Kenny couldn’t shake the feeling that they would regret how they had treated Skylar that day.
“Skylar is no longer an option,” Peter muttered, his voice strained with frustration. “And now we’ve offended Paul. I need to find a way to fix this—fast.”
Jeffrey erupted. “That bitch! What the hell was she thinking?!”
“We’re doomed now. Paul definitely hates us,” Maisy spat, her tone bitter. “Skylar planned it all. Why else would she call him in the middle of our conversation? She made him listen on purpose. And to think she still claims they’re not involved? She’s cunning—far more than we thought.”
“She wants to see us ruined! But what did we ever do to deserve this?” Samuel growled.
Kenny looked up quietly and said, “Maybe she’s right. We’ve never really been good to her.”
The room fell into momentary silence.
Since Skylar had returned to the family, they had picked her apart over everything. Nothing she did was ever good enough. They criticized her, belittled her, and never once welcomed her back with warmth.
Yet, Skylar had always been well-mannered. She spoke politely, stayed out of unnecessary conflict, and had even been thoughtful toward them. The more Kenny thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.
Peter scoffed. “No matter how we treated her, she’s still part of the Williams family. In times like these, she should stand with us. But instead, she’s pushing us deeper into the pit. That’s betrayal.”
“Peter’s right,” Samuel snapped. “Let’s see how long she can keep this up. When I’m back on set, I’ll teach her and Charles both a lesson. That guy must’ve been the one spoiling her rotten!”
Maisy glanced hesitantly at Kenny. “Are you blaming me for all this? If I hadn’t stayed home, maybe Skylar wouldn’t be this hostile now…”
She needed to make sure their parents and brothers didn’t start softening toward Skylar. If that happened, they’d lose all control over her.
Kenny sighed and looked at her, noticing the redness in her eyes. His earlier doubts faded into guilt. “No, it’s not your fault. You’re still my sister—always will be. Let’s not think about Skylar anymore.”
“Exactly,” Samuel grunted. “She’ll come crawling back eventually—after the world chews her up and spits her out. Then she’ll beg for our help.”
Just the thought of being related to someone like Skylar made him sick. She was a disgrace in his eyes.
Meanwhile, not long after Skylar walked out of the Williams residence, her phone buzzed.
It was Joe.
The first thing he said was, “You told the Williams family that if they gave you a billion dollars, you’d sleep with me?”
Skylar slammed on the brakes, heart pounding. Her face flushed with embarrassment. She hadn’t thought that part through—certainly not the fact that Paul might have been with Joe and overheard everything.
“I—I was just talking nonsense to them. Mr. Martin, please don’t take it seriously,” she said quickly, trying to keep her voice composed. “I know you already have someone you like.”
She drew in a breath to steady herself. He was too much—his presence, his tone, his intensity. She could barely think straight.
She thought she heard a faint laugh on the other end of the line, low and barely audible.
“Someone I like?” Joe said calmly. “That’s news to me.”
His voice was light, almost teasing. He sounded… amused.
Skylar’s mind raced.
“I saw Annie interviewing you the other day,” she said carefully. “Then I saw people online saying you two were a couple back in college. I—I really didn’t know. I’m sorry, Mr. Martin. I didn’t mean to overstep. I only agreed to Grandma’s request without knowing any of this.”
She took another breath. “I’ll head over to Galaxy Villa. We can talk about the divorce. I don’t want to make things more difficult.”
As she spoke, she focused on the road, her knuckles white against the steering wheel.
Joe’s tone turned cooler. “I have nothing to do with Annie.”
Skylar hesitated. His words were firm, but she wasn’t sure what to believe. If there was truly nothing between them, then why had they shown up at John’s engagement party together?
Maybe it had just been a lovers’ quarrel. Or maybe… something else entirely.
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