Everyone in the room thought Skylar was delusional.
“Why not try?” Skylar said with a chuckle. “You won’t know unless you do. Transfer a billion dollars to me right now, and maybe by this time tomorrow, I’ll show you a marriage certificate.”
“Stop being ridiculous,” Peter snapped, trying to suppress his frustration. “If word of this gets out, people will say the daughter of the Williams family doesn’t know her place. If one million isn’t enough, I’ll give you two million. That’s as much as I can offer. Don’t push your luck.”
He took a deep breath, barely containing his disdain. If not for the crisis the Williams family was currently facing, he wouldn’t have given Skylar even two hundred dollars, let alone two million. She was always so bold, always demanding more. And now, claiming she could marry Joe—it was beyond disgraceful.
“Joe isn’t like Christopher,” Maisy said disdainfully, her tone sharp. “Just because you say you like him doesn’t mean he’ll return the feeling.”
She assumed Skylar’s time away from the family must have been bitter. Only desperation could lead her to such wild fantasies. If daydreaming could turn dreams into reality, Skylar would already be Mrs. Martin by now.
“Liking someone and marrying them are two different things,” Skylar replied flatly. “Even if he doesn’t like me, that doesn’t mean he won’t marry me.”
The room fell into a tense silence. No one took her seriously—they thought she was just talking nonsense.
Sadie, who had earlier felt a twinge of guilt, now only felt disappointment. Skylar wasn’t the daughter she had hoped for. “Enough with the fantasies,” Peter said coldly. “The Williams family can’t even begin to reach Joe’s level. Even if we gave you a billion dollars, he wouldn’t look at you twice.”
Skylar remained calm. “If you never try, you’ll never know. One billion dollars. Not a penny less.”
“Impossible!” Samuel was the first to explode.
“You need to stay home and cool off,” Jeffrey snapped, his voice filled with frustration.
“Samuel, stay here and watch her,” Peter ordered. “Don’t let her leave. Let her think it over tonight.”
“Dad, Peter,” Maisy chimed in with a smile, “you go to the office. I’ll stay and talk to her.”
Sadie, too, put on a stern face. “It’s good you’re staying home. Take care of me while you’re at it. My neck’s been bothering me again. That massage you gave me last time helped. Do it again.”
Despite everything, even Sadie acknowledged that Skylar had once been kind to her—devoted, even.
Just then, Kenny’s eyes reddened. He turned to Skylar and asked softly, “Do you hate us? Is that why you don’t want to help?”
Skylar let out a quiet laugh. “You’re only realizing that now?”
She honestly wondered—had they ever done anything that didn’t deserve her hatred?
Kenny was stunned. Maisy looked caught off guard. Sadie and Peter both frowned.
Samuel scoffed, his voice full of contempt. “If anyone should hate someone, it’s us hating you. Your existence has brought nothing but shame to this family. And now, we’re offering you a chance to redeem yourself, yet you refuse.”
Skylar’s voice turned cold. “A billion dollars to stabilize the Williams family business. Are you absolutely sure you don’t want it?”
“Hell no!” Samuel barked.
A dark glint appeared in Skylar’s eyes. She gave a slow, calculating smile and spoke clearly, deliberately.
“I can’t wait to see the look of regret on your faces.”
With that, she turned and walked away.
“Stop her!” Jeffrey roared. “She’s not going anywhere until she’s come to her senses!”
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