Chapter 763
Observing Skylar’s astonished look, Janine felt something was amiss. She wondered why Skye seemed to not want Joe to stay. Did they argue?
Janine lowered her head, contemplating for a moment before deciding, “Alright, Joe can stay here.”
Joe nodded, his gaze fixed on Skylar.
Despite her confusion about Joe’s behavior, Skylar acted as though she hadn’t noticed. It made sense for him to visit her mother, but his decision to stay over was puzzling. She questioned if their relationship was close enough to warrant this and if he was mindful of the possibility of misunderstandings, particularly her own.
That night, they lay on a bed barely five feet wide. Joe’s presence made it feel even smaller.
Unlike the Galaxy Villa, an uncomfortable awkwardness lingered. For a moment, silence reigned.
When Joe’s arm reached out, Skylar jolted upright. She whispered, “The room isn’t soundproof.”
The master bedroom and guest room were separated only by a thin wall with no sound insulation.
Joe chuckled softly and withdrew his arm, resting his hands behind his head. He smirked, “Why do I get the feeling you’re deliberately reminding me the room isn’t soundproof? Trying to make things a bit more interesting?”
“Not that it’s not possible,” he quickly added.
Skylar’s face flushed. “Be quiet.”
His suggestive words were disconcerting. Thankfully, he kept his voice down. If Janine had heard, Skylar would never have been able to face her again.
Joe’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “The bed may be small, but it could offer a different experience. Wouldn’t you like to try it?”
“Joe! Do you really think I won’t kick you out?” Skylar gritted her teeth.
She wondered where the aloof, self–controlled man she knew had gone. The Joe who usually maintained a cold demeanor now seemed completely different.
Skylar couldn’t help but think that whenever Joe got into bed, he turned into someone entirely unlike his usual self.
Noting that he’d pushed his teasing to its limit, Joe pulled Skylar into an embrace and instructed, “Stop moving.”
If she kept wriggling, he might actually do something about it. As he lay next to her in bed, he felt no urge to restrain himself.
Skylar bit her lip and lay still in Joe’s embrace.
The next morning, Skylar and Joe had breakfast together at Yancey Residence.
Janine had risen early and, leaning on her crutch, prepared a simple breakfast.
I’ve said that I can take care of myself. You both should get back to work. Don’t fret about me; I’m fine at home, even if I can’t go downstairs. You can be assured.”
“Mom, don’t worry about lunch. I’ll order some delivery. In the evening, I’ll pick up groceries and cook
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when I get back,” Skylar said, still feeling uneasy.
After considering it, Janine didn’t object. She could handle lunch but agreed to let Skylar take care of it to ease her worries.
Once Skylar and Joe left for work, Janine turned on the TV. The rerun of the drama Janine and Skylar had watched the previous night played on the screen.
As she watched the unfaithful male lead, her thoughts wandered back to a figure she’d seen the day before. She smiled and shook her head. “Why do I seem to be getting more imaginative as I age?”
Then, she picked up the remote and changed the channel.
That morning, Joe didn’t have Lucas pick him up. Instead, he walked downstairs and got into Skylar’s car.
Skylar glanced at Joe, who was seated in the passenger seat.
“Are you looking at me like that because you’re hoping I’ll kiss you?” Joe asked, his mood buoyed by the good night’s sleep they’d shared.
With a forced smile, Skylar said, “I was just considering that my bed might not be quite large enough for someone as esteemed as you, Mr. Martin. I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
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Chapter 764
Skylar had barely slept the night before. Joe had used her as a human pillow, pinning her down and making it impossible for her to move. Furthermore, the heat was oppressive, like being trapped in a sauna during the summer.
She had to layer on concealer to hide the dark circles under her eyes and chugged a large cup of coffee just to function. Without it, she wasn’t sure how she’d get through the day.
“Don’t worry. I don’t mind the discomfort,” Joe replied quickly..
Skylar forced a tight smile.
The traffic was light, so she dropped Joe off at Martin Group and then headed to work.
The moment she clocked in, Steven and Charles called to check on Janine’s condition. They were swamped but promised to bring lunch later in the day.
Afterward, Skylar dove into her work.
After lunch, she returned to the office, ready to tackle the day’s tasks. Just as she was about to start repairs, Caleb burst in. “Skylar, come with me. My grandfather called earlier and he’s fuming. He hasn’t even touched his lunch. When I asked him what’s wrong, he just glared and wouldn’t say who upset him or why.”
A few minutes later, Skylar met with Alexander. His face was clouded with anger.
“I contacted the grandfather of that Ruell girl. Although we’re not close, we’ve known each other for years and have some level of understanding.
“I never expected him to dismiss me as senile, claiming I was out of touch and that those ancient artifacts couldn’t possibly be powerful. It’s infuriating! was just trying to help, and it blew up in my face!”
In Jipsburg, few would dare disregard his authority. It was shocking that a distant acquaintance would reject his credibility.
“Well, if that’s how it is, Grandpa, don’t let it get to you. If they prefer to dive headfirst into trouble, let them. If anything major happens, they shouldn’t expect you or Skylar to get involved,” Caleb remarked.
Skylar filled a cup with water from the nearby dispenser and set it on Alexander’s desk. “What’s meant to happen will happen. You’ve fulfilled your responsibility by warning them, so there’s no reason to feel guilty. “You’re right.” Alexander’s expression softened. He seemed more at ease.
He was known for his integrity and didn’t want to stand idly by while some families in Jipsburg were schemed against. But after his warning was met with skepticism, he decided it was best to step back. Continuing to interfere would be seen as meddling.
Meanwhile, Caleb was at a loss for words. No matter how he tried to convince Alexander, it was futile. Only Skylar’s words seemed to have any effect.
After Denton ended his call with Alexander, his displeasure was evident. It was the kind of frustration that came from being criticized.
When Alexander’s call came through, Vera was present. She had previously told Denton about her observations at the auction, leading Denton to form a poor impression of Alexander. As a result, Denton
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was disinclined to discuss much further after taking the call.
“Mr. Gardner Senior is really getting old. How can he believe in such nonsense at his age?” Vera said, displeased. Her plan to surprise her grandfather was derailed by Alexander’s call.
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Though Denton was also irritated, he managed a smile at Vera. “It’s quite common. As people age and grow more afraid of death, they often start believing in all sorts of irrational things.
“Mr. Gardner Senior might be distinguished and esteemed, but that doesn’t mean I lack competence. Being away from the company’s affairs has enabled me to delve into antiques, and he was likely just misled.”
“I’ve learned a lot from you since I was young. Now that you’re aware of this, I’ll arrange for someone to bring the items over so you can examine them properly,” Vera quickly offered.
“Alright, have them sent over.”
An hour later, a household staff delivered a roll of antique paintings to Denton.
Denton was an avid collector of ancient paintings and spent his free time admiring his collection. He had heard George’s building was filled with various antiques and believed his collection far surpassed anything George could boast.
“I’ll unroll it for you,” Vera said, carefully unfolding the antique painting.
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At home, the antique painting looked even better than it had at the auction.
Its traditional charm was irresistible. The artwork depicted portraits of people and scenes from daily life, creating the illusion of stepping into another world.
Vera was equally enchanted by it, while Denton gazed at it in silence for a long time. Finally, he slapped his thigh and exclaimed, “Excellent! This is a marvelous painting. It surpasses any of the ones I’ve collected before.”
“I’m glad you like it, Grandpa.”
“This is the best birthday gift I’ve received this year.”
It was rare for Denton to show such enthusiasm. This was the first time Vera had
seen him so animated. His reaction confirmed that he truly appreciated the gift, and Vera felt relieved for winning the painting at the auction.
She hadn’t expected Alexander’s pettiness after losing the bid on the painting he wanted to give Skylar, he complained to her grandfather. He even claimed the two items she had bought were cursed and would bring misfortune, but to Vera, they were just fine pieces. She couldn’t see where any trouble could arise.
Jenny finally had a private moment with Joe in the underground parking lot. Seeing him brought back all the recent turmoil, and her eyes filled with tears. “Joe…”
Before college, they didn’t see each other daily but met frequently. Even after she moved to Korel City, he visited her at college. Although he only came when she was hospitalized, it still showed that he cared–so being neglected now felt particularly hurtful.
Paul noticed Jenny’s reddened eyes and quickly scanned their surroundings. Thankfully, no one else was nearby.
“Is something wrong?” Joe asked.
As a tear rolled down Jenny’s cheek, she quickly wiped it away. “I’m just… I’ve been dealing with a lot at work lately and am starting to doubt myself. Since you taught me so much when I was younger, I wanted to see you first.”
Her eyes were earnest, revealing no hidden motives.
Paul was perplexed by Jenny’s transformation since returning to Jipsburg. He wondered if she truly believed a seemingly plausible excuse could conceal her
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intentions. If he could discern her deception, Joe, with his keen intuition, would surely see through it as well.
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“There’s no need to doubt yourself. Just focus on doing your job well,” Joe said. He Towered his gaze and maintained his usual demeanor.
Joe questioned whether crying over work issues was helpful. Had he ever taught her
that?
Jenny was stunned. “Joe, can we have dinner together?”
“Concentrate on gaining experience and honing your skills. There’s no need for dinner,” Joe said before turning and walking away.
Paul didn’t follow Joe. Noting Jenny’s clear dissatisfaction, he gently advised, “Ms. Scott, staying with the Martin Group might not be the best use of your time. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have a solid relationship. It might be better to focus your efforts elsewhere.”
Jenny bit her lip, her expression hardening. After a moment, with tears forming in her eyes, she looked at Paul and said, “I’m not sure I understand what you meant.”
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Paul stood there, dumbfounded. “Fine, if you didn’t get it, then forget I said anything.”
He waved his hand dismissively, signaling the end of the conversation.
Paul thought Jenny was overly confident, believing herself so clever that no one could see through her intentions.
Jenny stood there, her face pale and her tears long since dried.
“Alright,” Molly sighed.
“How do we heat this? I’ll handle it,” Joe offered.
“Shouldn’t we schedule a time to visit the courthouse? There are a lot of divorces happening lately. We should set a date,” Skylar said, meeting his gaze directly. She wanted to take control of the situation and not just react to whatever came her way.
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