Skylar felt a cold sensation run through her as she overheard Maisy’s words echo in her mind. She had no intention of answering any calls from Maisy, nor did she feel compelled to defend herself. As the pieces of the drama and manipulation unfolded in the media, Skylar found herself quietly grappling with the consequences of being tied to this tangled web.
She hadn’t expected things to escalate this way, but the tension that had been brewing over the past few days, especially regarding her estranged family and their apparent concern for Maisy, felt suffocating.
As she stood on the edge of Nova Avenue, awaiting her next task with Daniel, the weight of it all was almost too much. Her phone buzzed again with another message from Natalie, but before she could respond, Joe’s voice pulled her back to the present.
“Skylar,” Joe said, breaking the quiet that had settled between them. “If you need help with anything… you can ask. I know things haven’t been easy for you lately.”
Skylar turned her head toward him, catching the rare sincerity in his eyes. Despite everything that had happened, his offer, though indirect, was enough to make her feel a little less alone.
“Thanks, Mr. Martin,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Joe’s gaze softened, but he didn’t push further. “It’s nothing.”
With one last glance at him, Skylar stepped out of the car, feeling the cold morning air wash over her. She had too much to process, too many questions about her family, and now a sense of growing uncertainty about the future.
She walked down the street, knowing that no matter how much she wanted to ignore it all, it wasn’t over yet.
The call from Maisy and the way her family was starting to behave, treating her like an outsider—it all made Skylar more resolved to stand her ground. She didn’t need them, not anymore.
As she entered the antique shop, her phone buzzed once again. This time, it was a message from Caleb about the restoration job. She was pulled back into her work, and though it wasn’t a permanent solution, it gave her a brief reprieve from the chaos of her personal life.
Skylar glanced at the message, then at the shelves filled with priceless antiques, feeling the weight of her decisions pressing down on her shoulders. But as always, she pushed through—just one more piece of the puzzle to put in place before the next storm hit.
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