Chapter 1043

Skylar stared at Joe in disbelief, but her surprise paled in comparison to the devastation etched on Vera's face. She looked as though she might shatter. Yet, Joe continued, piling on the hurt.

“It’s better to make things clear while my wife is here.”

The words "make things clear" and "my wife" struck Vera like blows. She felt as if someone were repeatedly slapping her. Her head spun, and all she wanted was to escape.

“I…” she began, but the words tumbled out incoherently. She had never felt so humiliated.

“Joe and I were just high school classmates. I came to him today because I knew he could help me. There’s nothing else between us.”

Before she finished, Vera fled the Galaxy Villa, her steps frantic.

After Vera left, Joe turned to Skylar. “She’s gone. Let’s go to bed.”

Skylar was speechless. Was the scene with Vera his way of proving something to her? Of showing that the rumors about him and Vera were untrue? That they were merely high school friends? Did he care that she'd misunderstood?

“Joe, you…” Skylar began, but Joe avoided her gaze. He took her hand and led her upstairs. “I’m tired. Let’s sleep.”

They shared a room and bed that night, but nothing happened. They simply slept.

Meanwhile, Vera sped home, her heart racing, her grip tight on the steering wheel. Her home's tight security eased her mind; the situation wasn't as dire as she'd initially believed. She'd simply seen it as an opportunity to see Joe again.

But she hadn't expected such coldness from him. In high school, they had been the perfect couple in everyone's eyes. They moved in the same social circles, attended events together, surrounded by friends who assumed they were destined to be together. Even family elders subtly tried to pair them, a sentiment Vera shared.

Throughout high school, Joe had never shown interest in other girls. He only ever remembered her name. They even daydreamed about their future together on overseas trips.

She'd assumed an unspoken understanding existed between them. But Joe's words, like a slap, jolted her back to reality. Only then did she calm down. Looking back, Joe had never expressed his feelings for her.

Others had claimed he liked her, and she'd believed them. She'd believed, unquestioningly, that Joe would only ever love her—that no one else stood a chance.

Chapter 1043

Feeling secure in her position, she confidently went abroad. Over the years, everyone assured her that Joe had rejected every woman, waiting only for her. She was puzzled by his lack of pursuit, but told herself she would return the moment he proposed.

So she waited, only to receive news of Joe's marriage to Skylar. Then she realized her delusion.

“Joe, you’ve made me look like a fool. I won’t accept this. Once I set my sights on someone, they're mine. I'll expose Skylar for who she really is. And you'll regret your cruelty to me today. I'll make sure of it!”

Chapter 1044