Christopher’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as he glared at the road ahead. His voice crackled through the phone as he said, “Skylar wants to break up with me.”
Maisy’s confusion was palpable. “Break up with you? But isn’t she madly in love with you?” Her voice trembled, unsure of what had changed between the couple. Something must have happened to Skylar that she and Christopher didn’t know about.
Christopher let out a frustrated sigh. “I still don’t get it either. Could it be that she found out about our affair? If she has, I should take this chance to break it off with her. Let’s make our relationship official, Maisy.”
Maisy, however, was quick to distance herself. “Christopher, you and I aren’t in a relationship. We’re just regular friends who happened to go to the same college.” She maintained a cool, detached tone. “So what if Skylar thinks we had an affair? She’s just being paranoid and overthinking things.”
Christopher slammed the brakes, the sound of rubber screeching against the asphalt echoing in the car. “But we had sex in a hotel room last week. Doesn’t that mean we’re seeing each other?”
Maisy’s expression remained unchanged. “It’s only sex. It’s not like we have a future together. Besides, my parents would never let me marry you. I’m different from Skylar, after all.” Her words were laced with indifference, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I was just having some fun with stealing Skylar’s boyfriend. It’s not like I’d ever let myself be tied to someone of your social standing.”
Christopher’s heart clenched as he processed her words. He felt a tightness in his chest, almost suffocating. “You don’t think I’m good enough?” His voice came out strained, but Maisy didn’t flinch.
“Do you know about Joe Martin?” she asked, her voice turning icy as she spoke the name of the powerful CEO. “He’s the CEO of Martin Group. I’d gladly become your official girlfriend if you had the same social background as him! Since you don’t, please don’t take this thing between us too seriously. You should focus on winning Skylar back, though. She’s the one who’s going to donate blood for you. You need her.”
Maisy’s words stung Christopher deeply, but there was no mistaking the reality she was presenting him with. He clenched his jaw, his hands tightening on the steering wheel as he ended the call. Her rejection only intensified his panic. He couldn’t afford to lose Skylar—he couldn’t. She was his ticket to a better life.
In a fit of frustration, he immediately called Skylar, only for her to decline his call. The sharp sting of her rejection made him feel like he was suffocating. Panicking, he quickly sent her a text: “Babe, we’re not breaking up. I don’t agree to it. We’ll talk things through when you’re not angry anymore.”
Despite his efforts, she didn’t respond, leaving him more unsettled than before. He then dialed Amelia, hoping to gain some insight into Skylar’s sudden change of heart.
Meanwhile, Skylar was already on her way back to Galaxy Villa. Her phone buzzed repeatedly, first with Christopher’s desperate calls and messages, then with a call from Amelia. She picked up reluctantly, her patience wearing thin.
“Skye! I heard you and Christopher are fighting. Did he upset you? I’ve given him a good scolding, and he knows he made a mistake. Please, let him off the hook for my reputation’s sake, okay?” Amelia’s voice was sweet and condescending, as if she thought she had the upper hand.
Skylar’s eyes narrowed, the ridiculousness of Amelia’s words making her blood boil. “Your reputation doesn’t matter to me. Do you know why I answered your call?” she asked, her tone sharp. “Because a child picks up bad behaviors from their parents. Christopher is a carbon copy of you. In fact, he’s an even more skilled villain than you.”
She spat the words out with venom. “You and your son are like a pack of vermin. It’s no wonder you guys are family!” With that, she hung up abruptly, not giving Amelia a chance to respond.
Amelia was left staring at her phone, her face flushed with anger. “If I hadn’t seen you as someone useful, I wouldn’t have let you date my son! Let’s see who’ll regret it more after you break up with my Christopher!” she muttered to herself, her grip tightening on her phone.
Skylar arrived at Galaxy Villa half an hour later, her mind swirling with emotions. As she stepped out of the car and walked toward the entrance, Caleb called her.
“Skylar, I know an expert team in Jipsburg that specializes in restoring antiques. They’re hiring now. Would you like to drop by and check it out?”
Skylar’s curiosity piqued. “Are you talking about the team led by Alexander Gardner, the master of antique restoration?”
“Yep.”
“I’ll apply for a position if I complete Mr. Zeller’s work in the coming days. Thanks for letting me know, Caleb.” She hung up as she opened the villa’s door.
Inside, the house was brightly lit, but the warmth quickly vanished as her eyes locked with Joe’s. He stood at the foot of the stairs, his cold, calculating gaze fixed on her, as if waiting for her to make the next move. The tension in the air was thick, the silence between them almost suffocating.
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