Chapter 61
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Chapter 61
Skylar had a second chance at life. There was nothing for her to be afraid of.
She had her family and friends backing her up. So, she wasn’t afraid of burning bridges.
She suppressed the pain within her heart and said her last word. “I was blinded to have wanted to get in your good books, Mrs. Williams. You don’t deserve to be my mother.”
Sadie stared at the phone after she was hung up on. Her ears were ringing.
For some reason, Skylar’s words kept replaying in her head. She said that she didn’t deserve to be her
mother?
She was Jeffrey’s wife. She was a reputable person within Jipsburg City. Her three sons were outstanding achievers in their respective fields, while her daughter, Maisy, was magnificent and beautiful.
All she did was look down upon and rebuke Skylar, who was mistakenly adopted. Yet, she now claimed she didn’t deserve to be her mother?
If this happened before, Sadie wouldn’t have been bothered by what Skylar said. But, right then, Sadie felt
disturbed.
Maisy noticed the frown on Sadie’s face and became anxious. “Mom, is Skylar refusing to apologize and let this go? Does she still hate me even though Christopher has already given his side of the story?
“If it doesn’t work out, I will just admit to everything. Then, I’ll seek shelter overseas and let her come back home again.”
“Forget about her. She’s still stubborn and refusing to change. Let your brothers work on having this issue die down as soon as possible. Let’s not make such a fuss with Skylar,” Sadie said, frowning.
Deep down, Maisy was shocked. What did Skylar say earlier? Why was Sadie trying to smooth things over
with her?
Sadie didn’t even turn down the idea when she offered to apologize and leave the country. She didn’t have a go at Skylar, either. Instead, she just said not to make such a fuss with her.
She wanted to not make a fuss? How could this be?
Without Sadie realizing it, Maisy messaged her three brothers.
“Skylar called earlier. She’s still refusing to apologize. She was also rude toward Mom. I feel like all these happened because of me, so I should be the one to end it. Maybe I should just yield and admit that what Skylar said was right.”
Peter: “You can’t do that, Maisy. She was the one who was wrong, so she should be punished.”
Kenny: “Leave this to us. Don’t be afraid.”
Samuel: “It’s so annoying to have Skylar as a sister!”
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A smile of satisfaction came across Maisy’s face when she saw their replies. She gave it some thought
before she also made a post.
It was a photo of her not knowing whether to laugh or cry, with the caption, “Truth will speak for itself.”
Within a few minutes, a bunch of followers commented with their support and trust toward her.
She’d like to see what else Skylar had up her sleeve!
Ten minutes later, Maisy had put on a sheet mask chirpily. She planned to go shopping with some friends
later.
All she had to do was act miserable, and her brothers would be able to settle the issue. Plus, Skylar’s hands were tied. She wouldn’t be able to create a stir.
Even if someone else discovered the videos, their PR team would be able to cover up the truth behind it. She didn’t have anything to worry about.
Just then, Kenny messaged their group. The tone of his message sounded urgent.
“Samuel, did the company’s PR team even do their job right? Why is there so much negative news against Maisy on the internet? Wait a second, this video…”
“Maisy, you spent the night with Christopher at a hotel?
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40 minutes later, Skylar arrived at the police station. She had just parked and was about to get out of her
car when Steven called.
“Where are you now, Skye?”
“I’m at the parking lot in front of the police station. I was just about to go in to make a report. What’s up,
Steven?” Skylar asked.
Sounding relieved, he said, “Put a hold on your visit to the station. Many videos have just been released on the internet. They’re more complete than the ones you have.
“There are clips of Christopher and Maisy going to the hotel. Some even showed them going on dates at various restaurants. People who claimed to be your high school classmates also spilled the beans. It’s now the most–searched topic on the Internet.
“Someone also revealed that you were being falsely reported and banned from posting on social media. We have the upperhand. They should be the ones running around like headless chickens now.”
Skylar ended the call with Steven and checked on the news immediately.
Indeed, the most–trending topic had changed. All sorts of mindblowing scoops overwhelming the falsehoods Maisy and the others had spread.
had
appeared,
Could it be that these people hated to see the ugly side of these capitalists having control over the online comments, so they decided to step forward to see justice served?
There were similar voices last night, but they were all subdued by the Williamses.
The internet trolls would never have allowed these voices to be louder than theirs. So, how were they able to pop up like this?
Just as Skylar tried to wrap her head around all these, her phone rang. It was Natalie.
“Skye, I’m not sure if it was because I found a few schoolmates to share their statements, but it worked,” Natalie’s voice came from the other end.
She continued, “The internet trolls that the Williams family hired can no longer keep the truth under wraps. Justice will always be served. Maisy’s righteous–sounding statement is such a joke.
“Also, you had so many pursuers back in university. I never had a good impression of Christopher when he went to our university to see you. It turns out that he’s really such an ass.
*He also released a statement saying that you accused Maisy out of jealousy. I really wish that I could slap him a few times!
“It’s almost been a month since we last met, right? You just got back to the Williams family when I tried to meet you the last time, and you said that you weren’t free.
“Then, you were often unwell from having to donate blood. I’m sure you’ve got some free time now, don’t you, Skye?”
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Skylar laughed. “We have plenty of time in the future. Go ahead and decide on a place. It’ll be my treat”
There was a slight glimmer from the tears in her eyes. Because of the Williams family, she lost out on meeting with her friends and family in her previous life.
That would no longer be the case moving forward.
“It’s my husband’s birthday today. I just cooked an entire meal for him and am waiting for him to come back. Let’s meet at 6:00 pm tomorrow. We’ll go to our regular stew restaurant. Then, I’ll take you somewhere that’ll completely surprise you.”
“I can’t believe that our Natty has become such a dutiful wife,” Skylar joked.
“I might be a dutiful wife today, but I’ll be your understanding friend tomorrow. I’m definitely not someone who cares only for my husband.”
After ending the call with Natalie, Skylar drove to a street with antique shops.
Steven’s friends were going crazy in their group chat after he spoke with Skylar.
“Steven, did you guys find a fucking awesome PR team?”
“This comeback is fucking great. The Williamses‘ PR team couldn’t even react in time.”
“Plus, they were really quick in finding all the evidence!”
“When did you become acquainted with such fucking amazing people? You were just discussing with us for a solution yesterday. Then, you managed to find the right people today. Working things out without even saying a word, were you?”
Steven stared at the messages that were flooding the group. He frowned as he typed his reply.
I
“It wasn’t me. I don’t think this is a comeback that anyone orchestrated. My sister and I aren’t acquainted with any PR teams that are this great.”
If they were, he wouldn’t have to lose sleep from all that worry last night.
That’s impossible. I work in public relations. Majority of the posts were by verified accounts. There were also all kinds of paid media and the evidence was posted by many. I know very well that all these indicate sufficient preparation.”
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“Plus, it all happened too fast. One hour ago, the Williamses were still in control of the entire situation. It’s only been tens of minutes. Look at what it has become. The Williamses must be losing their nerve.”
“A speed like this is comparable with Martin Group’s PR team’s work.”
Steven didn’t know what to say. As he read the comments on the screen and went through his friends! analyses, his eyebrows knitted even tighter together.
He thought about how Skylar had remained calm throughout. Also, he had no idea where she had been staying since leaving Williams Residence.
Could it be…
Was her head in a mess thanks to Christopher’s lies and betrayal? Did she end up finding some backing.
as a result?
Also, Janine told him that Skylar had given her money.
After working hard for many years, Steven knew what a bad influence society could bring. Furthermore, Skylar was a natural beauty. Recently, she was deceived by Christopher and oppressed by the Williams. family.
Would she…
Steven jumped to his feet.
His colleagues next to him were shocked to see how fierce he looked. “Calm down, Steven, Kenny has some history here at Jipsburg City. We really don’t have any evidence of him stealing your research paper.
Why don’t we write a new one? It wouldn’t do you any good to go against him.
“Everyone now knows that he stole your paper. He wouldn’t dare to come against you so blatantly in the
future. If it wasn’t for the connections that his family had, he couldn’t have been accepted in the company.
Steven’s face dropped. He looked at his colleagues and said, “I don’t plan on meeting him again. He might
be able to steal my paper, but he can’t steal my execution. He won’t be able to handle it when he works on
his experiment.”
“You scared me! I thought that you were going to get even with him?” His colleagues breathed a sigh of
relief.
Steven picked up his phone again to call Skylar up. But he stopped himself.
All he had right now was guesswork.
He decided to ask Skylar out/after work so that he could clarify things with her face–to–face.
Joe was at Martin Group. He took a quick glance at his phone after his meeting ended.
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Gloria had tried calling him earlier, but his phone was on silent. He didn’t realize she called.
He called her back.
“Any reason you were looking for me, Grandma?”
“What? Do I need a reason to call my grandson? Can’t I call you even when nothing has happened?” Gloria grunted.
Joe could hear the energy in her voice as she questioned him. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course, you can call me any time, Grandma.”
“You don’t have to come to the hospital today. A few of my old friends have come to visit with their great- grandchildren. You might embarrass me if you bump into them here,” Gloria said.
I
Joe was used to hearing all sorts of complaints about him. So, he obliged. “Alright, I won’t go over then.”
“You should just ask Skye to the hot springs. It’s a good opportunity for you two to stay a night at our family’s hot spring hotel and get to know one another better.
“It’ll be even better if you can create my future great–grandchild tonight so that I can show them off next year,” Gloria suggested.
Joe frowned. “I’m swamped with work today, Grandma.”
“Did Martin Group hire a bunch of trash? You’re turning 30 soon. Why aren’t you getting down to business yet?” Gloria questioned.
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Joe was speechless.
In the end, he could only say, “I’ll ask her. If she’s also occupied, we’ll go next week.”
“Yes, go ahead and ask her. She seems to be having a lot on her mind lately. She needs to relax. As her husband, you need to care more for her. Do you understand 7 Gloria reminded him, her tone filled with
worry.
“Okay.”
After ending the call with Gloria, Joe first went to check the news about Skylar on the Internet.
Once he ascertained that there were no flaws with Paul’s execution, he called Skylar.
The line was busy. Joe put his phone down.
A few minutes later, Skylar called him back.
“Did you just call me, Mr. Martin?”
“Grandma is meeting a few friends at the hospital today. She arranged for us to go to the hot springs. I’ll pick you up if you’re free tonight,” Joe replied in his naturally cold voice.
Skylar was able to hear a hint of reluctance in his voice. She was sure that Gloria was the one who forced him to ask her out.
Going to the hot springs was usually reserved for going with one’s best friends or intimate partner. It was no wonder that Joe was reluctant.
“Someone just asked me out earlier. I’ve already agreed to meet him. I’m sorry,” Skylar replied.
That was a fact. She happened to be on the phone with Steven when Joe called her earlier.
He asked her out for dinner that night, saying they hadn’t caught up in a long time. Plus, Christopher and Maisy’s issue had already come to an end.
e evidence had
Maisy and the rest of the Williams family wouldn’t be able to do anything funny after all the been presented. So, he suggested that they meet up and have a chat.
Joe listened to Skylar’s reason for turning him down over the phone. He frowned and said, “Okay. I’ll let Grandma know.”
“Thank you, Mr. Martin.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Skylar hung up. Joe lowered his head and looked at his phone. The look in his eyes intensified.
She didn’t want to go to the hot springs with him?
Deep down, a sudden feeling of gloom came over him.
He tugged at his necktie and threw his phone aside. He then picked up a proposal from a pled documents beside him and looked through it.
He didn’t have to go to the hot springs and waste his time. This was exactly the outcome that he wantes
The Williams family was in chaos. Jeffrey and Peter wererit around. Only Kenny and Samuel had gone
home.
They held their phones in their hands as they questioned Maisy.
Sadie sprawled on the sofa. She was slowly returning to her senses after spacing out for an hour
Maisy’s eyes filled with tears as she stared at Kenny and Samuel. She acted as if the had been extremely
wronged.
“It’s true that I was falsely accused. I don’t know these people. The person in the videos isn’t me
Most of the exposés on the photo were saying that it was true.
Photos of Maisy and Christopher going to a hotel were captured, but there were no photos of her and Christopher in bed.
As long as there were no photos of them in bed, there was no proof that they had slept together.
“Are you sure it’s not you, Maisy?” Sadie searched up the photos and videos on the internet repeatedly. The more she looked at them, the colder her heart became.
Maisy had thought of her excuses.
“It really isn’t me, Mom. I’m sure they’ve messed with it and used Al to create deepfakes. Mom, I feel like Skylar had planned this all along. She planned to break up with Christopher, then planned how to deal with me. She had planted all these people beforehand.”
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If no one helped Skylar, how did the sentiments on the internet change so quickly?
Malsy figured that she had underestimated Skylar,
She assumed that Skylar was smitten with Christopher. Even if she argued with him, it would be minor.
By the looks of it, it seemed like Skylar had already found a backing.
Kenny frowned.
Upon hearing what Malsy said, Samuel had a sudden realization.
He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, “I underestimated Skylar. She was able to turn the tables within an hour. This means that she has found an exceptionally rich backing! Otherwise, how could she turn the tables with only those videos, photos, and her so–called high school classmates?”
“That’s not surprising, since she does have the looks.” Kenny looked glum.
The matter had caused their family utter humiliation.
“I believe that Maisy would never have eyes for Christopher. Skylar must’ve been the one who was jealous that we favored Maisy more. So, she became conceited and wanted to mess with her.
I
“Speaking of which, I think that she won’t be able to really take Maisy down,” Samuel shared his insights
with a frown.
Sadie looked at Kenny and Samuel, then at Maisy. She hesitated.
Was it really deepfake AI?
Her doubt only lasted momentarily. Maisy was a child whom she raised. Moreover, once she saw Maisy’s. pitiful face, she thought, “How could she be lying?”
So, did that
that mean that Skye really found a financial backer? How could she let herself go and find herself a sugar daddy?
Sadie felt uneasy.
“Samuel, have the PR team think of a win–win solution. Also, tell them to be mindful of Skye.” Sadie spoke
up after some thought.
Maisy was stunned. She looked at Sadie in surprise.
Was she beginning to care about Skylar now?”
Maisy nodded and cried. She acted as if she was being thoughtful toward Skylar and Sadie.
“That’s right. She found a financial backer and she has some misunderstanding with us now. Mom is also very worried about us. We should find a solution that works for both parties and let this thing come to an
end.”
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“Maisy is still the more mature one,” Sadie sighed.
With a gloomy expression on his face, Kenny remarked, “If she really found a sugar daddy, I’ll never acknowledge her as my sister. What an embarrassment! How could a Williams stoop so low as to have a sugar daddy?”
Maisy sighed, “He’s someone who’s able to have so much influerice in Jipsburg City and resolve this issue with such speed. Skylar’s sugar daddy… I’m afraid… I’m afraid that he’d be around Dad’s age.”
Maisy rolled her eyes and started speculating in spite.
He was surely an elderly man.
“Something like this is common in the entertainment industry. Even men without much family background could become sugar babies, let alone women who are somewhat attractive. But, it really is disgusting to know that something like this is happening near us.”
Samuel, too, looked upset.
Previously, Sadie was still feeling bad for Skylar. However, she seemed to have been grossed out after hearing her children’s comments.
“It hasn’t been long since she returned. Yet, she was able to cause so much trouble,” she grumbled.
“There’s a way!” Samuel fixed his eyes on his phone.
The troubled look on his face disappeared after he saw the solution given by the PR department.
It was 7:00 pm. Steven had arrived at a barbecue restaurant along a food street ten minutes earlier. He placed orders for meat skewers and drinks.
When Skylar arrived, the roasted meat skewers had just been served.
She caught a whiff of the barbecued meat and began to salivate.
Back when she was in high school, Steven studied at the university. He would work hard and live thriftily. Once he had saved up some money, he would take her, Charles and Harvey to a barbecue restaurant.
The food was reasonably priced and tasty.
“I was just craving barbecue. You really get me, Steven.”
Steven grinned as he watched Skylar eyeing the food with greed. He concealed the worry and suspicion
in his eyes.
“Hurry up and sit down then. Have the skewers while they’re still hot. I ordered quite a lot today, so I’m sure there’ll be more than enough for you.
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“If only Harvey wasn’t about to have his college entrance exams. I would have gotten him to join us,”
Steven said.
He looked at Skylar and realized how much she had grown. Suddenly, he was filled with a sense of pride.
He was also reminded of his youngest brother.
Skylar sat down. “His college entrance exams will end in a month. Our entire family should go on a holiday. I’ve earned some money from restoring antique art recently. I’ll be in charge of our family vacation this time.”
“Did you learn how to restore antique paintings from Grandma Viola?” Steven asked. He wasn’t surprised.
When they were in the countryside, many of their neighbors said that Skylar often read books at Viola’s house. They weren’t sure if she even understood what was written in the books.
He had been to Viola’s home and seen that she would sometimes work with some broken porcelain pieces.
When he went over again the next time, some of those broken pieces were restored into various antique porcelain.
Furthermore, Viola was skilled at drawing. Even though he left the countryside earlier to pursue his high school studies, he could tell that she wasn’t an average elderly woman living in the countryside.
That said, for some reason, he had never asked Skylar what she learned from Viola.
None of their neighbors had questioned, either.
It was erhaps due to the air of intimidation around Viola. No one would ask about anything she wasn’t willing to discuss.
By the looks of it, Viola might have passed her skills down to Skylar,
“Yeah, Grandma Viola taught me a lot of things. I was just unable to look for restoration work previously. Not long ago, Grandma Viola wrote me a letter. She told me that I could start doing restoration work on vintage items.” Skylar shared openly.
Steven nodded in delight. “You’ve grown up, Skye.
“How have you been, Steven? I heard about someone stealing your research paper when we spoke on the phone before. Has this been resolved?” Skylar asked, concerned.
Steven’s eyes quivered. “It has. Don’t worry.”
Skylar noticed the change in Steven’s gaze. She remained calm and smiled. “This barbecue restaurant is good. They grilled the meat really well.”
Steven gazed at Skylar with a loving and gentle look in his eyes.
Not long after, only a few meat skewers were left on the table.
Skylar rubbed her belly and commented, “I’m stuffed.”
It was indeed more freeing to dine with family. She didn’t have to watch her table manners when she ate. “I’m really full too. Here, have some fruit juice.” Steven offered as he handed her a glass of juice.
With a few gulps, Skylar drank half a glass of fruit juice. The greasiness in her mouth melted away with the juice.
Skylar was satiated. She smiled at Steven and asked, “Did you have something to ask me, Steven?”
Steven and Skylar had grown up together. They knew each other very well. She had realized his hesitation when she arrived at dinner earlier.
Steven laughed. “You’ve always been quick–witted. There’s really not much that I can hide from you. I do have something I wanted to ask you.”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
Steven stayed quiet for a moment before saying. “This morning, they still had the upper hand over the issue between you, Maisy, and Christopher. And they were in control of the online sentiments.
“After that, everything changed in just an hour. Many verified accounts showed up. If not for someone paying them heftily, they would’ve never voiced out their opinions so easily. Tell me, Skye, who’s helping you?”
Skylar was stunned. “I didn’t ask anyone for help.”
She was in front of the police station this morning when she found out that things had taken a turn for the bette At that time, she did feel that it was rather odd.
However, the call from Natalie had interrupted her thoughts. She hadn’t thought too much about it after that.
“You didn’t ask anyone for help?” That didn’t make Steven feel relieved. In fact, his heart felt even heavier. Not only did Skylar have a lot on her mind lately, but she might’ve also come across some problems.
Skylar shook her head. “I didn’t.”
Steven took a deep breath silently. Maybe he was the one overthinking it. He had watched Skylar grow up. He knew very well what her personality was like.
She was kind yet strong. She wouldn’t be defeated by challenges so easily, and she wouldn’t do anything that would cost her personal life.
might’ve been the Williamses‘ business competitor who wanted to seize this opportunity to subdue them.” Steven guessed.
However, for Skylar, someone else came to mind.
Could it have been Joe?
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But she quickly dismissed that thought.
Joe was wary of her in the first place. He didn’t even have a good impression of her. If anything were to happen to her, it would become a good opportunity for him to declare to Gloria that she didn’t deserve to be her granddaughter–in–law.
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How could Joe possibly help her?
But business was like war. The Williams family had been dominating Jipsburg for years. It wasn’t surprising that they’d unintentionally offended some people along the way.
“You’re really lucky. Someone’s targeting the Williams family at just the right moment,” Steven remarker!
Skylar found Steven’s analysis convincing
It didn’t matter if they couldn’t figure out who was behind it. The favorable outcome was all that mattered.
As the two shared a smile, Paul captured their candid moment. He was dining in the building across the street.
Paul had plans with college friends that day, so he came to an old store for a barbecue. However, he hadn’t expected to see Skylar with a man at a restaurant.
Though the man had his back turned, Paul could tell he was probably handsome. Otherwise, Skylar wouldn’t be smiling so brightly and naturally at him.
After a brief internal struggle, Paul decided to send the photos to Joe. After all, Joe paid his bills, and Gloria had asked him to keep an eye on Joe and Skylar.
She even asked him to play matchmaker if the opportunity arose.
Paul felt like this was his chance. He wondered if Joe would feel jealous seeing Skylar smile so radiantly at another man.
Upon closer inspection, the man didn’t seem like someone infatuated with Skylar.
Without hesitation, Paul selected a few photos and sent them to Joe.
Joe had just arrived at Galaxy Villa. He hadn’t even changed his shpes when he heard the notification sound on his phone.
Pulling out his phone, he saw the photos Paul had sent. In the bustling crowd, a beautiful woman was smiling warmly at the man across from her.
It was a smile Joe had never seen before.
It exuded a hint of coyness as well as a sense of dependence. It gave the impression that being looked at by her made everything seem wonderful.
Joe’s gaze suddenly turned cold as he shifted his focus to the man. Who was he?
At that moment, Paul eagerly waited with his phone in hand. With just one word from Joe, he could determine whether Joe had feelings for Skylar or not.
Just then, he saw that Skylar and the man were about to leave. He finally saw the man’s face.
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He was shocked, for the man was just as attractive as Joe. He looked handsome and dignified. He was also very protective of Skylar.
Just as a
drunk person stumbled past Skylar, seemingly about to bump into her, the man immediately stepped in to shield her and held her close under his arm.
Paul quickly snapped a few more photos. He even recorded a video of the two leaving together.
Their height difference made them the perfect match.
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Joe watched the video.
I
In the footage, Skylar and the man seemed incredibly at ease with each other, even more so than the
photos suggested.
Frowning, Joe replied, “Seems like you have a lot of free time.”
Reading Joe’s reply, Paul felt his heart sink to his stomach. He had the urge to reply that he wasn’t free at
He realized that Joe probably didn’t like Skylar. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so indifferent.
Suddenly, he felt like he was about to be sent to the frontier. He vowed never to probe Joe again.
But was Skylar also not too concerned about whether Joe had feelings for her?
Joe loosened his tie forcefully, causing one of his shirt buttons to fall to the ground.
He glanced at the fallen button before picking it up. The finely crafted button shimmered under the light in
his palm.
As he fiddled with it, he checked his watch. It was 8:10 pm.
His eyes, already devoid of much emotion, grew even colder.
After leaving the restaurant, Skylar was about to part ways with Steven.
Just as she said goodbye, Steven got straight into her car. “I’ll see you off at your home first, then I’ll head
back to my dorm.”
“It’s almost 8:00 pm. Let me drop you off first, Skylar said as she was about to start her car.
Steven’s expression darkened. He looked at Skylar seriously. “I’ve spent the most time with you since we
were kids. I can tell when something’s bothering you, Skye. Did something happen?”
Today, it was just the two of them. Steven could tell if Skylar had something on her mind.
These days, Skylar seemed to have become a different person. The sadness and loneliness she
emanated suffocated him. It was the kind of suffocation he would feel when he found out that his dear
little sister was bullied behind his back.
Skylar knew Steven was worried about her.
Gripping the steering wheel, she wanted to tell him about her wedding, but then she remembered her covert marriage agreement with Joe.
After a few minutes of hesitation, she said, “I got married.”
“Married?” Steven was shocked.
He knew that Skylar had just broken up with Christopher, so how did she end up marrying someone so quickly?
He wondered what Skylar had been through during this time.
wasn’t usually so impulsive.
“With whom? How old is he, and what does he do? How did you two meet?”
He bombarded Skylar with questions. He worried that she might have been hurt by Christopher and ended up being deceived by some untrustworthy guy in her vulnerability.
Skylar answered earnestly, “It’s someone Grandma Gloria introduced to me. We got together after careful
consideration, but I can’t bring him to meet you guys.
“He has a stable job, and he’s five years older than me. Although it was a flash wedding, he treats me
quite well.”
“So you married him before falling for him? Skye, have you been reading too many novels? Are you so confident that you’ll fall for him?” Steven’s face turned completely dark.
He really wanted to meet this man and find out what kind of spell he had cast on Skylar to make her rush into marriage like this.
“I haven’t thought about that. Novels are just novels, and I’m not the female lead. We’re just… living together, nothing more. Don’t worry, Steven. I’ve experienced more than enough. I know what I’m doing.” After Skylar finished speaking, she started the car.
Without hesitation, Paul sent the photos and video to Joe again. They were sure to shake things up.
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Steven still looked grim. “Did that guy buy this car for you?”
Skylar was still so young. How could she just live with any random man?
The thought of her possibly being heartbroken because of Christopher made Steven’s heart ache. He couldn’t suppress the urge to go and beat Christopher to a pulp.
“I bought it myself. Our family’s life will improve from now on,” Skylar said.
Steven frowned. New energy vehicles like this probably cost over ten thousand dollars. Skylar had been doing restoration work recently and could indeed earn some money.
“Are you living together with him?”
“Yeah, at his place,” Skylar said as she looked ahead at the bustling traffic. Suddenly, she felt a weight lift
off her chest.
Steven fell silent and didn’t speak for 30 minutes.
As they neared his staff dormitory, he finally spoke up. “Skye, find a chance for me to meet him.”
“I’ll arrange for you to meet him after some time. But don’t tell Mom and Peter about my marriage yet.. They’ll definitely worry.”
Skylar’s eyes flashed in hesitation. Let Joe meet Steven? He probably wouldn’t agree to meet her family.
She knew her place. Her relationship with Joe was only bound by a paper agreement.
When the car stopped, Steven sighed heavily. “Does he treat you well?”
“Yeah, but he’s just a bit… aloof.” Skylar chose her words carefully.
“Being aloof might not always be a bad thing. It’s better than Christopher’s sweet talk,” Steven said, feeling slightly relieved.
When he got out of the car, he was still worried. “Skye, tell me if anything happens.”
“I will,” Skylar obediently replied.
Christopher scratched his already messed–up hair vigorously as he read the endless stream of rumors. online at his home. He almost crushed his phone in his hand.
When he asked Maisy, she said they were trying to figure things out.
He regretted it deeply. He shouldn’t have issued any statements. There were tens of thousands of comments cursing him under his post.
Although the buzz had died down somewhat due to the Williams family’s suppression, he had been fired from work.
Chuote 69
Suddenly, Amelia called. “Chris, is what they’re saying online true? Are you dating Malsy?”
Christopher’s eyes were bloodshot. “Mom, w–we’re not really dating.”
“I remember you saying before that although Skylar has returned to her biological family, they don’t seem to like her. They like Maisy instead, right?” Amella asked.
“Yeah, what about it? I’m really frustrated right now. Can I talk to you tomorrow when I go to the hospital? Christopher scratched his head again.
*Since Skylar is so ungrateful and even exposed you online, why don’t you take this opportunity to really date Maisy? Try to get into the Williamses‘ company. By then, you’ll work for their company as their son–in- law. With your abilities, their company will even be yours eventually.
Amelia had lofty expectations. In her eyes, no one could compare to Christopher.
There was suddenly a glimmer of hope in Christopher’s bloodshot eyes. “You reminded me…”
Skylar returned to Galaxy Villa at 10:00 pm.
The lights were still on inside. It seemed that Joe had come back earlier.
She was about to go upstairs when she saw Joe sitting on the couch. He had a steaming cup of tea in his
hand.
A faint scent of herbs wafted into her nose.
Chapter 70
It must be the tea bag she gave Joe yesterday.
“Mr. Martin,” Skylar greeted him as she was about to go upstairs.
Joe glanced at her.
When Skylar met his cold eyes, she felt he was slightly off that day.
Or maybe not. He was usually this cold and distant.
“Could you do me a favor?” Joe asked.
Skylar was surprised. “What favor?” She hadn’t expected him to seek her help voluntarily.
Seeing his frown, she wondered if something was really bothering him.
She walked over.
“I have a headache. The massage you gave me at Pearlhall Residence last time was really effective.”
Joe’s slender fingers paused at his temple. He rubbed it a few times, but it didn’t seem to alleviate his headache much.
“Is your headache very bad? Where exactly does it hurt?” Skylar asked gently.
Joe was stunned for a moment when he heard her soft voice. He then pointed to where it hurt.
“Let me try. But massaging the head can only provide some relief. You should consider trying acupuncture if you have time.”
Skylar walked to the back of the couch and stood behind Joe.
“Acupuncture?” Joe instinctively resisted the idea of a long needle piercing his head.
“It’s a traditional practice. Sometimes, it’s more effective than modern medicine. Now, relax and close
at
your eyes,” Skylar said as she placed her hand on his head.
Joe closed his eyes.
The acupuncture points Skylar targeted that day were different from the last time. It should effectively
alleviate his headache.
Half an hour later, Skylar felt a bit helpless as she looked at Joe, who had fallen asleep.
He was six feet two inches tall. She couldn’t possibly carry him. Besides, waking him up seemed a bit cruel, given his poor sleep schedule.
Her
gaze
fell on the neatly folded blanket near her. She grabbed it and covered Joe with it before quietly going upstairs.
After taking a shower, Skylar lay in bed and checked her phone.
Chapter 70
Steven had asked her half an hour ago if she had arrived home. Aber eling to him, she b
through the trending topic on the Internet
The Williams family had been quiet for almost a day, but the buzz had indeed died down. In a couple of days, people would forget about what had happened
There were comments from Sadie and Samuel on her Instagram, but she had read any of them.
Skylar opened her chat with Caleb and looked at the job posting he had sent her
Alexander’s team was currently the best team in restoring artifacts
After careful consideration, she revised her résumé and selected several comparison photos showcasing her successful restoration projects from her album. Then, she emailed them to Aexander’s team
Following that, she opened her Amazon account
Skylar had recently opened an antique appraisal store on Amazon. Her prices ranged from 20 to 500 dollars, depending on the item to be appraised. She mainly accepted orders at random
While she was on her way back to Galaxy Villa, someone placed an order and sent her several pares to ask if they were genuine.
She asked the customer to take a few more pictures and videos according to her requirements Athough appraising items through photos carried some risks, she found herself more sensitive that before
There were too many fake items on the market, and the counterfating methods were endless. However, a fake was still fake.
After earning 50 dollars, she was about to get out of bed to turn off the light
Suddenly, she remembered Joe downstairs. She had forgotten to tum off the lights when she had gone upstairs.
She then went downstairs quietly and found Joe still sleeping on the couch just as she had let him earlier. However, the blanket had fallen to the floor.
He could easily catch a cold sleeping like that. So, she walked over and poles to the banker, covering him with it again.
Just as she straightened up, her arm was caught, and she was pulled onto the couch
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“Ah!” Skylar cried out in pain..
Joe’s eyes appeared before her. They were devoid of any sleepiness. His eyes were so dark–it was as if they could devour the night sky.
His hand still gripped her arm tightly, with a fierce strength that seemed like it could snap her arm in half.
“I was being kind to your Skylar exclaimed tearfully.
Joe seemed to realize only then. His eyes showed regret. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rough.”
It had been an instinctive reaction. He thought someone was trying to abduct him again. In his drowsy
state, he seemed to have returned to that dark warehouse.
“Did you have a nightmare?” Skylar asked while rubbing her bruised arm, exasperated.
He was really too rough. If he had grabbed her neck, it would’ve been broken for sure. He was definitely
trained
She silently swore to maintain a safe distance from Joe in the future. She didn’t want to end up dead for
no reason one day.
When Joe saw the bruises on Skylar’s arm, he frowned. “Let me take you to the hospital.”
*No need. I’ll just apply some ointment.” Skylar refused.
It was already midnight. There was no need to bother the doctors at the hospital at this late hour. These bruises were nothing to her anyway.
Despite growing up in the countryside, her skin was naturally delicate. Even a slight bump or knock would leave severe bruises. However, they would heal in a couple of days with some ointment.
Joe felt guilty. His eyes lingered on her bruised arm.
The fingerprints were so clear that they reminded him of rough sex.
He lifted his gaze and caught sight of Skylar’s glossy red lips. Instantly, his throat tightened.
He frowned and stood up abruptly. “I’ll go get the first aid kit.”
When Joe returned downstairs, he had a large box in his hands.
Skylar thought it was more like a treasure chest than a first aid kit.
As the kit was opened, it revealed an array of medications.
Joe rummaged through it and found a tube of ointment.
Skylar reached out to take it
“It’s hard for you to apply it nicely. Let me do it for you.” Joe opened the tube cover and squeezed some white cream onto his fingertip.
Chapter 21
Skylar didn’t resist. “Okay.”
Despite his cold demeanor, he was actually quite attentive. He gently applied the ointment to her skin with his slightly rough fingertips.
The room was silent, and they were sitting so close on the couch that they could hear each other’s
breaths.
Skylar suddenly felt that they were too close. It was as if their breaths were intertwining.
Joe’s gaze lingered on her long, trembling eyelashes for a few seconds.
“That should be enough,” Skylar quickly reminded him when she saw him squeeze out more ointment.
She only had sensitive skin, not fragile. She knew he didn’t do it on purpose, and he took responsibility, so
she wasn’t so angry anymore.
Her arm should be fine with so much ointment applied.
As Joe looked at the glaring bruise on her fair arm, his eyes darkened. He glanced at his watch and asked, “Did I fall asleep?”
“Yeah, for about 40 minutes.” When Skylar stood up, she felt a bit dizzy from drowsiness.
After answering him, she added, “I’ll go rest now, Mr. Martin.”
“Wait.”
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Skylar turned toward Joe, tilting her head.
“Let’s go pick up Grandma together if you’re free tomorrow morning She’ll be discharged tomorrow.” Joe’s gaze fell on Skylar’s half–lidded eyes.
Had she been watching over him this whole time?
The thought crossed his mind, but it quickly dissipated.
Skylar now wore a comfortable home outfit. Her long hair, clearly washed, cascaded down her back. With her light makeup removed, her face looked pristine and youthful. Dressed in an extremely conservative, pink–toned outfit, she appeared no more than 18 years old.
If it weren’t for her attire, he might have thought she was deliberately coming downstairs again to seduce him.
“Okay.” Skylar nodded and headed upstairs. She was really too tired,
Joe watched her go up the stairs before settling back on the couch. His gaze lingered on the blanket that had been left on the floor.
Had she come downstairs to cover him with the blanket because she was worried he might catch a cold?
Joe’s eyes darkened slightly in contemplation.
The next morning, Skylar went downstairs to make breakfast.
There was milk in the fridge, so she heated it up and fried some eggs and ham to make sandwiches.
As she was preparing breakfast, Joe came downstairs in casual attire.
They were going to the hospital together later, so Skylar made two breakfasts. “Would you like some breakfast? I made sandwiches, and there’s milk.”
Joe glanced at the table. The sandwiches looked appetizing, no different from those sold outside.
Though he was unaccustomed to eating breakfast, he nodded when he saw the faint smile on Skylar’s face. “Sure.”
An hour later, the two arrived at the hospital.
Edgar had already completed Gloria’s discharge procedures.
After picking up Gloria, they headed straight back to Pearlhall Residence. After a brief conversation with Gloria at Pearlhall Residence, they left.
“Where are you going? I’ll drive you,” Joe sald. He was driving that day.
Skylar sat in the passenger seat and looked outside, but she didn’t see any bus stops nearby. It was already 9:00 am. Knowing Joe was busy, she said, “You can drop me off here. I’ll just call an Uber.”
Joe glanced at her. “There aren’t many vehicles passing by near Pearlhall Estate. Let me just take you there.”
“Thank you, Mr. Martin. Please drop me off at the antique street on Nova Avenue,” Skylar said without further hesitation.
Getting a cab around here was indeed difficult. She had promised Daniel that she would fir h the restoration of two ancient paintings as soon as possible. These delays over the past few days had set her back significantly.
At the mention of the antique street, Joe raised an eyebrow slightly. Still, he didn’t ask her what she was going to do. After all, her affairs were none of his concern. There was no need for him to be so curious
about her.
Just then, Skylar’s phone rang. Glancing at the screen, she saw it was a call from Natalie.
Chapter 73
Just as Skylar answered the call, Natalie’s voice erupted from the phone with a stream of curses.
“That bitch Maisy is unbelievable! First, she quelled the buzz about this issue, and now she claims that the person in the video isn’t her. Then, she hired a woman who looks like her from afar to say that she’s the one who’s frequently seen with Christopher!
“Maisy has completely cleared her name! Even Christopher says that the person in the photos and videos is all that woman. It’s that woman who has a crush on him, and the video was taken out of conte
“What’s worse is that the woman has come forward to admit it and apologize for causing trouble for Christopher and Maisy. With some fake comments, Maisy and Christopher are suddenly innocent!”
Skylar sneered. “They must have spent a lot of money on this plan.”
“What goes around comes around. They’ll get their karma for sure. My dear Skye, I’m going to go crazy with their antics. Don’t stand me up tonight, okay?” Natalie reminded Skylar.
“I won’t. See you at 6:00 pm.”
After ending the call, Skylar noticed Joe looking at her.
Her lips parted slightly. The matter had ended just like this, leaving her with mixed feelings. She didn’t know what to say to him.
However, Joe spoke first. “Do the Williamses treat you poorly?”
It was a question she had been hearing a lot these days, but she never expected Joe to ask her too.
She looked ahead. Her gaze was deep as if hiding some unspeakable troubles, but she replied calmly,” They have nothing to do with me.”
Although she didn’t directly answer his question, her statement made it clear enough.
Joe glanced at her thoughtfully.
Maisy stared at her card, which only had a hundred thousand dollars left, with a dark expression.
Five million dollars! That woman had asked for five million dollars!
The person she had hired to clear her name online was Amy Wright, her former college classmate.
Amy had undergone several plastic surgeries during college to look just like Maisy. When they graduated from college, many classmates thought Amy was her sister or at least related.
Back then, she had thought Amy was sick, but she didn’t expect her to actually be of use. However, Amy was being too greedy, demanding five million dollars at the drop of a hat.
But considering her reputation, five million dollars was nothing–as long as it didn’t affect her marriage to
Joe.
Noticing Maisy’s low spirits, Samuel said, “I’d feel upset in your shoes too. Now that everyone knows you’ve been wronged, let Skylar apologize to you when she comes back. She’s always jumping to conclusions. She should take this as a lesson and reflect on her actions.”
“Samuel, give Skye a call and ask her to come back today. We need to have a serious conversation as a family,” Sadie said.
For some reason, she felt uneasy thinking about Skylar, like she had done something wrong.
Samuel rolled his eyes. “I’ve tried calling her, Mom, but she won’t answer. Let’s not bother with her. Look at all the trouble she’s been causing lately. I’m embarrassed to have a sister like her.”
“Maisy, why don’t you call her?” Sadie suggested.
Maisy felt even worse. Why was Sadie suddenly so concerned about Skylar these past few days?
Yet she kept her displeasure to herself. “Fine, I’ll call her now.”
The phone rang for a long time, but it was left unanswered.
Maisy looked at Sadie helplessly. “Mom, she isn’t picking up my calls. We don’t even know where she’s staying. How can we find her?”
She thought that Skylar might be lying in the arms of some old man, doing some despicable acts to please him. How could she have time to answer her calls?
Sadie frowned. “I’ll call Janine and ask how she raised Skye. How could she teach Skye to be a mistress? My daughter has been corrupted by her.”
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Sadie tried calling Janine several times, but there was no answer.
She didn’t know that Janine had blocked her number since the Incident at the hotel. So, while Sadie could
make the call, there was no response on the other end.
“They must have agreed on this!” Sadie’s face turned extremely ugly. If it weren’t for her manners, she would have thrown her phone in anger.
Just then, Jeffrey called. After finishing the call with him, Sadie felt somewhat relieved. She sai Maisy, “Let me take you shopping today. Your dad said he’ll take you to Martin Group tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Maisy stood up sharply.
“Yeah, that’s what your dad said.” Sadie nodded.
Samuel was also excited. “Maisy, I’ll pay for the clothes and jewelry you buy today.”
“Thanks, Samuel.”
Christopher had asked around, but no one knew where Skylar was.
Due to the reversal of the situation online, many of their friends sympathized with him. They believed that he was being victimized by a persistent woman, so anyone with information would tell Christopher.
But now, Christopher had no choice but to contact Natalie.
Natalie was Skylar’s best friend. Perhaps she knew where Skylar was.
When Natalie answered the phone, she was busy making soup and didn’t bother to check who was calling.
“Hello, Natalie. It’s Christopher.”
“Who did you say you are?” Natalie put down the ladle.
“Christopher, Skylar’s boyfriend. We’ve met before…”
“I’ve met many people. Who are you? Besides, Skylar doesn’t have a boyfriend!” Natalie promptly hung up.
Glancing at the caller ID on her phone, she clicked her tongue. “Disgusting jerk.”
With her slender fingers, she tapped on the screen and blocked Christopher’s number.
A scumbag like him didn’t deserve a spot in her contacts. Dreaming of finding Skylar through her was ridiculous.
Skylar had been busy until 5:00 pm to catch up on the work she had fallen behind on these past few days.
When she came out, Caleb handed her a glass of water. “Have some water.”
Skylar took it gratefully. “It’s 5:00 pm. Why haven’t you left yet?”
“I’m waiting to leave with you.”
Seeing Caleb staring at her, she smiled. “Do you have something you want to say?”
Caleb blinked. “Is it that obvious?”
He did indeed have something to say. He just didn’t know how to broach the subject.
“You should usually be gone at this time. Go on. Spill it out.” Skylar was quite fond of Caleb.
Caleb wasn’t one to hide his thoughts, so he immediately blurted out, “I saw online that your ex–boyfriend seems to have been wronged. Are you going to get back together with him?
“You should know that it takes two to tango
Even if he was pursued, he sure wasn’t firm enough in
rejecting the woman. Otherwise, how could he be so easily kissed?”
Christopher’s previous accusation that Skylar was overly suspicious had made Caleb feel that Christopher wasn’t worthy of her.
hapter 75
People should take responsibility for their actions. How could Christopher shift the blame onto Skylar?
After drinking the glass of water, Skylar still felt a bit thirsty, so she poured another one.
Smiling, she said, “You’re absolutely right. You’re so young but so perceptive. You sure have a bright future ahead of you.”
In her past life, some people had spoken ill of Christopher, but she believed they didn’t truly unde and him. Yet Christopher had deceived her for over seven years.
Caleb froze. “Really?”
“Absolutely. You have potential, and you’re also right about my breakup with that scumbag. Is there anything else you’d like to ask?” Skylar smiled.
Caleb had thought he would need to give Skylar a lengthy lecture to open her eyes to the truth about Christopher and help her recognize that he was trustworthy.
But she had already seen through Christopher’s true colors on her own.
Caleb didn’t know how to proceed. He scratched his head. “I guess I was worrying for nothing.”
“That’s not true. After what you said, I can see the true colors of that scumbag even more clearly. I’ll never believe his lies again.”
Skylar took off her apron and grabbed her bag from the storage cabinet.
Caleb’s eyes sparkled. “Really? That’s great. I know so many girls who are blinded by love. They won’t
listen, no matter what others say.”
“Lookers–on see most of the game, or maybe those people are just really good at disguising themselves. You often have to pay a heavy price to see through a scumbag’s true colors.”
A glint of pain flashed in Skylar’s eyes. It seemed like she had been deeply hurt.
Caleb was taken aback by that. He placed a hand over his heart, feeling a sudden ache.
“Are you… really okay?” he asked cautiously.
“I’m fine,” Skylar said, glancing at the time. “I have to go. I have plans with friends at 6:00 pm.”
Caleb blinked several times. Noticing no sadness on Skylar’s face, he realized he had been imagining too much. “Oh, I just remembered something. Have you sent your résumé to Mr. Gardner Senior’s restoration
team?”
If Skylar joined Alexander’s team, he would often get to see her in the future.
Skylar had reached the door by then and glanced back at Caleb. “Yes, but his team requires experience and expertise. I’m afraid I won’t make it. Anyway, thank you. I have to go. See you tomorrow.”
“You’ll definitely- Before Caleb could finish his sentence, Skylar had already walked out.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. He decided not to go home yet. He’d go buy Alexander’s favorite food to please him.
He had to make sure Alexander agreed to interview Skylar.
Once Skylar got the interview opportunity, Alexander would surely be surprised by her performance.
Skylar and Natalie had arranged to meet at a restaurant.
It was a place they had frequented since their freshman year of college. The place was not very big, but the food was affordable and delicious.
Whenever they visited after graduation, they reminisced about their college days. The taste remained unchanged, evoking nostalgia.
As they sat down, the owner recognized them. “Did you both graduate from that nearby college?”
“Yeah, we graduated over half a year ago–We came all the way here today just to have your stew. It’s a one–hour drive, but totally worth it,” Natalie replied.
The owner couldn’t stop smiling. “We’re closing down, so this might be your last chance to enjoy our stew. I’ll give you some extra side dishes today.”
Skylar was surprised. “Why are you closing down?”
“We’re all going to be relocated. This entire area is being demolished. Martin Group bought the land. It seems some bigwigs are here today to inspect the area, probably to check the situation.” The owner pointed outside, where a group of people was gathered.
Skylar and Natalie looked over.
When Skylar spotted Joe in the midst of the crowd, she froze.
Chapter 76
Chapter 76
Standing in the middle, Joe exuded a somewhat oppressive presence. It made people hesitant to meet his gaze or harbor any contemptuous thoughts.
After he scanned the area, it seemed he had made a decision regarding the redevelopment of the land.
“Is that Joe? Wow, we’re lucky! If I weren’t married and devoted only to Jeremy, I might have fallen for him,” Natalie exclaimed, her eyes shining as she looked at Joe.
Suddenly, she had an idea.
She turned to Skylar. “Since you’ve broken up with Christopher, why don’t you work at Martin Group and try to win Joe over? How about becoming his wife? Once you become his wife, your biological parents will surely regret everything.
“And look at his figure! Among all the men in suits, he stands out the most. I bet he has abs and a well- defined body. Look at those long legs. You’re a stunning beauty. With a little charm, you might be able to
seduce him.”
Skylar looked at Natalie, feeling amused. She almost blurted out that she not only knew Joe but was also
married to him.
But she had agreed to Joe’s request for a covert marriage, so she pretended not to know him.
“Even if 1 stripped naked in front of him, he wouldn’t bat an eye. Let’s just enjoy our stew,” Skylar said
firmly.
Natalie persisted in her fantasy. “Even I’d be tempted if you stripped naked, let alone a man. If you lay on
the bed like that, any man, even if he’s gay, wouldn’t be able to resist.”
“You’re exaggerating. Does Jeremy know about your wild imagination?” Skylar teased.
Natalie chuckled and stopped. She knew Skylar and Joe could never develop a relationship as she had
imagined. They didn’t even know each other. Even if Skylar did join Martin Group, she and Joe were like ships passing in the night.
At the mention of Jeremy, Natalie pursed her lips and said, “I should’ve come out with you yesterday. He
was stuck with work until the wee hours of the morning. All that cooking I did went to waste.
“Enough about me. Let’s talk about you. What are you going to do? Christopher has been looking for everywhere, even calling me. Are you going to forgive him and give him another chance?”
“No.” Skylar ate a piece of beef. Her eyes were lowered, concealing the chill beneath them.
“Wait… I think Joe is looking at you,” Natalie said excitedly, seeing Joe’s gaze through the window.
Skylar glanced over, meeting his eyes. After that, they calmly looked away as if they had exchanged a
secret signal.
“You must be mistaken,” Skylar said.
you
Chapter 70
Natalie murmured, “The way he looked at you just now seemed like he was surprised, as if he recognized you. But since you two don’t know each other, I must’ve been mistaken. Let’s enjoy our stew. It’s been a while since I last came. The smell alone brings back memories.”
As they ate, Skylar joked, “I remember you wanted to be a police officer when you were young, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I think you have the talent for it.”
Natalie had shown remarkable insight in recognizing Joe’s familiarity with Skylar. It was a pitys. didn’t pursue a career in law enforcement.
“How did you figure that out? I wanted to go to the police academy, but my family didn’t support me. Then I saw how busy police officers were and realized they probably didn’t have much time for dating. So, I gave up on that dream for Jeremy’s sake,” Natalie said with a hint of regret.
Outside, Joe was surprised to see Skylar. She seemed relaxed in the company of her friend.
When he noticed her pretending not to recognize him, his expression darkened.
hapter 77
Several people around Joe, who were reporting their progress on work tasks, noticed his sudden change in demeanor. Frightened, they became more cautious in their speech.
Paul hadn’t noticed anything earlier, but now he couldn’t believe his eyes. Sitting at the only occupied table in the restaurant nearby was Skylar
What were the odds of that happening?
He stole a glance at Joe’s expression. It was quite intimidating. Did Joe and Skylar have a fight? He still
seemed angry with Skylar
Even though Paul hadn’t interacted much with Skylar, she seemed very amicable. Could Joe’s anger be related to the photos he had sent him before?
After finishing their stew, Natalie insisted on taking Skylar somewhere nice to show her what real men
were like. But just as they got into the car, Natalie’s phone rang.
“Yes, honey?”
“My mom isn’t feeling well. Can you go check on her? I’m on a business trip in Haulbus and can’t come back right now.” Jeremy’s voice came through the phone.
Natalie frowned. “You went to Haulbus?”
“I arrived this morning. I’ll be back the day after tomorrow, Jeremy replied indifferently before hanging up.
Natalie stared at her phone in a daze.
Realizing Skylar was beside her, she snapped out of it and apologized, “Sorry, Skye, we can’t go today.”
“Next time, then. I’ll drive you home.” Skylar sensed Natalie’s change in mood.
That phone call had clearly dampened her friend’s usually cheerful demeanor.
Skylar had met Natalie’s husband, Jeremy Hughes, before. They had known each other since childhood and had grown up in the same area.
Despite their differing family backgrounds, with Jeremy’s family becoming well–off later on, their prearranged marriage still bound them together.
Jeremy, three years older than Natalie, had always taken care of her, so they got married shortly after Natalie graduated.
If there were any issues, they were likely just minor spats between the couple.
After dropping Natalie off at Hughes Residence, Skylar noticed a store still open and decided to buy two
sets of men’s clothing.
Since she passed by Steven’s dorm, she wanted to give him the clothes.
Chapter 77
However, he was busy and wasn’t in. So, she texted him to inform him that she had left his clothes with the security guard in the neighborhood. He could pick them up when he returned.
As she walked back to the parking lot, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist.
“Skye, you already know what happened. I’m also a victim here. Amy had a crush on me and kept bothering me. Those photos you saw before and the videos circulating online are all fake.
“After Amy got plastic surgery, she looked a lot like Malsy. They look like twins from a distance. I’m not going to break up with you. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Skylar frowned at the shameless Christopher. “Let go.”
Chapter 78
‘I won’t let go, Skye. I love you! We’ve known each other for over seven years. Haven’t we been good all these years? No one knows me better than you, and I know you well too.
*Skye, let’s get married. Once we’re married, you can test me as much as you want. I really haven’t done anything wrong to you.” Christopher tightened his grip.
He couldn’t afford to lose Skylar. She was the only one who genuinely cared for him. And through her, he might become the son–in–law of the Williams family.
Skylar pursed her lips, feeling repulsed by Christopher’s touch.
Hero
gaze darkened. She kicked Christopher and swiftly flipped him over her shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground with a loud thud.
Christopher lay there, seeing stars. “Sky-”
Skylar looked down at the disheveled Christopher with a calm yet somewhat dashing demeanor.
“Christopher, you’ve been lying to me for over seven years. Did you really think I’d keep falling for your tricks? Those photos you posted on Instagram were the same ones I caught you taking with Maisy. You disgust me.”
“H–How Christopher was still in a daze.
How had Skylar managed to flip him like that? For a moment, he felt powerless; then, he ended up on the ground.
As he tried to get up, he found himself lacking the strength.
Christopher persisted, attempting to deceive Skylar once again. “I’ve told you it’s all fake. What you saw was Amy. She seduced me. How could you
Skylar took out a glove from her bag and shoved it inside Christopher’s mouth. “Save your excuses.”
Seeing the infuriated Christopher, Skylar remained expressionless,”
Seven years of memories, along with the brutal experiences of her past life, had turned into intense
resentment.
She turned away and got into her car.
Finally finding some strength, Christopher struggled to his feet and removed the glove from his mouth.”
Skylar, do you even know what you’re doing?”
He banged on the car window, urging Skylar to roll it down.
Skylar put on her sunglasses/ignoring Christopher. She felt nothing but disgust toward him.
The lingering pain in her heart couldn’t affect her emotions anymore.
Christopher’s handsome face twisted with frustration as he pounded on the car window. He even tried to
Chapter 78
open the door.
However, Skylar had already locked the door, rendering his efforts futile. The door wouldn’t budge, and the window wouldn’t shatter.
Skylar had seen Christopher in various states, but his current desperate expression was rare.
She raised her middle finger at him, then hit the gas pedal, and the car shot forward.
Caught off guard, Christopher nearly fell to the ground. As he watched the car speed away, he trembled with fury and roared, “Skylar! How dare you!”
An hour later, Skylar arrived at Galaxy Villa.
Upon entering, she noticed that the villa was shrouded in darkness. Even after turning on the lights, it remained dim.
“Power outage?” She shone her phone’s flashlight around.
suddenly, the door behind her swung open.
In the pitch–black environment, Skylar jumped in fright. “Who’s there?”
Hearing her voice, Joe turned toward Skylar. Her phone’s flashlight cast an eerie, sinister glow on his face, Coupled with her earlier scream, it created an ominous atmosphere.
“It’s me. Why didn’t you turn on the lights?” Joe asked.
“It seems there’s a power outage.” Skylar’s heart was still pounding from the scare. Even so, she felt a bit more relieved upon hearing Joe’s familiar voice.
f he looked at Joe standing before her.
Chapter 79
Joe was still clad in the same suit Skylar had seen him wear outside the restaurant.
Under the dim light from her phone, his features looked sharp and defined, lending him a mysterious and
aloof air.
Skylar paused on his face for a moment. Then, she changed her shoes and walked toward the couch.
Unable to see clearly in the darkness, she accidentally stepped on something with her left foot and f
backward.
“Ah!”
Joe happened to be right behind her. Upon hearing her scream, he instinctively took a long stride forward
and reached out to steady Skylar.
They were very close to each other.
Skylar’s face was almost pressed against Joe’s chest.
Even through the fabric of his shirt and suit, she could feel the muscular contours beneath. His powerful
heartbeat resonated in her ears as well.
Her mind went blank for a moment.
When Joe came to his senses, his entire body tensed up. His arm had unintentionally pressed against Skylar’s shoulder. Feeling the warmth of her skin through several layers of clothing, his arm felt numb
His other arm, which had caught her, happened to land on her slim waist. She was so slender that her waist could be held with just two hands.
The room was very dark, but it felt like they could see each other’s eyes when their gazes met.
Joe’s gaze deepened. Almost involuntarily, he began to lower his head.
Just as his lips were about to touch hers, Skylar’s phone suddenly rang.
In the silence of the villa, the ringtone was particularly loud, snapping both of them back to reality.
Joe glanced at Skylar’s phone and noticed the caller ID–it was Christopher. At once, he released her and adjusted his tie.
“Your phone is ringing,” he said in a slightly lower tone.
Seeing that it was Christopher calling, Skylar immediately declined the call.
Had
Christopher not given up even after that beating she gave him in the parking lot?
“Are you not going to answer?” Joe walked past Skylar and sat on the couch.
“What?” Skylar was a bit distracted and didn’t hear what Joe had said. His voice sounded colder and deeper than before.
As she recalled what had happened before, she wondered if he was going to kiss her
Instantly, she dismissed the thought and told herself not to overthink
“Are you not going to answer Christopher’s call? Joe felt a tightness in his chest, a sensation he couldnt quite place. When he asked again, his tone was even colder than before.
Skylar was about to speak when her phone rang again. It was still Christopher calling, so she declined the
call.
But right after she did that, she received another call.
As she was about to block Christopher’s number, she saw that it was Charles calling. Turning to Joe, she said, “I’ll take this call first.”
As she headed upstairs, she answered the call. The staircase was even darker, so she climbed carefully.
“Skye, is what they’re saying online true? Has Christopher cheated on you? Charles asked urgently.
“Wait, Charles. I’ll talk to you later,” Skylar said.
On the couch, Joe watched Skylar go upstairs with a frown.
Did she believe the Williams family’s denial and thought Christopher hadn’t cheated? It seemed she still had feelings for Christopher.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have seemed so distracted and reluctant when she declined the call.
Chapter 80
Christopher was such an ordinary man, yet Skylar couldn’t forget him
At this moment, the darkness within Galaxy Villa couldn’t match the darkness swimming in Joe’s eyes.
Inside the towering building of Martin Group, everyone was busy at work.
At 10:00 am, Jeffrey, dressed in a suit, arrived with Maisy,
As he was the chairman of a company, Jeffrey exuded an air of refinement and authority.
However, his company was nowhere near the scale of Martin Group. Plus, recent events in his company
had left him feeling somewhat anxious.
As Maisy stepped into the building, she felt a sense of belonging, as if she were destined to be the chairwoman of this place.
“Sorry, you didn’t arrange an appointment with Mr. Ziegler. I’m afraid you can’t see Mr. Martin,” the receptionist answered with a smile upon hearing that Jeffrey hadn’t made an appointment.
Jeffrey felt a bit embarrassed. He had called Paul several times to make an appointment, only to be rejected each time.
Paul consistently cited Joe’s busy schedule as the reason. He advised Jeffrey to contact the commerce department directly.
However, the department’s head reiterated that collaboration depended not only on fate but also on
whether their proposals met Martin Group’s requirements.
Every employee of the Williams Group had been working overtime for several days, but Martin Group wasn’t satisfied with any of their proposals. They all got sent back.
In the end, there was no way to continue the collaboration.
For the Williams Group, it was like a bolt from the blue.
“My dad is the Williams Group’s chairman. We came specifically to see Mr. Martin. Can’t you make an exception?” Maisy still behaved arrogantly. She deliberately emphasized the word “chairman“.
Such words might have intimidated receptionists at other companies, but Martin Group’s receptionists were used to seeing chairmen and CEOS of various companies. They remained unfazed and continued to smile politely.
“I’m sorry.”
Maisy frowned, feeling that the receptionist was being stubborn and lacked understanding.
Jeffrey’s face darkened. After years of hustling in the business world, it was the first time he felt like he had been slapped in the face.
“Fine,” he said. That was all he could manage to utter.
Then he took out his phone and called Paul.
Coincidentally, Paul had just stepped out of the elevator when his phone rang. He glanced at his phone and declined the call without any hesitation.
Jeffrey and Maisy witnessed this scene.
Maisy walked over quickly, her high heels clicking against the floor.
“Can you give us an explanation, Mr. Ziegler? Why did you decline my dad’s call?”
Paul raised an eyebrow and took a careful look at the beautiful woman who intercepted him.
With just one glance, he recognized who she was.
“I’m busy now. If you have anything to say, you can contact me through the company’s reception.” Paul was indifferent.
Jeffrey, who had just stepped forward, hesitated for only three seconds before speaking up directly. “Mr. Ziegler, could you spare us ten minutes to have a chat?”
He had come that day with ulterior motives. Besides figuring out why Martin Group had changed their attitude, he also wanted Joe to meet Maisy.
The change in Martin Group’s attitude directly affected his company’s operations. They had lost many projects in just a few days.
Chapter 81
The Williams Group might not be able to survive in Jipsburg much longer if things continued the way they
were.
“Mr. Williams, I’m very busy right now. I remember telling you before that if you have any issues, you should contact the commerce department. I can’t decide on these matters.”
Paul maintained a professional demeanor, but he couldn’t help feeling gossipy inside.
He pondered whether he was the odd one out. Why were Jeffrey and his family so devoted to a fake daughter instead of their own?
Did they feel no quilt about helping the impostor over their own daughter?
No matter how he looked at it, Maisy couldn’t compare to Skylar.
If Skylar had requested to elevate the Williams family’s status when she signed the agreement, they would’ve been able to become one of the top families in Jipsburg.
Unfortunately, they were blind to the obvious.
“We just want to meet Mr. Martin today,” Maisy said. “I’ve met him at the Jubilance Hotel before. I think if you talk to him, he should agree to see us…”
She was very displeased with Paul’s arrogance. He was just Joe’s assistant. To put it bluntly, he was nothing but a lapdog.
Jeffrey also shared the sentiment. “I’m here today to meet Mr. Martin.”
Paul was somewhat speechless. How could they be so shameless?
“Mr. Martin is a busy man. He has no time available for you today, Mr. Williams.”
After saying that, he lost patience.
Skylar clearly didn’t want to be involved with Jeffrey’s family. Affer Martin Group canceled the Williams Group’s orders, the company was visibly declining day by day.
Paul thought highly of Skylar. She was beautiful and knew metaphysics. The two people in front of him both seemed to look down on him. It was easy to imagine how they would treat others.
“If he doesn’t have ten minutes, then what about five? I only need five minutes.” Jeffrey became a little. anxious.
As the chairman of a company, everyone in his company respected him. But now, he was lowering himself for an assistant. It was hard to swallow his pride,
However, he swallowed it to see Joe.
Paul shook his head. “Forget about five minutes. He doesn’t even have one minute to spare.”
Just as Malsy was about to confront him, Paul’s phone rang again.
He looked at it and saw it was Skylar calling. He immediately answered, “Ms. Sullivan.”
“Mr. Ziegler, I’m at your company’s entrance.” Skylar’s voice came through Paul’s phone.
She had gone to Pearlhall Residence in the morning, and Gloria had asked her to bring some soup over.
Gloria made the soup herself in the morning. It was a grandmother’s affection for her grandson.
Skylar happened to be passing by, so she thought she would drop it off.
Paul immediately headed toward the entrance. “Wait a moment, Ms. Sullivan.”
Seeing Paul strode away, Jeffrey and Maisy felt even more awkward.
Should they leave? But staying in place wasn’t right, either.
“Ms. Sullivan?” Jeffrey frowned. The voice coming from Paul’s phone sounded somewhat like Skylar.
Maisy bit her lip. “Dad, what should we…”
She trailed off when she suddenly saw a familiar figure outside the entrance. She was stunned. “Skylar?”
“Skye is here too?” Jeffrey immediately looked in the direction where Maisy was staring. But by the time. he looked, Paul had already blocked Skylar from view.
“Why would Skylar come to Martin Group? And why does she know Mr. Ziegler?” Maisy muttered to herself while frowning.
“Is it really Skye?” Jeffrey quickly walked toward the entrance.
It had been a while since he had seen Skylar. So much had happened during this time. Now that he saw her, he had to give her a good lecture.
Chapter 82
After Paul left the building, he immediately told Skylar, “Mr. Williams and Maisy are inside.”
Skylar was somewhat surprised.
She hadn’t seen Jeffrey since the day she left the hospital after she traveled back in time. She hadn’t expected him to come to Martin Group that day.
She was about to say something to Paul when Jeffrey and Maisy came out of the building.
At first, the two of them were a bit uncertain if it was really Skylar. But once they confirmed it was her,
Maisy seemed a bit surprised. “Skylar, you.”
She wondered if Paul was Skylar’s sugar daddy.
After all, Paul was Joe’s assistant. Many people in Jipsburg showed him respect. Maisy couldn’t believer that Skylar would have such a sugar daddy, even though he wasn’t an old man.
But no matter how much respect others showed him, he was just an employee.
“Skye, how could you…” Jeffrey was about to question Skylar. But when he saw Paul carrying a lunchbox,
he restrained himself.
Noticing this situation, Paul, who was usually suave, felt a bit awkward. “Ms-”
“You can go ahead and do your work, Skylar told Paul.
Paul nodded and left, still looking aloof.
As soon as he turned and faced away from Jeffrey and the others, he immediately took out his phone and
sent a text to Joe.
“Mr. Martin, Ms. Sullivan came to deliver soup to you. She happened to run into Jeffrey and Maisy, whot
came to find you.”
After Paul left and entered the elevator in the building, Jeffrey finally assumed the role of a stern father.” Skye, what’s been going on with you lately? You haven’t been answering our calls, and you’ve moved out? How could you do that?”
“Skylar, we’re all worried about you. Those things on the internet aren’t true. How could I possibly be with your boyfriend? Please don’t misunderstand me,” Maisy said with her usual display of innocence.
Watching their familiar faces, Skylar sneered inwardly.
She used to care a lot about how they viewed her. She used to wonder if she had done anything wrong.
Otherwise, why would Jeffrey always start by blaming her for everything?
Though she hadn’t done anything wrong, it felt like everything she did was somehow a mistake.
“Say something. I heard from your mom that you moved in with someone. Is Mr. Ziegler your sugar daddy? Are you crazy? How can you be a sugar baby?” Jeffrey raised his voice slightly.
Chapter 62
After all, they were at Martin Group’s building. He didn’t dare to speak too loudly.
Maisy sighed. “Mr. Ziegler may be better than Christopher in some ways, but Christopher didn’t cheat on you. He didn’t betray you, Skylar. Did you spread rumors about me and Christopher on Instagram because of Mr. Ziegler?”
“You know very well what’s going on between you and Christopher, Maisy. Your act doesn’t work in front of me,” Skylar said to Maisy.
She then turned to Jeffrey. “You and I are only biologically related. Other than that, you’re not worthy of being my father.”
“How dare you?” Infuriated, Jeffrey widened his eyes. Combined with the frustration from the indifference he faced inside Martin Group, he felt the urge to slap Skylar.
He raised his hand high, ready to strike.
Skylar glanced at Jeffrey’s hand, losing hope completely. The pain that had been suppressed deep inside rose to the surface, making her face turn somewhat pale.
“I suggest you keep your hands to yourself,” she spat.
Although she didn’t have much of an impression of Finn anymore, Steven said Finn was a very gentle man. He was very patient and gentle with all of them and never hit them.
But whenever she was faced with Jeffrey, it was either verbal reprimands or attempts to slap her.
Jeffrey’s hand trembled slightly. In the past, he would have definitely struck without hesitation. However, seeing that Skylar no longer looked at him with the fearful, pleasing eyes she used to, he inexplicably had a strange thought.
hapter 83
Jeffrey realized that Skylar had stopped caring about him as her father.
Before, whenever he looked stern, she would apologize and try to please him. But it seemed like she wasn’t afraid anymore.
“You little-
Suddenly, the door behind them was pushed open, and Joe walked out. He looked at Jeffrey
expressionlessly. His gaze calmly swept over the man’s raised hand.
Jeffrey was momentarily taken aback. Hearing the sound behind him, he turned to look. When he saw the newcomer, his expression changed.
Joe?
“M–Mr. Martin!” Maisy exclaimed.
With a pale face, Skylar looked at Joe.
Joe frowned. If he had come out a moment later, would Jeffrey’s hand have struck her?
The Williams family seemed to treat her worse than he had thought.
“Are you trying to hit her, Mr. Williams?” Paul immediately questioned; he was surprised.
Jeffrey was really bold to attempt violence in front of Martin Group’s entrance.
Paul then noticed Skylar’s pale complexion. Was she scared?
“I–I didn’t mean to hit her. She’s my daughter. She did something wrong, and I was just talking to her about it. Sorry for letting you see this, Mr. Martin,” Jeffrey immediately explained himself awkwardly.
After speaking, he felt that it didn’t seem quite right.
If Paul were Skylar’s sugar daddy, Jeffrey would’ve gained some advantage. After all, Paul was someone
Joe trusted.
If one of his daughters became Paul’s woman while the other became Joe’s, the Williams family would be peerless in Jipsburg.
“Yes, my dad has something he wanted to talk to Skylar, but she’s not listening to him. Please don’t misunderstand, Mr. Martin, Maisy hurriedly defended Jeffrey.
She suddenly realized that Skylar seemed to have become even more beautiful lately.
Maisy wore a set of expensive brand–name professional attire. Despite that, she couldn’t outshine Skylar, who was in jeans and a white T–shirt.
She moved to the side slightly, hoping to block Skylar and make Joe notice her beauty.
Joe didn’t look at the two of them. He looked straight at Skylar. “Did they hit you?”
Chapter 83
After all, she was his wife. If Jeffrey hit her, it wouldn’t be any different from hitting him.
“Not yet,” Skylar said, somewhat stunned. Was he worried about her?
Joe’s gaze was deep and terrifying. He simply hummed in acknowledgement.
“Mr. Martin, she’s my daughter. How could I hit her? I came here today to talk to you. I hope you can spare
me a few minutes.” Jeffrey seized the opportunity and quickly spoke up.
He discreetly glanced at Paul again. It seemed that Paul was quite important to Joe. Otherwise, Joel wouldn’t suddenly stand up for Skylar. He must have known that Skylar was Paul’s woman.
Paul was more useful to him than Christopher. As a businessman, he quickly made the calculation.
hapter 84
12
Chapter 84
“I’m busy.” Joe’s impression of Jeffrey wasn’t good to begin with. Seeing him about to strike Skylar further
worsened it.
He had promised Skylar no special treatment for the Williams family and no working with them. He should adhere to them, as per their agreement.
“Mr. Williams, please go to the commerce department. Mr. Martin is busy. Let us through.” Paul’s expression wasn’t welcoming.
Jeffrey’s face darkened. Noticing Joe’s firm attitude, he frowned and said, “Just five minutes. I only need
five minutes from you, Mr. Martin.”
Skylar found it ironic to see Jeffrey unable to speak up against Joe and forced to behave submissively.
Another man who was only domineering within his comfort zone.
“We don’t even have a minute, Mr. Williams, Paul stated firmly.
Paul’s reluctance further darkened Jeffrey’s expression.
When Joe left, he glanced at Skylar again. Seeing the disdain in her eyes made him feel a strange mix of
emotions.
Perhaps he was unfamiliar with the feeling of being disregarded by one’s closest kin.
“Let’s go,” he said to Paul.
Paul immediately followed Joe.
“W–Wait a mo.nent.” Maisy stopped Joe. She had to do something. Finally, she had a chance to meet Joe.
She couldn’t let it slip away.
Joe frowned as he was abruptly halted. His air of aloofness became even more pronounced.
Maisy’s heart pounded. “Could you… spare me a few minutes? Let’s give both of us a chance.”
“Maisy!” Jeffrey was shocked. Why was Maisy suddenly so daring as to stop Joe?
“Dad, we’ve been making a lot of efforts to work with Martin Group. Everyone in the company has been working overtime for so long. Now, we’re suddenly told the collaboration is canceled. Shouldn’t we at least know why?” Maisy looked genuinely concerned for Jeffrey.
She then turned to look at Joe tearfully. “Mr. Martin, please give us a reason. If we’ve done something
wrong, we can correct it.”
Anyone would feel sympathetic toward a beautiful and sensible lady who was a good daughter, right?
Skylar nervously watched Joe. Would he feel for Maisy like those in the Williams family?
“Maisy…” Jeffrey felt a twinge of pity.
With tears glistening on her carefully made–up face, Maisy pleaded, “I know this request is sudden, but I’m genuinely worried about my dad, so… please forgive me, Mr. Martin.”
When Skylar saw Joe stop in his tracks and look at Maisy, her face turned even paler.
No matter when, Maisy could always make a man halt in his tracks.
“Paul, call security,” Joe ordered coldly.
Paul reacted swiftly and called the nearby security guard. “The company pays your bills, not for you to stand around. Can’t you see that someone intends to harass Mr. Martin?”
The four security guards in front of the door turned pale with fear and quickly rushed over. They blocked Jeffrey and Maisy and even tried to restrain Skylar.
Paul
was shocked, “Ms. Sullivan isn’t with them!”
“S–Sorry, Ms. Sullivan,” the security guards apologized to Skylar in a hurry.
Skylar was surprised by Joe’s decisive departure. He didn’t believe Maisy or sympathize with her.
Maisy stared in disbelief and embarrassment. Her trick always worked. Why didn’t it work with Joe? “Dad…” She looked at Jeffrey, at a loss.
Chapter 85
Jeffrey wasn’t feeling much better than Maisy. His face turned sour.
“Skylar, did you say something to Mr. Ziegler to make him and Mr. Martin vilify the Williams Group? Why else would Mr. Martin be so cold to us?” Maisy’s eyes glinted with resentment as she angrily interrogated
Skylar.
“What’s your relationship with Mr. Ziegler?” Jeffrey questioned her with a frown.
Facing the two of them, Skylar had nothing more to say.
“Get out of the way.” She tried to leave, but Maisy blocked her path.
Maisy was furious. “That’s enough, Skylar. Explain yourself to us now.” If she found out Skylar had slandered them to Paul, there would be hell to pay.
“Skylar, explain yourself. Tell me about your relationship with Mr. Ziegler. I’m your dad. I need to know everything about you.” Jeffrey’s tone dripped with displeasure.
Hearing Jeffrey call himself her dad, Skylar felt a sharp pang in her heart despite her cold demeanor.
He was such a good dad–a good dad for Maisy.
“When I called you Dad before, you never cared about me. Now that I disown you, you want to know everything about me? Mr. Williams, don’t be so pathetic. Move!” Skylar said coldly.
Noticing the tension, the security guard nearby asked Skylar, “Ms. Sullivan, do you need our assistance?”
“I’m her father. It’s none of your business!” Jeffrey roared at the clueless security guard.
He didn’t dare ell at Joe, but he couldn’t tolerate insubordination from a mere security guard. Or he’d
become a joke in Jipsburg.
“My dad’s surname is Sullivan, You’re not my dad,” Skylar retorted with a smirk.
Taking advantage of Jeffrey’s surprise, she pushed past him and Maisy and swiftly left.
As she hurried along, an overwhelming sense of numbness surged through her limbs, bringing back
memories of past experiences.
How dare Jeffrey claim to be her dad? Was he even worthy to be called that?
“Skye, stop!”
“Skylar!”
Jeffrey and Maisy commanded as they realized Skylar was leaving.
Yet Skylar ignored them completely
Before they could catch up, she had already gotten into her car and sped away, leaving them behind,
“Dad, Skylar…” Maisy was filled with a mixture of hatred, anger, and frustration at the turn of events.
Jeffrey’s expression mirrored Maisy’s feelings.
“I’ll go back to the office. You go home first,” he said.
“What about Skylar?” Maisy had a lot of questions and wanted to clear things up with Skylar. Did she really influence Joe’s impression of her?
She was too slow to react earlier. If she had caught Skylar a little faster, she could’ve questioned her.
Jeffrey frowned, feeling a headache coming. “Don’t worry about Skylar for now. It’s a good thing she’s with Mr. Ziegler. Let me sort out the company’s affairs, then I’ll call her back home and give her a proper lecture. You go home first.”
“Okay,” Maisy reluctantly agreed. Still, she couldn’t shake off her dissatisfaction.
As she left, she sent a text to Christopher.
“I know why Skylar broke up with you. She has a sugar daddy now, the assistant to the CEO of Martin Group.”
Chapter 86
Christopher was frantically job hunting when he saw Maisy’s message.
He immediately replied, “No way. She’s not the type to cheat. She wouldn’t betray me like that.”
He and Skylar had been together for over seven years, from high school to that moment. He never once thought she would betray him.
But since he met Skylar yesterday, his heart had been pounding with unexplainable anxiety. It felt like he was truly about to lose her.
However, Skylar’s perspective was limited to that extent. The highest she could reach was Paul.
“Mr. Ziegler? Martin Group’s CEO’s assistant?” Christopher’s face stiffened instantly.
“Yeah, him. He might not be on Mr. Martin’s level, but he’s hot and quite capable. You need to figure something out. Even my dad supports Skylar being with Mr. Ziegler now, even if she’s just his sugar baby.”
The more Maisy spoke, the more frustrated she felt. Jeffrey’s attitude just now was very different from before.
Christopher suddenly felt like a piece of his heart was missing. “No, she’s just mad at me. Do you know where she works? Could she be doing this at someone else’s request? She would never be someone’s sugar baby.”
In their seven years together, Skylar and Christopher had never slept together. They were waiting for the day they got married.
Sometimes, he felt she was too conservative. But other times, he thought her conservatism was a good thing. So, how could she possibly be someone’s sugar baby?
“Why are you still deluding yourself? Think about it yourself!” Maisy snapped before hanging up.
Before, she thought stealing Christopher from Skylar could prove that she was better than Skylar. But now, she was finding Christopher quite annoying.
Remembering Joe’s indifference toward her, she felt even more annoyed. It must be because Skylar had influenced Paul against her.
Fearing the worst, Christopher began frantically calling and texting Skylar, but to no avail,
He was extremely anxious. He even tried calling Natalie, but she didn’t answer.
Finally, he called Amelia. “Mom, can you call Skylar’s adoptive mother to ask about her? Maisy just told me Skylar might be someone’s sugar baby. She probably broke up with me because she thought I was poor. I can’t lose Skylar now.”
Upon hearing that, Amelia angrily called Janine.
Janine happened to be home that day. While she was busy cleaning, she received Amelia’s call.
Frowning, she wondered why Amelia was meddling in the kids‘ affairs.
“Yes, Amelia?” Janine asked.
Amelia huffed. “Did you know Skye is a sugar baby now? She broke up with my son because of that.”
She felt that if anyone was going to initiate a breakup, it should’ve been Christopher.
Skylar used to adore Christopher and tried so hard to please him. How dare she betray him?
Janine’s face turned cold. “I know Skye, and you know Chris. He wronged Skye first. Skye has been good to you these past few years. If you have any conscience, you wouldn’t have made this call.”
“I didn’t ask her to be nice to me. She did that on her own and clung to my son. If it weren’t for her, Chris could’ve found someone that’d suit him better. Janine, you just coast on your looks and being a tramp. Look at Skylar now. She’s turning into a mess just like you!” Amelia lashed out.
*One day, both you and your son will regret this! Karma will surely come back to haunt you for insulting and hurting Skye today!” Janine’s hands trembled with anger.
The thought of Skylar’s pain lingered even after she hung up the phone, leaving her eyes filled with tears. She felt so sorry for Skylar.
Chapter 87
Janine was furious at how Amelia had accused Skylar of being a sugar baby. Skylar had been trying so hard to please Christopher. They had been taking advantage of her kindness.
Amelia and Christopher had no conscience.
Janine knew Skylar better than anyone else.
She took her phone and wanted to call Skylar. But she set the phone down in the end. She didn’t want to make Skylar worry.
Amelia had only made the call to irritate Janine.
If Janine had known that Amelia and Christopher were such hypocrites, she would’ve stopped Skylar and Christopher from dating each other.
Skylar had told Janine that Christopher was great and trustworthy. But it seemed like Skylar had fallen in love with the wrong man.
Looking at the painting Skylar had restored, Daniel grinned from ear to ear.
yar did such a great job restoring the painting. It was one of the best restoration works Daniel had ever
seen.
He looked at Skylar, who continued to restore the next painting, and thought his money was well spent.
“I don’t think you paid Skylar enough,” Caleb said.
He had just wrapped up his livestream. When he was about to leave, he saw Daniel smiling while staring at the painting restored by Skylar. He couldn’t help feeling bad for Skylar.
Skylar could’ve earned more with her capability.
Daniel glared at Caleb. “You know nothing. Since you’re done with your work, you’d better stop being an eyesore and get lost!”
If Daniel hadn’t known Skylar wouldn’t stay at his place, he actually wanted to hire her to work for him for
a few years.
By then, he could bring in more antiques that were hard to restore. That way, he would make a fortune that could last him a few generations.
It was just that Skylar had a better future ahead. If he was on good terms with her, he could probably gain
some benefits in the future.
Skylar was working attentively. She didn’t hear the conversation between Daniel and Caleb.
Feeling a slight discomfort in her neck, she stopped working and got up to wash her hands.
She only noticed it was raining outside when she left Daniel’s shop.
Fortunately, her car was right at the entrance. She quickly got into the car and returned to Galaxy Villa:
Halfway through the journey, Natalie called, “Skye, can you come over and keep me company? I’m at Mystic Bar.”
“Wait for me,” Skylar replied.
Skylar immediately turned around and searched for Mystic Bar’s location on her navigation application. Then, she drove straight to the bar.
Natalie was a bubbly and vibrant person. She wouldn’t have gone to a bar if she hadn’t been in a bad
mood.
Soon, Skylar arrived at the bar.
It was raining outside, with only a few people on the street. However, it was a completely different scene in the bar. The bar was crowded, so it took Skylar quite some time to finally spot Natalie.
On the table in front of Natalie was an empty bottle. Natalie was drunk, but she was still drinking the cocktail in her hand.
“Why are you drinking so much?” Skylar asked with a frown.
Natalie giggled and replied, “Because it feels good to drink! Drink with me, Skye! I have the money. My husband has made so much money, so I should spend it on his behalf. Don’t you think so?”
Chapter 88
“You’ve had too much to drink. Let’s leave the bar. first.” Skylar set Natalie’s drink down. She helped her. friend up and was about to leave.
Natalie shook her head vigorously and protested, “I’m not leaving. I want to drink.”
Seeing how firm Natalie was, Skylar could only sit down.
“Tell me. What happened? Shouldn’t you be a loving wife at home at this hour?” Skylar asked.
Natalie’s eyes were slightly red and puffy. It seemed like she had just cried.
“I’m done being a loving wife. Skylar, there’s something wrong between Jeremy and I. He doesn’t like me as much as he did before.
“I don’t know if I’m overthinking. But is it true that a couple will treat each other less intimately after being together for a long time?
“I can talk about this with you. If I were to tell my parents, they’d think I was too sensitive. They’re pleased with Jeremy, and they think I’m unreasonable sometimes.
“They also said that after getting married, I couldn’t expect things to be the same as when we were still dating.” Natalie explained.
Then, she asked, “Skye, do you think Jeremy isn’t fond of me anymore?”
Skylar had never seen Natalie this worried and insecure before.
“It takes effort to maintain a relationship between husband and wife. Have you two talked about this?” Skylar asked.
Natalie shook her head and smiled bitterly. “No, I was afraid that he’d say I was overthinking.”
Skylar wasn’t close with Jeremy. She had only met him a few times because of Natalie. He acted like Natalie’s older brother, who pampered her all the time.
She was unsure about how a couple got along with each other and if they would still act intimately after getting married. The closest experience she had gotten was from some novels she had read when she was in college.
However, the characters in novels were created by authors. The story was fictional, too. Hence, she couldn’t take that as a reference.
“Perhaps I feel this insecure because I’m too deeply in love with him. Skye, sometimes I wonder what I’d do if he stopped liking me one day and fell for another woman. My heart aches every time I think of that possibility, so I always stop myself from going there.
“I’ve been telling myself to take things easy. But it doesn’t work when I’m the one involved in such a situation.” Natalie’s tone was full of disdain for herself.
Skylar raised her arm and looked at her watch. It was 7:00 pm. Natalie would get drunk in no time if she
Chapter
kept drinking.
“Stop overthinking for now. You guys have known each other since you were young. Just talk things out if there’s any problem. You were the one who said that most women liked to imagine things. Have you forgotten?” Skylar put down Natalie’s drink again.
“Let’s go. I’ll bring you out to watch the rain,” Skylar offered.
“Rain? No. I’ve only felt moody after seeing the rain this afternoon. I’m not watching it. Let’s stay here and
drink.” Natalie started throwing a tantrum and refused to leave.
Just then, her phone rang. She was in a daze when she saw the call from Jeremy.
Perhaps after getting no answer, he hung up.
Then, the phone started ringing again. It was another call from Jeremy.
Skylar picked up the phone and said, “Hi, Mr. Hughes. I’m Skylar,”
“Skylar, why is the phone with you? Is Natalie there?” Jeremy sounded surprised.
“We’re at Mystic Bar,” Skylar replied.
“Wait for me right there. I’ll pick her up.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up the phone, Skylar stared at Natalie, who was still in a daze. “He said he’s coming to pick
you up.
Skylar could tell from Jeremy’s tone on the phone that he was worried sick about Natalie.
Natalie slightly avoided Skylar’s gaze. “Is he back from Haulbus? So he didn’t answer my call when I
called him this afternoon because he was on the plane?”
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Natalie felt slightly ashamed when she thought of how she had been drinking unreasonably. She had no idea why she had been feeling insecure and worried these days.
When they got married, Jeremy had promised to treat her well for the rest of his life. They were childhood sweethearts, and many people were envious of them and had given the couple their blessings.
Natalie thought she should’ve trusted him.
Hearing that, Skylar chuckled. “So you’ve come to drink at the bar because he didn’t answer your call.”
Natalie was embarrassed, “I think I’ve sobered up. Why don’t we wait at the bar’s entrance?” She was
starting to regret her actions.
Skylar disliked how noisy and crowded the bar was, so she grabbed Natalie and left.
At a corner of the bar, Kenny and Samuel were drinking.
They looked up and saw Skylar walking out of the bar with a woman they didn’t know.
“Skylar? Why
did she come to the bar? I called her before, and she refused to answer the phone. I’m going to approach her and ask her.” Samuel rose to his feet and ran up to Skylar.
Kenny followed him, too.
Many things had happened at home lately, and none of them could get ahold of Skylar, Their mother had fallen sick these days because of that.
Kenny’s face darkened when he thought of that. How he wished Skylar wasn’t their younger sister.
When the broers rushed out, Jeremy had picked up Natalie, who had arrived just in time.
Skylar was walking to her car. Someone blocked her when she had barely taken a few steps.
She thought it was some drunk man from the bar. However, her face fell when she saw Kenny and Samuel. “Skylar, you’re getting off the rails, aren’t you? First, you moved out, and now, you’ve become someone’s sugar baby. Why can’t you do something good for once? Go home with me now.” Samuel grabbed Skylar’s hand and was about to leave.
He was afraid the media would discover that he was Skylar’s older brother. They could even expose the news that she was someone’s sugar baby and had accused her own boyfriend. By then, it would certainly affect his career in the entertainment industry.
Kenny’s face was grim as he said, “Go home and apologize to Mom and Dad. Then, call Mr. Ziegler over. We can’t let you be with him blindly.”
Skylar scoffed at the mention of sugar baby, apology, and also Paul.
She flipped her hand in Samuel’s grip and held his palm with another hand.
Samuel shouted, “What are you doing?”
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He had no idea she was holding which part of his hand, but he was in extreme pain in mere seconds.
“I should’ve been the one asking that. What are you guys trying to do?” Skylar questioned, expressionless.
She had done a lot to please her brothers back then. Knowing Kenny had problems with his neck, she had made a pillow with medicinal herbs for him.
Besides, she had also taught him some methods that helped relieve tension in his neck. However, Kenny had left the pillow in the storage without looking at it.
Samuel always had to stay up for filming, so she had given him a tea bag she had made for Charles. He didn’t like it and had given it to the housekeeper.
They had truly taken her kindness for granted.
Somewhere not far away, a car drove past Mystic Bar.
Joe, who was sitting in the car, reeked of alcohol. He was having a mild headache. When he was massaging his head to relieve the pain, Paul exclaimed, “Ms. Sullivan!”
Joe heard him and looked over to see Skylar on the sidewalk. The two men before her glared at her, their eyes displaying their distaste. They treated her as if she were a monster that would harm them.
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“I’m your older brother. Are you out of your mind? Let go of me! What have you learned out there these days?
“You were polite and nice when you just came home. But now, you’re attacking people as you wish. How are you any different from a gangster?” Samuel chided furiously.
“Let go of Samuel, Skylar! There’s a limit to my patience. If you anger me again, I’ll no longer acknowledge you as my sister!” Kenny shouted.
He wanted to teach Skylar a lesson. He would never allow her to cause trouble for the Williams family.
Samuel’s face turned as white as a sheet. “Where did you learn grappling?”
He had acted before and undergone training. But he had made the double do it on his behalf because he thought the training was too tiring. He was aware Skylar had used the grappling technique.
It was a technique used to fight against the enemy. He wondered if Skylar had forgotten that he was her older brother.
Skylar saw how furious they were and released her grip. “You’d better remember what you’ve said. The Williams family has nothing to do with me.”
Samuel held his hand, which had turned red from her grip, and yelled, “Did something trigger you? You’ve been trying to please me before this, haven’t you?
“Are you
you pulling another trick after seeing that I don’t like you? No matter what you do, I’ll only acknowledge Maisy as my sister.”
“Samuel, that enough. Skylar, go home with me now. Dad and Mom need to talk to you.” Kenny looked at her sternly.
Every time he wore a grim look, Skylar would listen to him no matter what.
“Don’t you find it embarrassing if others were to know that two men were giving a woman a hard time?
I’ve learned something about the Williams family’s manner.”
Just then, a sarcastic voice sounded behind them..
Skylar looked over and was slightly surprised when she saw Paul. “Mr. Ziegler?”
Kenny and Samuel frowned at the mention of Paul, even though they didn’t know him.
“I happened to pass by and saw someone messing with you. Are you okay?” Paul asked after glancing at
the car across the road.
Skylar shook her head and replied, “I’m fine.”
“So you’re Mr. Ziegler? You’ve come just in time. Go to Williams Residence with us. We need to talk to my dad regarding you and Skylar,” Kenny was stern.
Samuel suppressed his anger and sized Paul up curiously.
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When Paul heard Kenny mentioning him and Skylar, he was terrified. He had nothing to do with her, and Joe was just across the road.
Paul almost died from fright.
He pursed his lips and explained, “You must have misunderstood something. Ms. Sullivan and I are merely friends. Don’t you think it’s too much to think so horribly of her?”
“Ms. Sullivan, we’re heading in the same direction. Would you want me to give you a ride?” Paul offered to
Skylar.
“Thank you, but I drove my car here.” Skylar felt awkward. It seemed that Jeffrey had told Kenny and Samuel something, and the two had misunderstood Paul.
Paul glanced at the side of the road and saw a familiar new energy vehicle. “Okay. Ms. Sullivan, you go
first.”
Just as Skylar was about to open the car door, Kenny questioned sternly, “Who bought you this car?”
They hadn’t given Skylar money, and she hadn’t been working since she graduated. Hence, they wondered how she had gathered the money to buy the car.
The two also wondered if she had lied about her relationship with Paul.
“Do
you
have nothing better to do? Don’t you think you’re too nosy?” Skylar smiled coldly.
Kenny was surprised by Skylar’s response. “What is with that attitude?”
“Mr. Williams, mind your manners toward Ms. Sullivan. Paul couldn’t stand it anymore.
