Chapter 1001

“What is Joe thinking?” Vera wondered aloud. “Is he planning to buy the same ring for Skylar? What exactly did Skylar do to him? Just thinking about how Skylar pretended to leave earlier makes me suspect she’s scheming.”

Vera’s eyes, filled with jealousy, lingered on the lavish leftovers. Had a mirror been present, she would have been startled by her own distorted expression. Her thoughts, spiraling uncontrollably, fueled her rage and envy.

When Skylar returned to her room, preparing to leave, Joe reappeared. Seeing her departure, he raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t we agree to go out together? Who are you leaving me for?”

“I thought you were planning to go out with Vera. I assumed you two had plans,” Skylar replied.

Joe’s face darkened. “When did I ever say I was going out with her?”

Skylar was momentarily speechless. He hadn’t mentioned any plans with Vera. She wondered if he intended to leave Vera behind.

“From now on,” Joe stated directly, “if you have any questions, just ask me directly. My relationship with Vera isn’t what you think. You should explain what’s going on between you and Aiken.”

Skylar hadn’t expected this shift in focus. She froze, replying coldly, “I’ve told you before. Aiken and I are just friends.”

She didn’t understand his persistent misunderstanding. To her, Aiken was like a brother, much like Steven. Besides, Aiken was deeply in love with someone else. She was married and had no interest in other men.

Seeing Skylar’s calm demeanor, Joe felt relieved. “Let’s go then. Wherever you want.”

“Okay.”

In a nondescript four-star hotel in Jipsburg City, a middle-aged man and a young woman arrived separately. They had deliberately kept their meeting secret, using a third party to book the room.

Jenny followed Edwin inside. The moment she entered, he pushed her against the wall. Jenny struggled fiercely, pushing him away with all her might.

“Mr. Martin,” Jenny said firmly, biting her lip, “I agreed to meet to clarify that everything between us is over. I’m Rowan’s girlfriend now and cannot do anything to hurt him. If he finds out about our past, he’ll break up with me.”

Rowan had been increasingly despondent lately, apparently due to problems with a company he’d started with a friend. Should his ventures fail, Rowan might return to the Jakeman family, making Jenny the future Mrs. Jakeman.

Although Rowan’s attention had waned, Jenny remained confident he would still marry her upon his family’s return. However, after a chance encounter a few days prior, Edwin had contacted her, demanding a meeting. She’d arranged this discreet hotel to avoid unwanted encounters.

Edwin sneered at her words. “You want to marry Rowan? How naive! The Jakeman family will never accept you. Rowan is just playing with you. Do you really think he’d give up being the heir for you?”

Jenny’s face paled. “Mr. Martin, you don’t understand our relationship. He’s sincere,” she insisted. Both Edwin and Minerva had looked down on her, convinced the Jakeman family would never accept her. “If Skylar can marry Joe, why can’t I? Our backgrounds are similar.”

Edwin’s face twisted in disgust at the mention of Skylar. “You’re not like her. She’s someone Mrs. Martin Senior insisted Joe marry. Can you find another Skylar? Or do you possess her skills to infiltrate Mr. Gardner Senior’s team? Whatever you say is useless. Have your injuries healed?”