Joe had been on the verge of sleep, but now it had slipped away. His expression remained cold, yet he held Skylar tightly, sensing the depth of her pain. It was clear that she was deeply affected, and her nightmare seemed to have frightened her terribly.
As Skylar lay in his arms, she gradually calmed down, her body unwinding from the terror of her dreams. After a while, she muttered, her voice low and steady, “I hate you guys.”
Joe’s mind raced. Who was she referring to? Was it Christopher and Maisy? He wondered, if that was the case, why she didn’t just tell him. He could get rid of them easily. But he knew Skylar well enough to understand that she preferred to handle things on her own. So, for now, he decided to pretend he hadn’t heard.
Although Joe had been woken from his light sleep, he initially thought he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep. But as the steady rhythm of Skylar’s breathing soothed him, he found himself drifting back into slumber.
Meanwhile, things were becoming increasingly difficult for Kenny. After transferring the remaining balance from his account, the past few days had been nothing short of challenging. He had grown used to dining at upscale restaurants, but now, he found himself grabbing quick bites at the office.
Kenny’s colleagues, who once fawned over him, had seemingly caught wind of the financial struggles the Williams family was facing. As a result, they had shifted their allegiance to Steven, subtly flattering him while avoiding Kenny.
Kenny couldn’t help but feel pushed aside in the company. His self-confidence in research and development was dwindling, and he began to question his place in everything.
During his lunch break, he called Peter.
“You haven’t transferred any money to me these past two months,” Kenny said, frustration evident in his voice. “I’m almost broke now. Can you at least deposit a little into my account? I don’t need much—just one million dollars.”
Peter’s voice was sharp on the other end of the line. “Kenny, you know the situation at the company. We’re facing unprecedented challenges right now. Our accounts are running dry. Dad and I are trying everything we can to turn things around, and you know this. So why are you asking me for money? Don’t you have your monthly salary?”
Kenny’s expression darkened. “My salary is barely enough to cover my daily expenses. It’s just a few tens of thousands of dollars a month. Is the company really in that bad of shape?”
He had known that the Williams family’s company was struggling—that was why they had turned to Skylar for help. But hearing it from Peter, the gravity of the situation hit him. Could it really be so bad that they couldn’t even afford basic living expenses?
Peter’s face, visible through the phone, showed signs of worry and fatigue as he sat near the floor-to-ceiling window in his office.
“When I graduated, I had big plans to expand the Williams family business,” Peter began, his voice tinged with regret. “But now, things are more serious than you realize. Over the last couple of years, Dad and I have taken out bank loans to fund our expansion. There’s a real chance the company will go under, and we’ll face bankruptcy. If that happens, we’ll be left with massive debts.”
Kenny’s heart sank at the news. “There must be a way out, right? Back when you were in school, your business insight was always spot on. You could see opportunities no one else could. Under your leadership, the company has grown. I’m sure you can come up with a plan to save it.”
The thought of the Williams family losing everything filled Kenny with panic. He couldn’t bear to think of it.
Peter let out a heavy sigh. “Prepare yourself mentally, Kenny. It’s likely that the company will go under. But Dad and I will do everything in our power to revive it.”
With that, Peter hung up, leaving Kenny in a daze. He sat there for a moment, his mind racing, unsure of what to do next.
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