Skylar’s initial impression of Annie—back at the club—had been somewhat favorable. Beauty often left a pleasant first mark. But after hearing Annie had gone out of her way to investigate her personal background, that impression had completely crumbled.
“Your foster family isn’t exactly well-off,” Annie said, her voice laced with irritation after failing to provoke a reaction. “This one million dollars could really change their lives, Ms. Sullivan. I suggest you take the offer seriously before it’s too late.”
It was clear Annie expected Skylar to be dazzled—or even humbled—by the check. But Skylar remained cold, unmoved.
Just like Maisy had said—Annie assumed Skylar was driven by nothing but greed. As if that was the only reason the Williams family had ever cast her out.
Skylar gave a soft chuckle. “One million dollars? That feels a bit stingy, Ms. Silver. I walked out of the club the other night with several million just from a few casual rounds of cards. Is this check supposed to be a joke from you… or from Mr. Martin?”
There was a faint smirk playing at her lips.
Skylar had always lived by a personal rule: if someone she didn’t care for crossed the line when she was in a bad mood, she wouldn’t just let it slide—she’d strike back harder. That side of her had existed even before she was reborn.
Why should she play nice now?
Annie’s brows furrowed in disbelief. “Several million? He actually gave you all of that in cash?”
She had heard from Rowan about the outrageous winnings that night—and the shocking losses suffered by the others. Joe had casually promised to cover it all and let Skylar keep the pot. It had seemed like a gentlemanly gesture at the time… but to hear he actually followed through?
No wonder she’s acting so smug, Annie thought bitterly. That kind of casual generosity would make anyone feel untouchable.
“Mr. Martin always keeps his word,” Skylar said with calm certainty.
She could see Annie was running out of arguments. And honestly, she didn’t know Joe well enough to say whether the gesture had meant anything special. But she did believe that if it had been anyone else that night, Joe still would’ve honored his word.
Annie’s face turned pale. Her polite façade cracked, and her voice turned sharp. “Name your price.”
Skylar raised an eyebrow, amused. “If I were going to negotiate, I’d talk to Mr. Martin directly. What could you possibly offer me, Ms. Silver?”
She picked up the check and tapped it lightly against the table. “You’d better keep this. If you want to kick someone out next time, make sure you come better prepared.”
Annie’s chest rose and fell with restrained anger. She inhaled sharply. “This is your last chance, Skylar. Walk away now, or when Joe inevitably gets tired of you, I’ll make sure you won’t last a day in Jipsburg. I’ve dug into your foster family. If I wanted to, I could ruin all of you.”
Skylar’s expression hardened. “So let me get this straight. You’re threatening my family now? That’s your grand plan?”
She leaned forward slightly, her voice laced with disdain. “You’re quite impressive, Ms. Silver. Sounds like you believe you run Jipsburg all by yourself.”
Skylar had once respected Annie’s grace and professionalism. But now, she saw right through it. Underneath that polished surface was the same rot that poisoned people like Maisy. Manipulative. Arrogant. Dangerous.
“Seems like you’ve got it all figured out,” Annie sneered, her patience hanging by a thread.
She didn’t mind teaching an inexperienced girl like Skylar a harsh lesson. If Skylar refused to leave, then she’d simply have to deal with the consequences of offending Annie Silver.
But then Skylar calmly said, “Mr. Martin, did you catch all of that?”
Annie froze. “What… You called Joe?!”
Skylar slowly placed her phone on the table. “He heard everything. The threats, the bribe, all of it.”
Annie’s expression twisted in shock. “You—how dare you—”
“You came here with a check to humiliate me and threatened my family,” Skylar said coldly. “You’ve heard of live and let live, haven’t you, Ms. Silver?”
Her tone was unshaken. “I’ve also recorded this conversation. If this goes public—or to the authorities—you won’t just be dealing with me. You’ll have a very public scandal on your hands. And while I may not be famous, Ms. Silver… can you handle that kind of scrutiny?”
Skylar wasn’t someone who bowed to intimidation, and threatening her family had crossed a line.
This mess had started with Joe—and now, he could deal with the fallout.
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