As soon as Kenny’s accusation echoed in the air, the tension in the room became palpable. Everyone fell silent, watching the confrontation unfold.
Though Kenny and Steven hadn’t gotten along for a while, they had always managed to maintain a civil front. However, the underlying animosity was clear to everyone, even if they chose to ignore it. Kenny had stolen Steven’s thesis, a fact that many in the company were aware of but didn’t address. And now, Kenny’s arrogance was showing.
Without warning, Steven turned around and delivered a punch straight to Kenny’s face. His expression was cold, his voice full of anger.
“You say Skylar’s your sister. Is this how a brother behaves? Skylar will marry someone she loves—she won’t be anyone’s sugar daddy!” Steven’s words stung, his protectiveness for Skylar apparent.
Kenny stood frozen for a moment after the punch, his hand clutching his bruised face. He couldn’t process the rush of emotions. He had never expected Steven to react like this. In fact, it felt like Steven was the only one who genuinely defended Skylar, despite everything.
Kenny couldn’t stand it. Why was Steven always so loyal to Skylar? It seemed as if some people—including him—had an unspoken desire to see Skylar fail, to believe that she wasn’t capable. They were more comfortable with the idea of Maisy being the successful one, rather than Skylar.
“Have you ever treated her like family?” Steven continued, his voice low but fierce. “What about when Maisy needed a blood transfusion? You guilt-tripped Skylar into donating her blood, and you never once thought about how it affected her health. If you think so little of her, don’t even think about turning to her again when you need something.”
Steven spat, his disdain for Kenny evident. “And as for the thesis, Kenny, don’t even get me started. You stole it. How can you look at yourself in the mirror, let alone come here and accuse me of anything?”
Kenny stood there, speechless, feeling the weight of Steven’s words. He had stolen the thesis out of petty rivalry, but now the guilt gnawed at him. He couldn’t defend himself, not when Steven was right.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Kenny finally managed to say, his anger flaring again. His shame was overwhelming, but he refused to admit it. The thought of Steven acting so superior only fueled his rage.
Steven sneered, his patience thinning. “You don’t deserve to act high and mighty, Kenny. Not after what you did.”
Meanwhile, Skylar hadn’t seen Joe for a few days. Paul had sent her a message saying Joe was away on a business trip for several days.
During this time, Skylar had returned home to have dinner with her adoptive mother, Janine. She had also visited Harvey, who was preparing for his upcoming college entrance exams. He had been studying non-stop, and Skylar wanted to offer her support.
She had also planned to visit Charles on set, but he had told her the filming conditions were poor, and he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. He asked her to come another time.
Steven called her during this period, insisting on meeting the man she had married. Skylar felt a pang of unease at his insistence. She had no idea how to bring this up to Joe. After some hesitation, Skylar decided to turn Steven down, citing work as an excuse. Thankfully, he didn’t press the matter further.
Skylar had just finished her last painting at Daniel’s place. The following day, she was scheduled for an interview at the auction house, a recommendation from Daniel himself.
Later that afternoon, Skylar was out shopping with Natalie. Natalie seemed particularly irritable, complaining about attending banquets.
“I really don’t like these kinds of events,” Natalie grumbled. “It’s all about socializing, and I hate it. But, since they’ve invited both of us, I’ll have to go with Jeremy. He needs me there.”
Skylar raised an eyebrow. “Who’s hosting this banquet?”
“It’s for the youngest son of the Gardner family, John Gardner,” Natalie explained. “You remember Joe Martin? He’s going to be there too. He and John are childhood friends. Joe and my husband were in the same college class and used to hang out together. But I’ve never met either of them.”
At the mention of Joe Martin, Skylar’s thoughts wandered for a moment. The mention of his name stirred something inside her, though she couldn’t quite place it.
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