When Skylar returned to Galaxy Villa, Joe wasn’t home yet. She was just about to head upstairs to change when her phone rang.
“Are you free?” Joe’s voice came through warmly.
“I just got back,” she replied.
“Grandma called me just now. She wants to see you and asked for your help. Do you have time to visit her?”
“Of course I do,” Skylar said without hesitation. “She’s at Pearlhall Residence, right? I’ll drive over now.”
“No need,” Joe said gently. “I’ve sent Paul to pick you up. Just relax and rest during the ride.”
“All right.”
A few minutes later, Skylar got into the car. Paul gave a polite nod from the driver’s seat, his usual talkative nature noticeably restrained. He remained quiet for a while, occasionally glancing at her through the rearview mirror, clearly holding something back.
Skylar noticed his unease and broke the silence. “Mr. Ziegler, is there something you want to say?”
Paul hesitated no longer. “Ms. Sullivan, do you remember Marcus Lennon?”
“I do,” she said, sitting up slightly. “What about him?”
“After he was diagnosed with AIDS, a lot of people who had been close to him went to get tested. Several of his recent girlfriends… they tested positive too.”
Skylar’s expression turned serious.
“Before all this,” Paul continued, “the Lennons had been grooming him as their heir. He was arrogant, impulsive, and used to throwing his weight around. Of course, he wouldn’t dare act out in front of Mr. Martin. But I had a few college friends working at the Lennons’ company, and Marcus framed them for something they didn’t do.”
Paul paused, unsure whether he was rambling. But somehow, seeing Skylar put him at ease. He felt the need to explain everything clearly.
“How is he now?” Skylar asked.
“The Lennons have cut ties with him. And Mr. Martin’s connection with him was always just through Mr. Jakeman—they were never close. That day, when you called during our business trip, you might have saved us. If Marcus had been in our car, we would’ve been in serious trouble.”
Paul’s voice was filled with lingering fear and gratitude.
“We later found out that the thumb ring Marcus wore had been given to him by his uncle about a year ago. It always gave me a weird feeling. It looked expensive, authentic even, but something about it just felt… off.”
He shuddered slightly. “Turns out it carried heavy negative energy. If we had been around him often, would we have been affected?”
Skylar nodded calmly. “Yes. Anyone who’s spent time around him in the past year would be affected to some extent. That thumb ring was especially toxic. Long-term contact could have put your life at risk.”
Paul sucked in a sharp breath. “I was really lucky to have posted that photo on Instagram that day. You saw it, and warned us just in time.”
Skylar smiled. “It was fate. If I saw it, it means you’re a blessed person. You’ve had your share of misfortune, but this year, things will turn around.”
Paul grinned, the tension in his shoulders finally easing. “Seriously, if I hadn’t met you, I’d still be stumbling around in the dark. I owe you a lot, Ms. Sullivan.”
Then his tone turned curious. “By the way, you said everyone who was close to Marcus would be affected. It turns out you were right. Ethan and Lukas were often with him—they’re both dealing with contract failures and serious financial losses now. Even Mr. Jakeman got hit, though not as badly.”
Skylar nodded knowingly. “That’s expected. The closer you are to someone with strong negative energy, the more you’ll be affected. But it doesn’t affect everyone equally. Those who are upright and morally grounded have stronger protection and are less likely to suffer deeply.”
Paul took that to heart. “I’ll make sure to get more sunlight and exercise. Build up my inner shield.”
“That’s a good idea,” she said with a smile. “Once your energy is stronger, even people like Marcus won’t affect you.”
“Got it! I’ll hit the gym right after work!”
—
Half an hour later, they arrived at Pearlhall Residence.
Three cars were already parked outside. Skylar immediately recognized one of them as Joe’s. The other two were unfamiliar, which meant only one thing—Gloria had guests.
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