Joe watched the video, his eyes narrowing as he observed Skylar and the man. In the footage, they appeared completely at ease with each other, more so than the photos had suggested.
Frowning, Joe typed a quick reply, “Seems like you have a lot of free time.”
Paul’s heart sank when he read Joe’s response. The indifference stung. He felt the urge to reply, defending himself, but realized it wouldn’t help. Joe’s response made it clear—he probably didn’t care about Skylar. If he did, he wouldn’t be so casual about it.
Paul sighed inwardly, feeling as if he were about to be cast aside. He vowed to never probe Joe about Skylar again. But then he wondered—was Skylar also indifferent about whether Joe had feelings for her?
Joe loosened his tie with a sharp motion, causing one of his shirt buttons to fall onto the floor. He glanced down at the fallen button, picked it up, and held it in his palm. The light reflected off the finely crafted button, shimmering as he fiddled with it, his expression increasingly cold. He checked his watch. It was 8:10 pm.
His gaze, already distant, grew even colder. It was as if a wall had come up between him and any emotion.
After leaving the restaurant, Skylar was about to part ways with Steven. Just as she began to say goodbye, Steven climbed into her car. “I’ll see you home first, then I’ll head back to my dorm,” he said.
“It’s almost 8:00 pm. Let me drop you off first,” Skylar replied as she started the engine.
Steven’s expression darkened, his gaze shifting to Skylar. He looked at her seriously. “I’ve known you the longest, Skye. I can tell when something’s bothering you. Did something happen?”
Skylar could tell that Steven was concerned. He had spent more time with her than anyone else, and he knew when she wasn’t quite herself. Lately, she’d been acting differently. The sadness and loneliness surrounding her seemed to suffocate him. It felt like when he found out his little sister had been bullied behind his back.
Skylar gripped the steering wheel tightly, wanting to confide in Steven about her secret marriage. But then, she remembered the covert agreement she had with Joe. Her hesitation lasted a few moments before she finally spoke.
“I got married,” she said quietly.
“Married?” Steven’s voice was full of disbelief. He knew Skylar had just broken up with Christopher—how could she marry someone so quickly? He wondered what had been going on in her life during this time. Skylar wasn’t usually impulsive.
“With whom? How old is he? What does he do? How did you two meet?” Steven bombarded her with questions, his concern evident. He feared that Skylar might have been hurt by Christopher and was now vulnerable to someone who could take advantage of her.
Skylar sighed, answering earnestly. “It’s someone Grandma Gloria introduced me to. We got together after a lot of consideration. But I can’t bring him to meet you guys.”
“He has a stable job, and he’s five years older than me. It wasn’t exactly a traditional wedding, but he treats me well.”
“So you married him before you even fell for him? Skye, have you been reading too many novels? Do you really think you’ll fall in love with him?” Steven’s face darkened with concern. He was desperate to meet this man and figure out what had made Skylar rush into a marriage like this.
“I haven’t thought about that,” Skylar replied, trying to reassure him. “Novels are just novels, and I’m not the female lead. We’re just… living together. Nothing more. Don’t worry, Steven. I’ve been through enough. I know what I’m doing.”
Skylar started the car, her words lingering in the air. She could sense Steven’s concern, but she wasn’t ready to share everything with him just yet.
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