Joe leaned back on the couch, crossing his legs in his tailored trousers as he regarded Skylar with an unreadable expression. He took a slow drag from his cigarette, the smoke swirling around him, adding to the tension in the air.
Skylar, sitting across from him, could feel the weight of his gaze on her. Something about his demeanor seemed off, more agitated than usual, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that it had to do with what had happened at Jubilance Hotel earlier. But, as her mind raced through possibilities, she quickly dismissed the idea that it was related to their secret marriage—after all, they had already signed the agreement, and Skylar hadn’t mentioned it to him today.
So, why was he so upset?
Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed the agreement sitting on the coffee table in front of her. Her heart skipped a beat as she read the title, Covert Marriage Agreement. The same agreement they had signed when they had registered their marriage.
Joe’s voice cut through her thoughts. “You still remember the terms of this agreement, don’t you?”
Skylar, still processing the situation, nodded slowly. She had scanned the document when signing it, and there hadn’t been anything unreasonable in the terms. They only had to keep the marriage a secret, and it had an expiration date.
“Please cut to the chase, Mr. Martin,” she said, her voice steady despite the unease bubbling up inside her.
Joe scoffed, the sound laced with irritation. He looked at her, his eyes cold. “Spit it out. What did you and your boyfriend discuss? What do you two plan to get from me?”
Skylar’s frown deepened as she began to understand what was causing his anger. “I’ve already broken up with Christopher long ago, and I never planned to get anything from you.” She paused before continuing, her voice sincere. “Grandma has always been kind to me. The only reason I married you was to repay her kindness. You can relax, because that’s the only reason I’m here.”
Joe didn’t seem convinced. His fingers hovered over his phone before he turned it on and tossed it to her. Skylar looked at the screen, where a photo of a young couple hugging outside a hotel appeared. The man—Christopher—was holding the woman tightly, his possessiveness clear in the way he clung to her.
The sight of the picture made Skylar’s stomach churn. It wasn’t the tenderness she saw in the image; it was the sickening familiarity of being held by Christopher, the same feeling of disgust she had always felt whenever he touched her.
Pursing her lips, she forced herself to suppress the nausea threatening to overwhelm her. She looked up at Joe, her voice stiff but cold. “Yeah, we broke up.”
Joe’s expression darkened. “If that’s the case, why are you still hugging like you’re reluctant to let each other go?”
Skylar met his gaze head-on, her voice steady despite the sting of his accusation. “If you look carefully, Mr. Martin, you’ll notice he was forcing the hug on me. Whoever snapped this photo would have seen me push him away if they had waited a few more minutes.”
She paused, her eyes locking with his as she laid everything out in the open. “I remember the terms of our agreement clearly. I won’t get involved with any man within our three years of marriage. However, I’m happy to agree to terminate the agreement if you’re trying to slander me with this photo.”
Her words were sharp, a clear challenge to his judgment. Despite the tension, she felt a sense of relief for voicing her frustrations. She could tell that Joe wasn’t fully convinced, but it seemed that he was starting to trust her a little less.
Joe remained silent for a moment, his gaze hardening as he processed her words. Skylar took the opportunity to pull out her phone. She found the picture she had taken at the car dealership with Christopher and Maisy, clearly showing them together in a moment of secrecy.
“Christopher and Maisy have been secretly seeing each other for a long time. Let’s not even discuss how I no longer love Christopher. This picture alone makes it impossible for me to have any kind of relationship with him anymore.”
Joe glanced at the photo before swiftly averting his gaze. But his decision was already made. He wasn’t swayed by the photo, nor by Skylar’s words. To him, the complicated relationship between Skylar and Christopher would only cause more problems. It was best to cut ties now before anything else was revealed to Gloria.
“That doesn’t explain anything,” Joe said bluntly.
Skylar, sensing his resolve, decided not to argue any further. She had said what was necessary to clear her name. With a resigned sigh, she nodded. “I won’t object since you’re determined to end the agreement.”
Her swift compliance surprised Joe slightly, and for a brief moment, his expression softened. Perhaps there was more to Skylar than he had originally thought.
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