Chapter 1081

Simona looked at Lizzie's photograph and rolled her eyes in disbelief. “Seriously? She’s nowhere near as good as Skylar. Even if Joe doesn’t want Skylar anymore, he should at least find someone on her level. How could he choose someone so inferior? It shows his standards have plummeted since he left Skylar.”

Aiken, ascending the stairs, overheard the end of Simona’s tirade and shook his head helplessly. He was well-informed; he’d even investigated Lizzie. He discovered she had a clean romantic history—no past boyfriends—primarily because she wasn't interested in men. This engagement, therefore, must be connected to Viola, the woman Skylar had asked him to find.

The details Aiken uncovered about Viola were astonishing. Over thirty years ago, she was a prominent figure in Jipsburg City. Respected individuals like George and Alexander had once been her friends. Piecing it all together, Aiken suspected Skylar hadn’t actually divorced Joe.

Later that evening, Skylar emerged from the shower to find two missed calls from Janine. Joe was in the guest bathroom. Realizing she hadn’t told her mother she was staying over, Skylar returned Janine’s call.

“Mom?”

“Skye, what time are you coming home tonight?” Janine asked.

“Mom, I’m staying at a friend’s place tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow morning,” Skylar replied. She hadn’t explained much to her family earlier; she’d wanted to wait until things settled down. Now, with Joe insisting she stay, she needed to clarify things tomorrow.

Joe approached as she considered how to broach the subject. “Did your mom call?” he asked.

Skylar nodded. “Yeah, I think we should just tell them the truth tomorrow.”

Joe sat, drying his hair. “If you’re unsure how to explain, I can talk to them.”

Skylar looked at him. “No, I’d prefer to handle it. I’ll be home in the morning and can explain everything then.” Too much had happened between them in the past few days. Joe didn’t press the issue. After drying his hair, he gently pushed Skylar onto the bed. “Let’s do what we should be doing tonight.”

The following day, Skylar took a cab home. Exhausted from the previous night, she felt completely drained. Her back and legs ached; she lacked the energy to drive.

Upon returning home, she found Steven there. This presented a good opportunity to explain everything together.

“Mom, Steven, I have something to tell you both,” Skylar said.

Janine immediately put aside her work, washed her hands, and joined them. Steven looked at Skylar with concern. Since the Williams family had accepted Skylar, several challenging events had unfolded; most people would have crumbled under the pressure.

“What is it? Take your time. We’ll face it together as a family,” Steven said softly.

Janine glanced at Steven, then smiled at Skylar. “Steven’s right. He bought a box of strawberries; I just washed them. Let’s eat while we talk.”