Paul flinched, his voice quick with concern. “Got it, Mr. Martin!”
Jacky shot him a half-smile, his tone mocking. “Haven’t seen you in a while, Paul. Looks like the accident made you soft. I always thought you were tougher than that.”
“Shut up!” Paul snapped, his irritation evident.
Jacky always had a knack for provoking people. Of everyone in Jipsburg City, Paul despised Jacky the most—especially now, with that smirk plastered on his face.
Joe watched the exchange with an almost bored expression, taking his time with a cigarette. He was used to their petty bickering. Today, he had intended to help Skylar—not just because of the Williams family’s underhanded tactics, but because he didn’t want this mess affecting Gloria. It was unfortunate, though, that Skylar hadn’t asked for his help.
He’d wait. And see how this played out.
By 7:00 PM, traffic in Jipsburg was still heavy. Skylar, who could’ve reached the Yancey Residence in thirty minutes, took nearly forty-five. When she finally entered the house, she found Janine, Charles, and Steven waiting for her in the living room.
“Skye!” they all exclaimed in unison, quickly getting to their feet.
The trio had been sitting on the couch, scrolling through their phones after dinner. The internet had exploded with toxic discussions about Skylar. They were seething with anger, wishing they could track down each person spreading lies.
How dare they? What right did they have to attack her like this? As for the Williamses, Janine and the others were furious at the family for betraying Skylar in such a heartless way. Even if the Williamses didn’t care about her, they certainly did.
Skylar’s chest tightened at the sight of them, the warmth of their concern washing over her. She felt the first sting of tears in her eyes but blinked them away. She knew she wasn’t alone. They would always stand by her.
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Steven, Charles,” she greeted, her voice soft but steady.
“I know everything, Skye,” Janine said, her voice thick with emotion. “Christopher will face the consequences of his actions. How could he treat you like that?” Her hands trembled as she wiped her eyes.
Earlier, Janine had promised herself not to cry, but seeing her daughter hurt was impossible to ignore. Skylar’s betrayal at the hands of someone she trusted was too much to bear.
Skylar walked over and embraced her. “Don’t cry, Mom. I already knew about all of this. It’s not worth shedding tears over someone who doesn’t deserve them. I’ve learned to let go of things like this. They can’t hurt me anymore.”
Steven and Charles stood by, both of them uneasy. Skylar’s words didn’t sit right with them. They could tell she was keeping something from them, protecting them from her deeper pain.
When she had gone back to the Williamses, they had thought she would be treated well—cared for like family. But now, seeing the mess the Williamses had made of everything, they were left in the dark about what Skylar had really endured.
Skylar finally broke the silence, guiding Janine to her room before turning to Steven and Charles. “Other than the photos, I also have some videos. They show Christopher’s affair with Maisy. I’m planning to release them tomorrow morning.”
She pulled out her phone and showed them the footage from the mall’s surveillance cameras. The quality was crystal clear.
As they watched the video, the tension in Steven and Charles’ faces gradually eased.
“The Williamses…” Charles began, his words trailing off as he struggled to contain his anger. He clenched his fists, but quickly composed himself, realizing his frustration wasn’t helping Skylar.
Steven shot him a look before turning back to Skylar. His brow furrowed in concern. “Skye… were they treating you badly? Were you hurt by them?”
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