Skylar rushed to the hospital, her heart pounding with worry. Gloria’s frantic voice had told her that Joe had been involved in a chain accident, and she didn’t waste a second. On her way, she’d seen the news about the horrific pile-up, where multiple cars had collided, and a tanker had overturned. It sounded like a terrible scene. Skylar prayed Joe wasn’t one of the casualties.
When Skylar arrived at the hospital, she quickly spotted Gloria pacing anxiously in the hallway. She hurried over to her, relieved to see the older woman was unharmed.
“Grandma,” Skylar called, her voice filled with concern.
Gloria grabbed her hand, looking pale with fear. “Skye, you don’t understand how close we were to losing Joe! The car in front of his was crushed. It was such a nightmare. I’m just so glad he’s okay.”
Skylar squeezed her hand comfortingly. “Don’t worry, Grandma. Joe will be fine.”
Gloria nodded, though her eyes were still filled with worry. Skylar knew how much Gloria cared about Joe, and how deeply she feared losing him. It was hard for Skylar to imagine the stress her grandmother was going through.
The doctor soon emerged, and Joe followed, looking surprisingly calm, though he was a little bruised. Gloria immediately asked, “Joe! What did the doctor say? Are you alright?”
Joe gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ve had all the tests done, Grandma. I’m fine. Everything’s okay.”
Gloria sighed in relief, clutching his hand. “Thank God! I was so worried.”
Then, she looked over at Skylar, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “You rushed here so quickly, Skye. You must have been terrified. It’s a good thing Joe is fine. Now, how about the two of you go and have a nice meal together? You deserve it!”
Skylar opened her mouth to protest, but Gloria winked at her. “I’m getting old, and all this rushing around isn’t easy on me. I think I’ll head home and rest. You two go enjoy yourselves.”
Skylar smiled softly, recognizing Gloria’s subtle matchmaking. The older woman wasn’t shy about trying to encourage a bond between her and Joe, though Skylar wasn’t interested in that idea.
Joe, aware of what Gloria was up to, gave Skylar a long look before saying, “Ms. Sullivan, are you free now?”
Skylar raised an eyebrow. “Ms. Sullivan? We’re married now, Joe. At least call me Skylar.”
Gloria gave them a pointed look before heading off with Edgar. Once they were alone, Skylar was ready to leave, feeling that there was no need for her to stick around with Joe. She knew why they had gotten married—there was no need to pretend there was more between them.
But just as she turned to leave, Paul approached. “Mr. Martin, I’ve booked the tickets for the two o’clock flight. We need to head to the airport now.”
Paul stopped when he noticed Skylar. “Ms. Sullivan!” he exclaimed. Then, looking at her neck, his expression changed. “Is that… your charm?”
Skylar frowned. “Why are you still wearing it?” she asked, her tone sharp.
Paul’s hands trembled slightly as he held up the emerald charm. “What’s the deal with this? You mentioned it yesterday, but I thought you were joking.”
Skylar’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not a joke,” she said quietly. “That charm was stolen from a tomb. Its previous owner met a tragic end, and it carries the resentment and curses of those who’ve died because of it.”
Paul’s face went pale. “How do you know that?”
Skylar shrugged, her expression unreadable. “Would you believe me if I said it was just a guess?” she asked, flashing him a faint smile. She knew her explanation would seem far-fetched to Paul, who wouldn’t believe in such things. But Skylar wasn’t going to argue. She had other things to deal with.
“I have to go,” Skylar said, excusing herself. “Take care, Joe.”
As Skylar walked away, Paul stood frozen, clutching the charm in his hand, feeling an unnatural cold creeping up his arm. The charm seemed to pulse with a strange energy, and his mind raced with questions. Could Skylar really know something that no one else did?
Joe had been quietly observing, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
“Paul, get someone to look into the charm. Let’s find out whether she was just guessing or if there’s something to her words.”
“Right away, sir,” Paul replied, still shaken by Skylar’s cryptic words.
As the two of them left for the airport, the mysterious emerald charm weighed heavily on Paul’s mind. He wasn’t sure what to make of it or of Skylar’s unusual confidence in her knowledge. What was her real story?
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