Skylar’s eyes, dark and intense, locked onto Sadie and Maisy as she spoke, her words deliberate and full of weight. “I want to confirm if someone’s deliberately framing my mom and making things up about her.”
The effort it took for Skylar to hold herself together was palpable. Her emotions were teetering on the edge, her anger barely contained. Just moments ago, when she had pinned Maisy down, Skylar had been ready to lash out, her fury nearly boiling over. Yet, she kept her composure. For Skylar, this second chance at life meant everything, and she knew it would be all for nothing if Sadie and Maisy managed to drag Viola, Gloria, and her family into jail.
Sadie recoiled, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had always controlled Skylar, or so she thought, molding her into someone who would do anything to please her. The sudden shift in Skylar’s attitude threw her off balance. “How dare you?” Sadie hissed, her voice shaking with rage.
Maisy, feeling the tides turning, was filled with pure venom toward Skylar. Her mind raced, trying to figure out how to wriggle out of this. The idea of involving the police seemed like the last thing she wanted. Just as quickly, a light bulb seemed to go off in her mind. With a theatrical sniffle, she turned to Janine, her face crumpling with fake tears. “We’ve already admitted we were mistaken. Please, can’t we end this matter here, Ms. Yancey?” She softened her voice, attempting to appeal to Janine’s sensibilities. “It would do no one any good to make this a bigger issue, right? Please convince my sister not to escalate things.”
Janine, feeling a wave of unease settle over her, watched the exchange with a heavy heart. She could tell Skylar was hurt, perhaps more deeply than she had realized. Skylar’s connection with the Williams family seemed irrevocably strained now, and Janine worried about how this would affect everything. She leaned in, her voice gentle but firm. “Skye, how about we drop this matter? I accept their apology and believe they won’t do this again.”
Paul, standing nearby, had just received the elevator footage and was analyzing it. As he watched the video, it became painfully clear that Sadie had been the instigator of the physical altercation. However, the footage from the blind spot left a question mark hanging over whether Sadie had removed her ring to frame Janine. Paul forwarded the video to Skylar for her review.
Skylar glanced at the footage, her lips thin with displeasure. Then, in a tone that brooked no argument, she replied, “Since Janine has already accepted their apology, let’s end this matter here.”
Sadie, sensing an opening, tried one last desperate attempt to win Skylar over. “Skye, I know you’re still upset that we didn’t buy you a car and even terminated your card. But know that we were only doing it for your own good. Come home tonight, and I won’t hold today’s events against you.”
Skylar’s cold expression never wavered. She had heard Sadie’s words before, but now they felt hollow and insincere. The irony of it all hit her like a slap. Sadie, the woman who had never shown her real warmth or support, was now pretending to offer it. Skylar didn’t bother to respond to the offer, knowing it was nothing more than a tactic to regain control.
With a firm grip on Janine’s arm, Skylar made her stance clear. “I won’t spare you guys if you dare pick on my mom again. I don’t care if it means risking my life.” Her words hung in the air, heavy with finality. Then, without another glance at Sadie or Maisy, she turned and left the office with Janine.
The sharpness of Skylar’s declaration rattled Sadie to her core. This wasn’t the same obedient daughter she had once known. Something had changed, something fundamental. Sadie’s mind raced, trying to process the shift.
Maisy, still smarting from the slap earlier, was seething. She couldn’t understand why Skylar was suddenly so defiant. Fuming, she pulled out her phone and quickly texted Christopher, “I bumped into Skylar at Jubilance Hotel. She hit me and even offended my mom.” Within seconds, she received a reply: “I’m nearby. I’ll head over now.”
Christopher had been silent for too long, and the lack of communication from Skylar had only served to reinforce his suspicion that she was serious about ending their relationship. He had to see her, and now was the moment.
Meanwhile, Janine and Skylar took a brief reprieve in the staff break room. As they ate their takeaway pizza and the provided staff meal, Janine couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. “Skye, you and your mom…” she began, her voice uncertain, the weight of the earlier confrontation still heavy in the air.
Skylar’s eyes darkened as she muttered under her breath, “I’ll only acknowledge you as my mom. The Williams family has nothing to do with me from now on.” Her tone was resolute, as if making the declaration made it final.
Janine, troubled by Skylar’s words, couldn’t help but ask, “Skye, tell me the truth. Did something happen to you while you were with the Williams family? Did they mistreat you?”
Janine’s heart ached as she asked, her instincts telling her that something had indeed gone wrong. Skylar, always so gentle and considerate, wouldn’t have cut ties so decisively unless she had been hurt deeply by the Williams family. It pained Janine to think of it, but she couldn’t ignore the truth she saw in Skylar’s eyes. Skylar’s silence spoke volumes, and Janine knew this was only the beginning of understanding the full extent of what Skylar had been through.
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