Joe and Skylar both turned away at the same time, as if choreographed, their actions in perfect sync. Joe’s words, cool and measured, cut through the tension in the room. “You can deal with this,” he said, turning his gaze toward Paul. With that, he walked out, leaving the office area behind as if he had merely passed through.
Paul, well aware of Joe and Skylar’s secret marriage, understood the unspoken message: Joe didn’t want Skylar to be the one who took the brunt of this situation. In fact, Skylar had already demonstrated her own brand of justice, and it was clear that she wasn’t one to be bullied. But seeing Sadie’s continued arrogance, Paul knew things needed to be resolved swiftly.
Without hesitation, Paul ordered, “Check the surveillance footage and see if these women have framed our employee. If that’s the case, call the police immediately.”
The manager, who had been nervously texting someone about the elevator footage, was now visibly rattled by the command. Sadie, however, was the first to react, her arrogant expression faltering as she spoke, “What?”
Maisy, her face pale from the shock of the turn of events, quickly added, “Mr. Martin may have asked you to handle this case, but do you seriously plan to resolve the issue like this?”
Skylar remained calm, her expression neutral as she nodded slightly toward Paul in acknowledgment. She didn’t want to draw attention to her personal connection with him, but her quiet gratitude was clear.
Janine, who had been watching the events unfold, breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you for believing me,” she murmured toward Paul.
But Paul wasn’t finished. His voice shifted, becoming stern and commanding as he turned to the manager. “As for you, this incident has exposed your lack of professionalism. You failed to handle this situation impartially, and now there will be consequences.”
The manager froze, unable to believe the words that were coming from Paul. He had just asked for help reviewing the footage, only to be told his job was on the line. Paul continued, “Go and collect another month’s salary from the finance department. Then, I want you to resign immediately.”
The manager’s face drained of color. He couldn’t fathom how quickly everything had turned. This was the best job he’d had in years, and now, in a matter of moments, it was slipping away.
Meanwhile, Sadie and Maisy were reeling from the unexpected turn of events. Sadie shot a seething look at Skylar and Janine, furious that Skylar, whom she had treated well for months, had sided against her. She felt deeply betrayed. It was one thing for Skylar to ignore her, but to actively choose Janine’s side was infuriating.
Sadie, still not willing to involve the police despite her humiliation, quickly shifted her narrative. “What’s this? My ring? It was in my bag the whole time,” she said, trying to defuse the situation with a feigned innocence. “This was all a misunderstanding. You don’t need to check the surveillance footage or call the police anymore. It was my mistake.”
Maisy, still nursing the sting of her slapped cheek, played along with her mother’s attempt to backpedal. “Yeah, it was in Mom’s bag. Seems like everything was just a misunderstanding after all.”
Skylar, unimpressed, observed their performance with a cold gaze. She had seen this act before. In her past life, these two had brushed off their wrongdoings as misunderstandings whenever they got caught. They had never taken responsibility, and Skylar had forgiven them too easily back then because she had seen them as family.
But that was before. This time, Skylar knew better. She met their false apologies with a stoic expression. “It’s best we still settle this in the presence of the police,” she stated flatly.
Paul, who had been silently watching the exchange, began to piece things together. He had investigated Skylar’s relationship with the Williams family before. The information he had gathered painted a picture of someone who supported the family—someone who wanted to be a part of it. But the scene unfolding before him seemed to suggest something different.
It dawned on Paul that the relationship between Skylar and the Williams family might not be as solid as it once seemed. He remembered Joe’s instructions just days ago to retract their support for the Williams family. It appeared that Skylar and the Williams family were no longer on the best of terms.
Sadie, unable to contain her frustration any longer, snapped, “What are you trying to do, Skye?”
Her patience was wearing thin, and the anger bubbling inside her was becoming too much to hold back. She had tried soft words, harsh words, even manipulation, but none of it seemed to be working on Skylar. No matter what approach she tried, Skylar remained unfazed. It was clear now: Skylar wasn’t going to back down.
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