Chapter 1042

Anyone with eyes or ears could tell Vera was vying for Joe's pity by flirting with him. How many men could resist their crush flirting? Vera was, after all, undeniably gorgeous.

Even though Skylar disliked Vera, she pitied her. The thought of being stalked was terrifying; terror was a natural reaction.

Joe pulled out his phone. Skylar raised an eyebrow. It was no wonder he felt for Vera; Skylar knew Joe had been using her to humble Vera—a typical Joe maneuver. He was a master of human nature.

A surge of joy energized Vera. She believed Joe cared. She expected him to simply wait for her surrender. Everyone held grudges, Joe included.

However, his next action surprised both Vera and Skylar. He didn't call; instead, he scrolled through his contacts and read aloud a phone number.

Vera was bewildered. "Joe, you…" she stammered. Why the number?

Skylar recognized it. "This is Aiken's number," Joe said. "Ask him to solve your problems."

Vera's jaw dropped. "Aiken?" she exclaimed. She knew Aiken, but why hadn't Joe offered his own help? She'd come for his comfort, his consolation. Couldn't he see her terror, understand the gravity of her stalker's threat?

She felt simultaneously embarrassed and furious.

"Yeah," Joe said, checking his watch. "Aiken's probably still awake." He caught Skylar yawning from the corner of his eye. It was late.

Tears welled in Vera's eyes. She felt wronged. "Joe, is this how you treat me?" she cried. When she needed him most, he'd coldly pushed her away. Did he think she'd returned from overseas only to reconcile? Did he think he could so casually trample her heart? Would he only be satisfied after completely crushing her pride? Didn't he know how prideful she was?

Skylar felt her presence was intrusive. She rose silently and started upstairs, intending to avoid disturbing them.

But Joe stopped her. He grasped her hand.

Chapter 1042 (continued)

"Vera," Joe said, holding Skylar's hand firmly, "stop saying things that will cause my wife to misunderstand our relationship. How have I treated you all this time?"

He needed to clarify things before Skylar. He'd anticipated jealousy, but clearly misjudged her reaction. Testing Skylar had been pointless; he felt embarrassed by his own schemes. More importantly, Vera had been giving him a strange feeling lately, a kind of mental fog. Yet, he remained outwardly calm.

Tears streamed down Vera's face. Joe's words hit her like a bomb. She froze.

"You…" she whispered.

Chapter 1043