Chapter 1023

Joe quickly muted Skylar's ringing phone, only to see Aiken's name displayed. His expression instantly darkened. Pressing his lips together, he left the room, answering the call.

"Ms. Sullivan, are you still in Fachington?" Aiken's inquiry was surprisingly gentle.

Joe narrowed his eyes, lit a cigarette, inhaled, and exhaled the smoke before replying, "We've returned to Jipsburg. Do you need to speak with her? She's tired and just fell asleep. If it's important, you can talk to me, and I'll let you know tomorrow."

Aiken fell silent upon hearing Joe's voice. After a pause, he continued, "My sister wanted to see Ms. Sullivan, but unfortunately, you both returned early. I won't disturb you, as it's late in Jipsburg."

After the call ended, Joe stared at Skylar's phone, his expression grim. He finished his cigarette, returned to the room, and placed the phone on the nightstand. At that moment, Skylar stirred in her sleep, murmuring, "Joe, we can only get a divorce."

Her soft words were perfectly clear. The darkness in Joe's eyes intensified. Even in her dreams, she yearned for a divorce. He wondered if she truly desired such a drastic separation. He never imagined anyone could despise him so intensely.

"Fine," he gritted out, "if you want a divorce, I'll agree." He stormed from the bedroom, leaving Galaxy Villa.

Moments later, Skylar awoke, staring dazedly into the darkness. She thought she'd heard Joe's voice, but the empty room told a different story. It must have been a dream. Yawning, she turned over and fell back asleep.

The next morning, Skylar checked her phone; no messages from Joe—as expected. After breakfast, she hurried to work. Before entering her car, she assessed the damage from yesterday's accident—it was severe. She contacted the dealership to arrange for her car's pickup at Gardner Group at noon, then called Paul.

Paul was surprised. "Why are you calling me, Mrs. Martin?" He'd heard from Lucas that Joe had been near the company, not at Galaxy Villa, guessing a fight had occurred after their Fachington trip. If Skylar hadn't called, he planned to contact her. It seemed she still thought of Joe.

"Will Joe be at the office today?" Skylar asked.

Paul hesitated. "He should be; he has no other appointments. Are you coming to see him, Mrs. Martin?"

Skylar paused. "Yes, but don't tell him."

"Understood. A surprise, right? Don't worry, it's our secret," Paul chuckled.

Skylar remained quiet. "Thanks." She mused, A surprise? Joe might be startled; he'd been avoiding her for days.