Chapter 1041

Joe's implication was that Skylar, privy to his life, should also hear Vera's request. Skylar, surprised, complied after a brief hesitation when Joe warmly invited her to sit beside him. They appeared a picture of domesticity, a resemblance emphasized by their long cohabitation. This sight drained the color from Vera's face; she hadn't come to witness a display of affection.

Was Joe subtly highlighting her predicament to discourage her, or was he disavowing her, suggesting Skylar had replaced her in his affections? Jealousy choked Vera. Just as she neared composure, Joe's cold, emotionless query, "Well, what do you want?" steadied her.

Finding this unacceptable, Vera observed the couple. She'd envisioned a woman at Joe's side, but it had always been herself. Now, confronted with this reality, a bitter irony washed over her.

Clearing her throat, she apologized for the late visit, explaining her predicament: a stalker, obsessed and persistent, even after her return from abroad, had threatened her. She feared confronting her parents, still recovering from burn injuries, and turned to Joe for help, requesting protection from the stalker in Jipsburg.

Joe's response was dispassionate. He suggested she seek his grandfather's assistance, a suggestion that left Vera uncertain of his true feelings. Skylar, too, was perplexed by Joe's detachment. His previous concern for Vera now seemed incongruent with his current indifference, a stark contrast to the intimacy Skylar perceived in their relationship, leaving her feeling like a distant acquaintance rather than a partner.

After speaking, Joe turned to Skylar, lost in thought. He wondered how she would have responded to his question had the doorbell not interrupted them.

Vera stared, aghast at Joe's apparent unconcern for her safety. His lack of response to her desperate plea revealed a coldness she found baffling. She subconsciously reached for her ring, remembering she'd removed it before ringing. The absence of the ring, she suspected, contributed to his callous demeanor.

Tears welled as she confessed her grandfather's displeasure and her family's blame over recent auction purchases, adding to her distress. Joe, she admitted, was the only person to whom she could reveal this vulnerability. This revelation, she realized, was a stark contrast to her usual composure, and likely a source of amusement for Skylar, though she couldn't be sure. In truth, Skylar was considering leaving.

Chapter 1042