Jeffrey’s mind raced as he approached the entrance, his heart pounding with a mixture of confusion and frustration. He hadn’t expected to see Skylar here, especially not with Paul Ziegler. The two had never been close, and yet here she was, standing at the door of Martin Group with Paul—a company that was clearly on a different level compared to the Williams Group.
Maisy, following closely behind her father, narrowed her eyes at Skylar’s figure, already putting the pieces together. The last thing she wanted was to be caught in some kind of drama with Skylar. The rivalry between them had always simmered under the surface, but seeing her now, at Martin Group, with Paul no less, only added fuel to the fire.
As they neared the entrance, Jeffrey caught sight of Skylar standing with a bag in her hand, clearly waiting for Paul. She looked completely at ease, as if she had every right to be there. Her demeanor was calm, her posture poised, almost regal—completely different from the last time he had seen her, when she had been with Christopher.
“Skye,” Jeffrey called out, his voice slightly strained. “What are you doing here?”
Skylar turned at the sound of her name, her expression neutral but with an edge of surprise as she saw Jeffrey and Maisy standing behind him. It was clear from the look on her face that she hadn’t expected to run into them here.
“I’m just delivering some soup to Paul. Gloria made it for him,” Skylar explained smoothly, her eyes briefly flicking to Paul, who had now joined her at the door. He gave Jeffrey and Maisy a nod of acknowledgment, his expression unreadable, though there was an almost imperceptible flicker of recognition in his eyes.
Maisy’s frown deepened as she looked from Paul to Skylar. “So you know Paul Ziegler?” she asked, her voice a little sharper than she intended. It was clear she didn’t like the idea of Skylar having any connection to someone from Martin Group, especially not Paul, who was usually so elusive.
Skylar didn’t flinch. “Yes, I know him. We’ve met a few times before,” she replied coolly. She didn’t elaborate further, not feeling the need to explain herself to Maisy.
Jeffrey felt a pang of unease. Skylar’s casual demeanor only made him feel more out of place. He had never imagined that she would be involved with someone like Paul Ziegler, let alone be on good enough terms to deliver soup to him. It was a strange shift in dynamics, one that he couldn’t quite wrap his head around.
“Mr. Ziegler, you didn’t tell me Skylar was here,” Maisy said, her voice strained. She was trying to regain control of the situation, but her jealousy was becoming hard to mask. The last thing she wanted was for Skylar to have any influence over Paul—or worse, to be part of the reason Martin Group was pulling away from the Williams Group.
Paul raised an eyebrow at her comment but said nothing. He could sense the tension building, but he wasn’t about to entertain any of it. “Skylar is just doing a kind favor for a friend,” he said, his tone dismissive. He wasn’t about to explain the nuances of his relationship with Skylar to them, especially not in front of them.
Jeffrey, his patience wearing thin, stepped forward. “Skylar, this isn’t the time for pleasantries. We need to talk to Mr. Martin, and we need to do it now. I don’t care about soup or whatever else you’re doing here.”
Skylar’s eyes flicked to him briefly, her gaze calculating. She could tell by his tone that he wasn’t there for casual conversation. “I’m sure Paul has already told you that Mr. Martin doesn’t have time to meet with you today,” Skylar said evenly, her voice calm but firm. She wasn’t about to let Jeffrey bully his way into a meeting with Joe, especially not when his company’s behavior was making it difficult for anyone to take them seriously.
Jeffrey opened his mouth to argue, but before he could say anything, Paul stepped in.
“Mr. Williams, I suggest you contact the commerce department directly if you wish to pursue further negotiations. I don’t have the time to entertain personal matters today,” Paul said, his voice colder now. He wasn’t giving any more ground to Jeffrey’s persistent demands.
Maisy crossed her arms, clearly dissatisfied with the situation. She cast one last look at Skylar, whose calm, composed expression only seemed to fuel her irritation further. “Fine,” Maisy said, her voice dripping with frustration. “But don’t expect us to just accept this.”
Jeffrey’s frustration mirrored his daughter’s. But with nothing else to say, he turned on his heel and headed back to the elevator, his pride wounded. Maisy followed closely behind, but not before giving one last, lingering look at Skylar.
As the elevator doors closed behind them, Skylar let out a quiet sigh of relief. The tension in the air had been thick, and while she had held her ground, she couldn’t help but feel the weight of their presence lingering in the back of her mind.
Paul, standing beside her, finally spoke, his voice soft but carrying an undertone of concern. “Are you okay?” he asked.
Skylar gave him a small smile, a brief flicker of appreciation in her eyes. “I’m fine. Thank you for stepping in.”
Paul’s gaze softened for a moment, but his professional mask quickly returned. “You didn’t need me to step in. They were out of line,” he said dismissively, though his tone lacked the usual bite.
Skylar nodded, her mind already moving on from the encounter. She had other things to focus on now. “I should get going,” she said, tucking the bag with the soup under her arm.
Paul didn’t try to stop her. “Take care,” he said, watching her leave with a thoughtful expression. It wasn’t lost on him that Skylar had an incredible ability to handle herself in difficult situations—and it made him wonder if there was more to her than he had initially realized.
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