At the engagement party, the real attention-grabbers were undeniably Joe and Annie. When they were together, it felt as if everyone else in the room disappeared. All eyes were on them, and they seemed like a perfect match—an almost magical couple who effortlessly stole the limelight.
Natalie sent Skylar another message:
“See that? They showed up together at John’s engagement party again. There’s no way they’re just friends, right? I asked my husband, but he told me not to snoop into Joe’s business.”
Then Natalie added:
“But I still think you’re the prettiest. Annie’s pretty too, but she’s got nothing on you. Skye, you’ve got that captivating charm like a little siren who can steal anybody’s breath away!”
Skylar couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she read through Natalie’s increasingly ridiculous messages. She glanced at the photo again and felt a knot tighten in her stomach.
The reality was hitting her hard. To repay her debts to Gloria, she had somehow found herself cast in the role of a mistress in the complicated relationship between Joe and Annie. Now she understood why Joe always treated her so coldly—he already had someone he cared about.
Later that night, just as Skylar was about to go to bed, her phone buzzed with a call from Alexander’s team. They apologized for calling so late, explaining that they had overlooked her résumé during the screening process and missed her interview. They were wondering if she could make time for an interview the following day.
Although Skylar’s spirits had been low after learning about Joe and Annie’s relationship, the call from Alexander’s team lifted her mood. She had already agreed to meet with the auction house the next day, so she decided to go for Alexander’s interview in the morning before heading to the auction house in the afternoon.
After all, Alexander’s team had high standards, and she wasn’t sure if she could make the cut. But the opportunity was too important to pass up.
Feeling optimistic about the future, Skylar shared the good news with Janine and Steven. They wished her luck, reminding her that no matter the outcome, she would always be the best in their eyes. With their support, Skylar felt ready to face whatever came her way.
She fell asleep with a smile on her face, the warmth of their encouragement comforting her.
The next morning, as Skylar went downstairs to make breakfast, she noticed that Joe hadn’t returned home the previous night. It didn’t surprise her. Natalie had mentioned that Annie had just returned from abroad less than a month ago, so it made sense that they would want to spend time together after being apart for so long.
As she finished breakfast and prepared to leave, Skylar glanced back at Galaxy Villa. She needed to find a good excuse to move out and tell Gloria that she was busy with work. That way, she could eventually put an end to this spontaneous marriage arrangement with Joe without causing too much drama.
Meanwhile, Joe woke up with a pounding headache. He had drunk quite a bit the night before and ended up crashing on the Gardner’s yacht. Most of the guests at the engagement party had spent the night there as well.
He rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the fog in his head, and remembered something. Quickly, he dialed Paul’s number.
Paul, who had also stayed on the yacht, answered the call promptly. “Mr. Martin, are we leaving the yacht now?”
Joe frowned. “Did you tell Skylar I was back in town?”
Paul seemed confused. “No, Mr. Martin. I don’t recall you asking me to update her about your whereabouts.”
Joe’s expression darkened as his frustration grew. “Then tell her.”
Paul replied quickly, “Got it, Mr. Martin.”
But then Joe’s frown deepened, and he hesitated. “Wait, never mind. Forget what I said.”
Paul was left confused by the sudden change of mind. Was Joe planning to update Skylar or not?
Joe glanced at his phone, feeling a growing unease. He had been out of town for over a week, yet Skylar hadn’t sent him a single message or called him once. His expression darkened further.
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