In Jipsburg, someone like Joe was far out of Maisy’s league. With their status in the city, the Williams family would forever be overshadowed by the Martin family.
Maisy sighed longingly. “Oh, the things I’d do to marry him!” Instinctively, she began walking toward Joe.
But just as she was about to cross the road, Joe climbed into his car and drove off. Maisy’s chest tightened with determination. I’ll make Jeffrey create an opportunity for me. She had the looks and figure to match anyone. Even Skylar’s boyfriend was completely smitten with her. Surely, Joe would fall for her too, once he saw her.
Speaking of Christopher, why hadn’t he shown up yet? They’d agreed to go shopping, but he was nowhere to be found. Had he gone looking for Skylar?
A flicker of arrogance crossed her face. “I’m curious to see how Skylar is going to deal with all of this!” she sneered. “How dare she give me a hard time at the hospital yesterday? She’s got some audacity!”
Bored, Maisy pulled out her phone and called Sadie.
“Mom, I called Skylar earlier. She’s still ignoring me. Should I go find her and apologize?”
“Don’t bother with her,” Sadie snapped. “Your dad terminated her card. She’ll probably be back in a day or two. Honestly, she’s such a nuisance! If only she were more like you… we would’ve been so much happier.”
Sadie’s anger was palpable. Thinking about Skylar made her blood boil, and she had barely slept last night in her frustration.
Maisy quickly reassured Sadie, then hung up and called her eldest brother, Kenny.
She explained everything to him, letting out a few fake sobs. “Kenny, should you and Peter give her a call? Mom and Dad couldn’t sleep all night because she ran away. And… she’s your biological sister, after all.”
Kenny, buried in work and dealing with unsuccessful experiments, was not in the mood. Hearing about Skylar’s behavior only added to his stress.
“We only acknowledge you as our sister,” he replied, his voice tight. “If she wants to cause trouble, let her. We don’t need to get involved.”
Maisy chuckled. “I know you’re busy, Kenny. Just remember to take care of yourself, okay?”
“I will,” he grumbled before hanging up.
Skylar unlocked the door to her new home, the familiar, comforting scent of Janine’s cooking wafting toward her. Janine had an incredible way of turning even the simplest ingredients into mouthwatering dishes.
Everything around her felt so familiar, so comforting, that it almost seemed like a dream. Her eyes started to water as she looked over at Janine and Steven, who were busy in the kitchen. Their voices drifted through the small space.
“Skye loves this. Mom, you should make more.”
“If I can remember what her favorite dish is, of course I will. I’ve already made more of her favorites. When will Charles and Harvey be back?”
“They called me earlier, said they’re stuck in traffic. But they’ll be back soon.”
“That’s great. It’s been so long since we had a meal together.”
Just as Skylar was about to join them, a message popped up on her phone. It was from Joe: “I’ll be away on a business trip for a few days.”
She replied with a simple, “Okay,” then put her phone away. Stepping into the kitchen, she called out, “Mom, Steven, I’m back!”
In the past, one of the main reasons she’d returned to the Williams family was to ask for help. She knew that Steven and Charles had been struggling in Jipsburg over the past couple of years, but the Williams family had no desire to help them.
Skylar hadn’t had a chance to bring it up, especially considering how much Jeffrey and Sadie despised the Sullivans.
“Skye, you’re back! Go sit in the living room and relax. The food will be ready soon,” Janine said, her face lighting up with affection. She had really missed Skylar.
Steven added, “The kitchen’s cramped. You should go watch TV while we finish up.”
“Okay,” Skylar said with a smile. The warmth of her family’s affection made her feel grounded again.
Meanwhile, Joe was on his way to the airport, but his brow furrowed when he saw Skylar’s brief response. He had expected something more.
Paul noticed the subtle shift in Joe’s demeanor. “Mr. Martin, are you not satisfied with the plan? I can have them redo it,” Paul said, starting to send a message.
Joe glanced at him. “How can you tell I’m not satisfied?”
Paul froze, unsure of how to explain. He couldn’t exactly tell Joe he could read his expressions through years of experience. Instead, he forced out an awkward chuckle.
Suddenly, the car came to a sharp halt. Paul’s new laptop, which he’d just bought for ten thousand dollars, slipped off his knee and crashed to the floor, breaking into pieces.
His eyes widened in horror. At the same moment, the driver, Lucas Stokes, shouted in panic. “It’s a chain accident!” His face drained of color.
The car ahead of them had nearly been hit by a tanker. Joe glanced over and saw that the vehicle had been crushed by the overturned tanker. The wreck was so severe that only the logo of the car was visible, and the model was barely recognizable.
The entire elevated bridge was in chaos. Cars collided and piled up, blocking the road.
Back at Janine’s house, dinner was almost ready. Charles and Harvey had returned, and as soon as they saw Skylar, they rushed over to her. They didn’t bombard her with questions—they just wanted to know if the Williamses had treated her well.
“Skye, tell us if they’ve mistreated you. We’ll back you up!” Harvey, ever protective, spoke up. He had no respect for the Williamses, especially Maisy.
When they first met the Williams family, Harvey had seen their arrogance and decided then and there that he would only acknowledge Skylar as his sister.
“Harvey’s right,” Charles added. “Don’t let them push you around. You’ve always been a part of this family.”
Janine interjected, her voice light but firm, “Don’t talk nonsense. They’re her family. How could they mistreat her?”
Skylar smiled softly, her heart warmed by the concern from her brothers. “I moved out of the Williams residence. I found a place to stay, and I won’t be going back.”
“You moved out?” All four of them stared at her in surprise. “Why? Did they mistreat you?” The worry was evident in their voices.
“It’s not safe for you to live alone. Why don’t you come stay with us? The rent in Jipsburg is too high. I’m at home all the time, and Steven and Charles are always busy. You can stay in the living room. I’ll make space,” Janine urged, trying to make Skylar feel comfortable.
Harvey quickly added, “I’ll stay in the living room. You can have my room.”
Skylar was about to decline, but just then, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw that it was Gloria calling.
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