Maisy was worried. If Janine had learned the truth, she might have let it slip to Sadie.
But Sadie quickly dispelled that fear. “Janine didn’t say a word,” she snapped. “Ugh! She’s just a coarse, uneducated woman from the sticks.”
Maisy quickly tried to calm her down. “Mom, don’t let her get to you. She hasn’t been in Jipsburg long—she’s still rough around the edges. It’s not worth your time or energy.”
Maisy felt a wave of relief. She was genuinely glad she hadn’t been raised by someone like Janine. If she had, maybe she would’ve turned out just like her—a plain, small-town woman with no refinement. That was a fate she couldn’t even imagine.
Sadie took a deep breath, reigning in her anger. “Alright. If Mr. Martin doesn’t like you, that’s his loss. We need to focus on our family’s situation. Things are getting worse by the day. Charles is practically living at the office, and your father’s so stressed, his hair’s turning white.”
“I understand, Mom,” Maisy said quietly.
Sadie’s voice turned sharper. “And what about the hospital? Have you followed up on your health? Skylar… that heartless girl! How could she refuse to donate blood for you? It’s not even about us—she should do it for herself!”
Sadie’s rage flared again at the thought of Skylar. Just days ago, she might have felt a flicker of guilt, but now that was long gone. Skylar had become the embodiment of defiance, and in Sadie’s eyes, she was nothing but a stain on the Williams name.
As far as Sadie was concerned, she had only one daughter—Maisy.
Maisy bit her lip. “She probably won’t agree to donate anymore.”
Not long ago, Maisy had felt confident that Skylar would keep trying to please the Williams family out of guilt or obligation. But things had clearly changed.
“She will,” Sadie said firmly. “She’ll come crawling back. And when she does, she won’t have a choice.”
Sadie was convinced that Skylar’s so-called relationship wouldn’t last. In her mind, Skylar was nothing more than a disposable mistress, and once the man got tired of her, she’d be cast aside—forgotten and humiliated.
Sadie shuddered at the thought. A daughter who sold herself for luxury? The mere idea made her stomach turn.
That morning, the private hospital was quiet and discreet—exactly what Edgar had arranged. It catered to high-profile clients who valued privacy, including celebrities and wealthy elites.
Joe and Skylar had arrived early for a full set of medical evaluations. After the tests were done, they had time to spare before the results were ready, so they headed to a nearby restaurant for lunch.
They chose a cozy private dining room and ordered fondue.
Skylar, excited, had specifically requested a pot divided between cheese and broth—her favorite kind of mix.
She glanced over at Joe’s selection: some bread, vegetables, beef, and pasta. It was… elegant but a little boring.
“Is that all you’re getting?” she asked, arching a brow.
Joe glanced at her, amused. “Is there something missing?”
Skylar grinned mischievously. “Mind if I order some sausage and seafood? You can’t have fondue without some variety. It’s supposed to be indulgent!”
Joe, sitting tall in his crisp suit and polished demeanor, looked every inch the corporate executive. Fondue, to her, didn’t seem like his style.
“Order whatever you like,” he replied calmly.
That was all the encouragement she needed. Skylar turned to the menu and went wild—sausages, prawns, lobster, crab, clams, and anything else that caught her eye.
She had a big appetite when it came to fondue, and today was no exception. By the time everything arrived, her side of the table looked like a feast.
Joe, however, remained modest in his choices. He barely touched the cheese dip and didn’t even glance at the sauces she had eagerly paired with everything.
Skylar paused mid-bite, glancing at him curiously.
He noticed and gave her a half-smile.
Then, as she was reaching for a piece of crab, Joe suddenly said, “Maybe we should ask the doctor later if it’s safe to eat seafood while we’re trying to conceive.”
Skylar froze, her chopsticks hovering in the air.
She slowly looked up at him, eyes wide.
The words hung in the air—unexpected, bold, and completely out of sync with the lighthearted tone of lunch.
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