As Skylar stepped into Pearlhall Residence with Paul, several pairs of eyes immediately turned toward her.
She spotted Joe first. Dressed in a light gray sports outfit, he exuded a refreshing, youthful energy. His casual look made him seem a few years younger than usual. For a moment, Skylar wondered if she was imagining it—or perhaps he was deliberately trying to look approachable in front of Gloria.
Not to be outdone, Skylar softened her expression and looked back at him with gentle affection, playing along with the façade.
Joe caught the glance and responded with a faint smile. In his mind, he acknowledged how convincing she was—so much so that anyone unfamiliar with the truth would easily believe they were a devoted couple.
Yet, something about her gaze tugged at him. The way her eyes sparkled when she smiled… it was too genuine. For a brief moment, he found himself lost in thought.
“Come here, Skye,” Gloria called warmly upon spotting her.
Skylar walked over and greeted her with a polite, “Hello, Grandma.”
Gloria gestured toward one of the guests. “You must have met Frank. He told me you were helping restore one of his antique paintings.”
Skylar turned to him and smiled. “Hello, Mr. Doherty Senior.”
Then, noticing the other guest, she offered a respectful nod. “Hello, Mr. Querbach.”
Frank beamed and turned to Gloria. “When I first met her, I was actually thinking of introducing her to my grandson. I had no idea she was already your granddaughter-in-law!
“I couldn’t find anyone willing to restore that painting. Even Alex, with all his experience, said it was beyond saving. And then she came along—so young, yet incredibly skilled. Gloria, you’re very fortunate to have her.”
His tone carried genuine admiration and a hint of regret. If Skylar had joined his family, he would have proudly shown her off. With her talents, he’d never worry about forgeries again—she could identify counterfeits with ease and even breathe new life into broken antiques.
Gloria glowed with pride. “Of course my granddaughter-in-law is exceptional! There may be countless other women out there, but there’s only one Skye.”
She gave Joe a quick sideways glance as she spoke. If he weren’t her grandson, she might have thought Skylar was wasted on him.
Skylar, in her view, was too good for someone like Joe—so reserved and guarded. People claimed he had excellent self-control, but to Gloria, that was more of a flaw than a virtue. Skylar, full of warmth and spirit, was his opposite in every way.
George added his agreement. “Skye is truly remarkable. So many items I thought were treasures turned out to be clever forgeries. It wasn’t just the money—it hurt to realize I’d cherished fakes for years.”
All the praise made Skylar feel uncharacteristically shy. She wasn’t usually one to get flustered, but the admiration from three elders at once was a bit overwhelming. And on top of that, she could feel Joe’s gaze on her—studying her, as if trying to see whether she truly lived up to the acclaim.
Skylar met his eyes briefly and gave him a subtle look, silently telling him to stop staring.
Instead of backing off, Joe raised a brow in amusement and casually walked over to stand beside her.
When the two stood side by side, they made quite the striking pair—elegant and composed, drawing everyone’s attention without even trying.
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