Marcus abruptly stopped Skylar by grabbing the shopping cart, his eyes locked on her like a predator sizing up its prey. “Let me give you a lift.”
“Marc…” the woman beside him frowned, her expression darkening.
She had expected a relaxing day with Marcus. He had promised to spend the entire day with her, yet the moment he laid eyes on another woman—especially someone as effortlessly stunning as Skylar—his attention shifted completely.
Marcus didn’t even glance her way. “You go on ahead,” he said dismissively.
Skylar found Marcus to be the most unpleasant man she’d met at the club. A typical playboy with more money than morals. A man like him was destined to meet his downfall one day—most likely at the hands of a woman he couldn’t control.
She reached out and gripped his arm, pressing her fingertips into a sensitive nerve point. Her tone was calm but firm. “I said, I can handle this myself.”
Marcus jolted as if he’d been shocked by electricity. “Ah!”
Though he quickly tried to stifle his voice, the sharp pain had already caused a scene. The woman beside him flinched, startled by his sudden reaction.
“Marc? What’s wrong with you?” she asked, wide-eyed. He looked like he was about to burst into dance or disappear in a puff of smoke.
But Skylar had already wheeled her cart into the elevator, cool and composed, as if she hadn’t just left Marcus squirming in front of his date.
By the time Marcus regained his composure, the elevator doors were closing. He could only watch helplessly as Skylar disappeared from sight.
His expression darkened.
“I’ll own you one day, Skylar!” he hissed under his breath. “Don’t think you’re better than anyone just because you’re with Joe.”
He had always believed no woman could resist him once he set his sights on her.
Beside him, the pretty young woman’s mood soured even more. Her voice trembled as she tried to cling to his attention. “Marc… don’t you like me anymore? You promised to spend the day with me. Weren’t we going to the mall after finishing up here?”
She didn’t usually mind Marcus flirting with other women—she knew what kind of man he was—but this time, it felt different. Skylar had shaken something in him.
Marcus snapped, “What shopping? Get lost!”
The woman bit her lip, stunned, as he turned away.
—
Meanwhile, Skylar drove to the hospital to visit Caleb. She strolled into his room, holding a large, brightly wrapped lollipop shaped like a motorcycle.
Caleb stared at it in disbelief. “I’m not a kid anymore.”
Was this how she saw him? A child? The bitterness rose in his throat, but he swallowed it down.
Skylar laughed. “You’ll always be a kid in my eyes. That’s why I chose a motorcycle-shaped one—something cool for a big boy.”
Caleb tried to smile, though his heart stung a little. “Skylar, I’m really not a kid. There are plenty of girls out there who want to be my girlfriend, you know.”
Skylar grinned as if indulging a younger sibling. “Alright, alright, you’re the boss. But I bet your doctor wouldn’t be thrilled about you eating lollipops right now. Save it for when you’re discharged.”
Her tone was gentle—teasing, even—but not the kind Caleb had hoped for.
He stayed silent, gripping the lollipop tightly. He’d wanted to confess his feelings to her again, but the words refused to leave his throat. Deep down, he feared hearing her say she only saw him as a little brother.
Still, Caleb wasn’t ready to give up.
John may have said that he and Skylar were impossible, but Caleb didn’t care. He was determined to prove everyone wrong—to win her heart, no matter how long it took.
—
After leaving the hospital, Skylar returned to Galaxy Villa. By the time she arrived, it was already 2:00 PM, and she went straight to the kitchen to start prepping for dinner.
The afternoon passed quietly.
While preparing the ingredients, Skylar received a call from Charles.
Apparently, the butler at Galaxy Villa had mistakenly allowed Charles to stay the night there, and now everyone on set was treating him like royalty. He was practically glowing with pride as he told her about Samuel’s sour expression and jealous stares.
“But I’m worried the good times won’t last once the butler realizes his mistake,” Charles said nervously.
Skylar couldn’t explain the real reason to him, so she offered a vague reassurance. “Don’t worry about it. Maybe your kindness is finally being rewarded.”
She smiled as she spoke. Charles had always been good-hearted, especially to the elderly and those in need. Perhaps fate was giving him a little return on his lifelong goodwill.
With the call over, she returned to cooking, the warm scents of home filling the air as the afternoon sun filtered through the windows.
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