was still feeling guilty about it.
After multiple calls, Paul said, “Dr. Grey has entered the highway before us. He’s heading there already.”
Joe hummed in acknowledgment. He glanced at Lucas and questioned coldly, “Why are you driving so slowly?”
Lucas immediately stepped on the gas. The car was going so fast it seemed to be flying.
Paul observed Joe out of the corner of her eye. Joe’s concern meant that he had fallen for Skylar. However, he wouldn’t admit it.
That said, this wasn’t the time to think about such matters. Skylar was a kind person who had gone there to help. She had to be alright.
If Gloria found out, she wouldn’t be able to bear it.
At the same time, many specialists from different departments in Liberty Hospital had gathered around Skylar. Even the traditional medical practitioners in Liberty County had been invited. However, other than noting Skylar’s weak health condition, they saw no other issue.
Yet, Skylar’s face was ashen. No matter who called her, her expression–didn’t change. It was as though she’d fallen asleep.
Harry had sunk into self–blame. He lamented, “I’ve gotten Skylar into this. Look for people who might be able to help her. Wasn’t there a divination master in Liberty
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County? Ask him to come here!”
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Harry’s attendants immediately left the hospital room. They began making calls.
Alexander stared at Skylar with tears in his eyes. He said, “Skye is extremely kind. I merely asked her whether she’d be willing to come and take a look. She agreed without a second thought.
“Although she knew that it might be dangerous and it might harm her, she did not hesitate even once. I might not have been as fearless as her even in the height of my youth. Viola has raised her well!”
Only… If something happened to Skylar, he would be too embarrassed to meet Viola even if she returned. Alexander wouldn’t be able to give Gloria an explanation either! Alexander and Harry were panicking. Before Joe arrived, they tried all the methods they could come up with, and so did the medical personnel in the hospital. Yet, Skylar’s face seemed to pale even further, and her temperature dropped.
It was as though…
No one dared to vocalize their thoughts.
Harry reproached himself, “It’s all my fault. Why did I accept it? I remained cautious of others when I was young. Why do I believe in others the older I get? I’ve harmed Skylar. I don’t care about anything except the children
my old age.”
Alexander noticed that Harry had paled as well. He seemed exhausted and wrapped up in self–blame. Alexander sighed and consoled, “Don’t blame yourself for this. It’ll only damage your health. I believe Skylar will be fine. She’s kind and lucky.”
Harry exhaled harshly and replied, “How could I not blame myself? Skylar told us what to do until the last second before she fainted. She was terrified that we’d get hurt. Only then did I understand why misfortune had befallen my family. I have to find the man who hurt me!”
“Two years have passed. He must’ve gotten close to you with ulterior motives. He must’ve gone into hiding by now. You won’t be able to find him easily.”
Who was this fiend lurking in the darkness?
Right then, a dark figure swooped in. The wind rustled behind him.
Chapter 586
Chapter 586
Joe walked straight to Skylar’s bed.
Both Alexander and Harry knew him. They asked simultaneously, “Joe?”
Joe scrutinized Skylar. He’d never seen her so pale before. Her breathing was weak, as though…
Joe said to Howard, “Come over and take a look.”
Howard nodded and walked over somberly.
Joe took a step back. He then looked at Alexander and Harry. He greeted them, “Mr. Gardner Senior, Mr. Solarius Senior.”
Alexander said remorsefully, “I didn’t protect Skylar properly. That’s why she’s landed in this position.”
“It’s not Alexander’s fault. It’s mine. I was the cause of this,” Harry said hurriedly.
It wouldn’t be a smart move to blame others now.
In addition, Skylar had made the decision to come to Liberty County herself. Joe knew that Skylar wouldn’t blame it on them. They hated for this to happen as well,
Joe replied, “You don’t have to blame yourself. We should focus on ensuring Skylar wakes up soon.”
She’d fallen unconscious for no obvious reason. This was the largest hit to her health she’d suffered. It was much worse than anything she’d ever experienced.
Joe stared at Skylar, who lay in bed, unconscious. He said to himself, “She’ll be fine. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
Howard examined Skylar. Then, he looked at her medical history as well as a list of reports. His expression turned serious as he read.
Silence reigned in the ward. Everyone in the room looked at Howard.
Paul did not step forward. He merely looked in from outside. He could see Skylar from where he was standing.
Paul’s heart sank when he saw Skylar’s pale face. It was worse than he’d imagined!
How could those evil artifacts be so powerful? It had harmed her before they’d even had time to react!
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After a moment, Howard said to Joe, “Mr. Martin, let’s talk about this outside.”
Joe’s gaze hardened. He replied, “Alright.”
Alexander and Harry traded glances. They had a guess as to what was going on. Skylar wasn’t doing well.
In the corridor, Howard said lowly, “Mr. Martin, Skylar isn’t in good condition. Although nothing seems wrong with her, her body temperature is highly abnormal. No medical inteference can be done. Right now, she might as well be in a vegetative
state.”
Joe clenched his jaw. Then, he said, “Find a way to save her, no matter what that might be. Can I bring her back to Jipsburg?”
Once they returned to Jipsburg, he would do anything to save her.
Howard nodded and answered, “You can. However, you must be mentally prepared for what might happen on the way back. I’ve never encountered a patient like her.”
In the past, he’d never believed in black magic. Now, he found that his understanding of the topic was too superficial.
His medical expertise, which he took pride in, couldn’t explain Skylar’s condition. Howard couldn’t find the source of Skylar’s unconsciousness either. He felt helpless.
Joe remained silent as he stood in the corridor. Those few minutes seemed like a year to him.
Paul waited for Joe’s next instructions.
“Paul, get things ready. We’re taking Mrs. Martin back to Jipsburg,” Joe looked up and ordered.
“Alright! I’ll make the necessary preparations immediately,” replied Paul.
Then, Joe walked back into the ward. He sat by Skylar’s bed and watched her. She looked lifeless. A few minutes later, he looked at Alexander and Harry and said, “I’m taking her back to Jipsburg. Once she wakes up, she can return and settle what she hasn’t finished.”
Upon hearing Joe’s calm reassurance, Alexander and Harry calmed down after hours of panic.
Skylar would be fine. Joe wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Miracles could happen once they returned to Jipsburg.
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1/2 “Do be careful on the way home. Call me if anything happens. I’ll be returning to Jipsburg soon,” Alexander said.
He hadn’t been feeling much before Joe arrived, and now that Joe was here, he felt
rather weak.
Joe nodded in response.
They finished the paperwork needed for the transfer in a heartbeat. Although Joe had taken Skylar away, Alexander and Harry did not leave the hospital.
Rather, they remained in the hospital to get IV drips. They had been holding on for dear life just now. After Joe left, they broke down.
Harry looked at Skylar, who was lying in a hospital bed. He muttered, “Skye will be alright when she gets back to Jipsburg, right? Jipsburg is filled with talented people. They’ll find a way to wake her up. They definitely will.”
“Right, nothing will happen to Skylar. She’s a lucky person,” said Alexander resolutely while nodding feebly.
They said nothing more after that.
Both were exhausted, but they couldn’t sleep. The second they closed their eyes, Skylar’s collapse replayed before their eyes, and their hearts raced.
The ambulance cruised through the streets swiftly.
Joe’s eyes fell on Skylar, who was still unconscious. He pushed a few strands of hair out of her face.
Joe murmured, “Skylar, please wake up soon.”
Skylar would’ve been irked and started bantering with him, but she remained still. She did not react to his words as though deaf to the world.
Joe grasped her hand. It was as though he was holding on to a block of ice. He immediately tightened his grip around her palm, hoping that he’d eventually warm
her up.
However, it was all for naught. His palm was scorching. However, it wasn’t enough to warm her.
Joe’s expression froze.
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He pursed his lips. Joe said in a tone bordering on threatening, “You have to wake up, alright?”
Skylar remained motionless. She lay on the stretcher like a broken doll.
Although Joe’s body had begun to prickle with numbness, he remained bent over, staring at Skylar. It was as though he’d been frozen into his position.
They finally arrived at Jipsburg Hospital, where Skylar was relocated into a hospital room. Only then did Joe come to his senses,
All the specialists began checking over her. They labored through the night.
In the end, they merely hooked Skylar onto an IV drip. Nothing else happened. They needed to analyze a bunch of medical reports before they could find out the exact reason for her collapse.
Paul somberly told Joe, “Mr. Martin, you should return home to rest first. A caretaker will stay here to watch over Mrs. Martin. She’ll call you the second Mrs. Martin wakes up.
It was five in the morning. He’d been up all night.
“There’s no need for that. You should go home first. I’ll rest here,” Joe stated.
Paul glanced at the extra bed beside Skylar’s. That would work too.
“In that case, I’ll buy some breakfast for you. Some of the shops should be open at this hour,” Paul said.
Joe hummed in agreement.
Before leaving the room, Paul cast a worried glance at Skylar. Accidents were unpredictable, striking without warning. Just yesterday, she had been perfectly healthy. Now, she lay unconscious, her life hanging in the balance.
Three days later, the doctors came up with a conclusion.
“Mr. Martin, you should prepare yourself for this news. The patient might remain in a vegetative state for the rest of her life.”
Chapter 588
“What?” Paul was in disbelief. He couldn’t stop himself from exclaiming.
How did Skylar end up in a vegetative state?
She’d been alive and kicking a day ago. One trip to Liberty County, and she’d entered a vegetative state?
Had these doctors examined her properly? Had they thought of a proper treatment plan for her?
Paul immediately turned to Joe.
As he’d expected, Joe’s expression was frigid. He ordered, “Exhaust every method you can think of. You know that we’ll never accept this as her future.”
Robert Harrison, the head of Jipsburg Hospital, sighed deeply and replied, “We’ve compiled her medical reports and discussed this matter with experts overseas. They’ve all agreed that this is a problem that no one can solve. Mr. Martin, we càn only hope for a miracle now.”
He’d made clear that no one knew how to help Skylar.
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to save her. The patient was someone Joe cared about. They’d considered every possibility, but in the end, they found no viable option.
After all the doctors left, Paul immediately asked Joe, “Mr. Martin, should I contact hospitals overseas? Also… should I ask Mrs. Martin’s family to come over? They still don’t know Ms. Sullivan’s condition.”
There was also Gloria.
If they had kept this from Gloria, she might not have been able to bear it when she eventually found them out.
Two days ago, Alexander and Harry had returned from Liberty County. They felt another wave of self–blame when they heard that Jipsburg Hospital had found no way to save her.
They’d pleaded for help from many sources. The two of them also helped keep the news from Gloria.
Joe ordered coldly, “Please leave first.”
Paul froze in surprise. Then, he left the room swiftly.
Joe sat by the bed and looked down at Skylar. The room was completely silent.
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Suddenly, he heard the chime of a notification. Joe glanced over. It was Charles calling Skylar.
Skylar’s phone had been quiet for three days. No one called. This was the first incoming call.
Joe’s eyes shifted away from it after a brief look. He allowed the phone to keep ringing. He had no idea what to tell Charles.
Another call came in after the first one ended. It was still Charles.
Joe furrowed his brows.
At that moment, Joe heard a hoarse female voice squeak out beside him, “The phone
”
Surprise took over Joe’s features. He turned around to look at Skylar.
He watched as Skylar opened her eyes. Then, she narrowed her eyes again, perhaps because she couldn’t get used to the room’s brightness.
Skylar felt like her brain was lagging when she saw Joe before her. She said, “You…”
Her throat felt dry and scratchy. It was as though she’d been down with a major disease.
It was as though someone had hit a stop button over Joe. He stared at her in total
shock.
Skylar was dumbfounded by his gaze. She wanted to speak, but her throat hurt excruciating. When she tried to sit up, she found herself completely weak.
She could only stare at Joe.
When their eyes met in midair, Joe finally came to his senses.
Then, he stood up abruptly.
He strode toward the door and instructed Paul, “Get Dr. Stone, her main physician, to come over!”
Skylar’s main physician?
Skylar finally realized that something was off
Chapter 589
Skylar had recalled what happened before she collapsed. She hadn’t expected Alexander to call Joe. She was fine.
A flurry of activity filled the room as doctors swarmed around Skylar, subjecting her to a battery of tests. An hour later, the room emptied, and the hospital room fell silent once again.
Skylar seemed much better than when she first woke up.
Strength flowed back into her after a few sips of water and chicken soup.
“I merely fainted. It’s nothing serious.”
Asking so many doctors to come over was a waste of time.
If the other patients knew that all the doctors were with her, they would definitely have something to say about it. It was a total waste of resources.
Joe stared at Skylar silently.
Paul’s lips twitched. He said, “Mrs. Martin, you didn’t just faint. You’ve been unconscious for four days. Your temperature dropped as days went by. They ran countless tests on you but could find no reason for your unconsciousness.
“Two hours ago, they concluded that you might never wake up. You’d be in a vegetative state. This isn’t nothing. This is absolutely terrifying!”
“Four days? Have I been unconscious for that long?” Skylar was surprised.
That explained why Joe seemed dumbstruck by her waking up. The doctors had just been talking about some kind of miracle.
She was under the impression that she’d fainted briefly. Yet, four days had passed.
“Indeed, it has been long,” Joe stated lowly.
Skylar apologetically said, “I’m sorry for worrying you all.”
She hadn’t expected the black magic to eat her up, and at the time, she didn’t care much about it. Even before fainting, she thought about how Alexader and Harry should’ve handled the phoenix figurine.
If Skylar had known that she would be unconscious for such a long time, she would’ve told him not to worry about her.
“Steven called you just now. Would you like to call him back?”
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Joe handed her the phone, and Skylar reached out to take it. Their fingers touched, and Joe noticed her icy fingertips.
He asked Skylar immediately, “Are you feeling ill?”
Skylar was stunned by his question. She answered, “No, I’m feeling alright. I feel stronger now that I’ve had something to eat.
The doctor told her she would recover after two days of rest.
Why did Joe seem extremely nervous all of a sudden?
Joe’s brows remained furrowed. He held her hands tightly and said, “Your hands are still very cold.”
He glanced at Paul and ordered, “Call a doctor over.”
။
“There’s really no need for that. I’m alright. It’s normal to have cold hands, I touched the figurine, and I just needed some time to recover. Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Skylar insisted. She tried to stop Joe from doing so.
Joe gazed at her deeply. Then, he said, “Alright.”
Skylar glanced at Joe, who was still holding her hand. She reminded, “I’ll call Steven now.”
C
S
“Let’s head out first. We should inform Mr. Gardner Senior and Mr. Solarius Senior.” Joe nodded. He walked out with Paul.
Skylar sighed in relief once the door shut behind him.
Joe had looked at her as though she was someone important to him, whom he’d lost
and then regained. She needed to hold herself together with all her might to prevent herself from getting lost in his eyes.
छ
Skylar didn’t know how long she could protect herself from the extremely charismatic Joe. Her imagination had started to run wild.
She inhaled. Then, Skylar called Steven.
“Steven, I was busy just now.”
Steven said, “Mom just called me just now. She said that you were renting with someone. As she hasn’t visited you before, she wants to see you during dinnertime and have a meal together. She asked me for your address.
“I found an excuse and said that I was busy. I’d said I would send her your address when I was done. Skylar, I don’t think I can keep this from Mom anymore. You need to take Joe to meet her.“.
after waking up. Only then did she realize that she was in the Hospital.
hapter 590
Skylar’s heart raced. She said, “Steven, I have a few pressing matters. that need handling. Joe is rather busy as well. We don’t have time to visit Mom for now. Could you help me think of a reason to dissuade Mom from coming to see me?”
“Alright, I’ll come up with something. However, you can’t avoid this for long. How are you and Joe getting along?”
The undeniable truth was that Steven had gotten hurt by Annie. However, he’d overlooked something. He’d gotten hurt, but what about Skylar?
Would this affect her relationship with Joe?
Skylar’s eyes darted toward the door. Then, she hummed gently and said, “We’re getting along quite well. Don’t worry about us, Steven.
“Alright. I’ve broken things off with Annie entirely. She won’t be
causing any more trouble. This had nothing to do with anyone else. I was too trusting. Although occasional hints revealed her true colors, K consciously ignored them.
“Skylar, stick together with Joe, alright? We’ll go through all sorts of challenges throughout our lifetime. It’s impossible to live a life of perpetual peace.”
Skylar felt her heart skip a beat. Suddenly, she found an answer to the problem that had been gnawing at her. In the past, she’d been too paranoid.
“Yep, got it.”
After they ended their call, Skyar opened her Instagram. There were no important messages.
Natalie and Austin were filming. They had probably been busy.
Charter 540
Occasionally, they sent her a few pictures. Caleb had also sent her a few photos of his overseas trip.
Her lack of response didn’t faze them; they knew she was probably busy.
Skylar then looked at her Amazon store. Janine could handle them by
now.
She’d posted an announcement that she’d be busy and wasn’t accepting appraisal requests as a result.
Skylar was relieved after looking through all of that.
Just as she put her phone down, the door opened. Alexander and Harry walked in. Tears welled up in their eyes upon seeing her.
“You’re alright. That’s great. Skye, you’ve terrified us for the past few days. It’s such a relief that you’re alright,” said Alexander.
Harry added, “If anything happened to you, I would blame myself to death. I wouldn’t have the guts to even meet Viola.”
In the face of Alexander and Harry’s concern, Skylar said hurriedly,” I’m alright now. Stop worrying, you both. It’s my fault for not telling you before I fainted. I’m too young, and I wasn’t experienced enough. That’s why the artifact injured me.”
“You’re impossible. Why are you blaming yourself for this?” Harry didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
He could see why Viola had passed her skills on to Skylar. She deserved it for her exemplary character.
Alexander looked back at Joe, who’d followed them in. He asked, ” What did the doctors Bay? I’ll pay for all the expenses incurred by her hospital stay.”
“The doctor said she needs to be hospitalized for a few more days. Then, she’ll be fit for discharge,” Joe replied,
Chapter 500
He would pay for his wife’s hospital stay. After all, Jipsburg Hospital belonged to the Martins.
Alexander was their elder. Joe wouldn’t allow him to shoulder the
costs.
“That’s great,” Harry said. He nodded in relief. Then, he turned to Alexander to complain, “I’ve already said that I’ll be paying for it. Why are you trying to take that from me? What, do you think that I’m penniless just because I live in Liberty County?”
Harry felt bad if he couldn’t do anything for her.
Although Skylar had woken up, she was still extremely pale.
Skylar watched as they fought with each other to take responsibility for her. Then, she switched the topic and said, “Mr. Solarius Senior, have you handled the figurine as I’ve instructed you to?”
“Yes, of course. I’ve put it away like you told me,” Harry said, nodding.
Skylar’s expression was somber. After a few moments of silence, she said, “Once I recover, I’ll draw a talisman for you. Stick it onto the figurine. Then, hand it to me. I’ll deal with it.”
She was still capable of handling it as it wasn’t an emerald statue. In addition, it was a tiny figurine that had been forgotten by Harry. If he’d admired and caressed it every day, she wouldn’t be able to reverse the damage done.
Harry would perish like Alexander’s friend. She would be powerless to help.
