There were messages from others, but none from Skylar.
She was so sweet in bed but became cold and distant once she was out of it.
Joe pursed his lips and stood up, walking over to the window. He gazed out at the bustling streets of Jipsburg City, observing the steady flow of traffic below. A sense of irritation crept over him, and he reached for a cigarette. As the smoke swirled around him, a new message appeared on his phone. With the cigarette between his fingers, he clicked on WhatsApp.
It was from Skylar.
“Grandma said dinner will be delivered to us tonight. Will you come back to eat?”
Joe didn’t realize his lips curling into a slight smile. He simply replied, “Yes.”
On Friday, Skylar completed the restoration of Frank’s antique painting.
When Frank saw the restored painting in his hands, tears welled up in his eyes. “Skye’s restoration skills are amazing! She’s completely restored it in such a short time!”
Alexander, standing nearby, was equally astonished. He knew better than anyone just how damaged the painting had been initially. The result of Skylar’s work impressed him even more.
She truly lived up to being Viola’s apprentice. Alexander couldn’t help but wonder if Skylar might one day surpass even Viola’s talent.
“In fact, her restoration skills are already better than mine,” Alexander thought with a hint of dismay. When he first saw the painting, he had little confidence it could be restored so beautifully under his hands.
“Skylar’s technique is indeed outstanding. It’s probably hard to find someone like her in Jipsburg,” Alexander complimented.
Frank nodded eagerly. “Yes, you’re right. It’s truly hard to find someone like her. Oh, and Skye, I’ve looked into the matter we discussed before. It turns out someone intentionally got Nigel to buy that traditional dress, and it was meant to harm Grace. We’ve handled the issue, and Grace is recovering well.”
Hearing that everything had been resolved, Skylar smiled. “That’s great to hear. Grace will recover soon.”
However, she couldn’t shake a lingering unease. Every time she thought about Frank’s family matters, her thoughts inevitably turned to Nigel. Had he really been deceived? After briefly entertaining the doubt, Skylar smiled to herself. Since Frank confirmed everything had been looked into, she decided to trust his word.
Once Frank confirmed that there were no issues with the painting, he transferred the remaining payment to the company’s account. Following their prior agreement, Alexander promptly sent Skylar her fee. As she saw her bank balance increase, Skylar couldn’t help but feel pleased.
It was the weekend, and she planned to head home. After work, she decided to stop by the mall to buy some clothes for Janine.
Janine was beautiful in her own way. Despite always taking care of others, Janine rarely spent money on herself. She wore the same clothes for years and rarely used skincare products. Still, her skin was naturally fair and well-maintained, even with just simple baby cream. She had very few wrinkles, unlike Sadie, who was meticulous about her skincare routine. In fact, Janine’s skin looked even better than Sadie’s.
After work, Skylar headed to the mall across the street. She picked out two sets of skincare and makeup products and also bought clothes and shoes according to Janine’s measurements. She filled her car’s trunk with her purchases.
The next day, as she was about to leave, Joe glanced at her.
Noticing his stare, Skylar smiled and cheerfully asked, “Would you like to come with me to see my family? My mom’s cooking is really good—much better than mine.”
Although she asked him, Skylar knew very well Joe wouldn’t join her. They weren’t at that stage yet, and, to be honest, it wasn’t the right time.
Joe’s eyes flickered for a moment. He closed the book in his hand. “I have a video conference in an hour. Maybe next time,” he replied, as expected.
Skylar smiled and nodded. “Okay, I’m leaving then.”
“Wait.”
Skylar paused, puzzled. Why did Joe seem reluctant to let her go? It felt unusual.
“Anything else?” she asked.
Joe put down his book and walked toward her, his long legs covering the distance quickly. He lowered his head to look at her, and for a moment, it almost seemed like he was gazing at her affectionately.
“You…” Joe’s gaze dropped to her collarbone. “Are you sure you want to visit your family dressed like this?”
Skylar looked down, and instantly, her face turned bright red. “I didn’t notice.”
The night before, Joe had been unable to restrain himself, leaving marks on her skin. Anyone would be able to tell what had happened between them. If she claimed it was an allergy or a mosquito bite, no one would believe her.
Skylar hurried upstairs to change into clothes that covered the hickeys on her collarbone. When she returned downstairs, she confronted Joe, “Next time, can you try not to leave marks?”
If she had gone to work with those hickeys visible, she wouldn’t know how to explain them to her colleagues.
Joe smirked. “Can’t promise anything about what happens in bed. I’ll try my best.”
He seemed unfazed, which left Skylar unsure of what else to say. In bed, he was like a beast, but outside of it, he was always well-dressed and composed—completely different from the person in bed.
Skylar couldn’t dwell on it further, so she quickly ran out.
Seeing Skylar rush out, apparently embarrassed, Joe chuckled. Was she shy? It didn’t seem like it when she had bitten him on the shoulder the night before. The little teeth marks on his shoulder were still visible, even now.
Janine was especially excited about the family gathering. Early that morning, she went to the market to buy groceries for lunch. Each of her children had their own preferences, so she made a little bit of everything they liked.
Now that the children were grown and busy with their own jobs and studies, Janine found herself not as busy as before. As she cooked, she reflected on her life. Thinking about her late husband, her eyes reddened. She looked forward to the afterlife, where she would proudly tell him how well she had raised their children.
Her children had all grown up well, and Harvey, the youngest, was excelling in his studies and would surely get into the university of his choice. Knowing they were all doing well made Janine feel content.
Soon, the table was filled with delicious dishes. Skylar arrived earlier than Steven and Charles.
Harvey, noticing the items Skylar was carrying, was surprised. “Skye, why did you buy so many things?”
“I still have more in the car. Come help me get the rest,” Skylar replied as she set the items down.
Harvey looked at the skincare products and clothes on the table. “Are these for Mom?”
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