Chapter 1156

Skylar's eyes darkened. "What was Claudio holding back?" she thought. He'd wanted to say more, hesitating only at the last moment. She suspected Claudio and the rest of the Martin family were scheming again; Joe's earlier lesson apparently hadn't been enough.

"Anyway," Claudio sneered, "if you don't apologize and make it up to me right now, you won't get another chance."

He envisioned a future where Joe was useless, the Martin family under his control, and Skylar within his reach. She would beg for his attention, good only for a few nights.

Ignoring him, Skylar walked away. Claudio's expression darkened at her decisive departure.

"Who is that woman, Mr. Martin?" Sasha exclaimed, snapping back to reality. "She's far too arrogant! How dare she speak to you like that?"

Claudio's face darkened further. "Shut up! Get lost!" he snapped. He wouldn't have minded before encountering Skylar, but now Sasha paled in comparison. She had a decent figure, but that was all.

Sasha's face paled; she bit her lip, stomped her foot, and stormed off. These trust fund babies, he thought, were impossible. Their tempers flared unpredictably; they were impossible to please.

He wasn't bothered by her departure. Women like Sasha were plentiful. Plenty wanted to crawl into his bed, but those who were this oblivious lost his interest after a couple of encounters.

His gaze remained fixed on the direction Skylar had vanished, a burning desire consuming him. No woman had lingered in his thoughts like this. Even in the past few days with other women, her image flashed in his mind, disrupting his life. He couldn't find peace without her.

"Just you wait," Claudio muttered.

Chapter 1156

After returning to her apartment from the hospital, Natalie felt hungry but too tired to cook. She ordered takeout.

While waiting, she browsed the news and saw an article about a terror attack in Murida. This reminded her that Joe was on a business trip there.

Immediately concerned, Natalie called Skylar. "Skye, I just saw news of a terror attack in Murida. Isn't Joe there on a business trip? You should warn him to be careful."

Skylar, in the middle of cooking pasta, froze. "Where did you see that?"

"On Facebook. Check it out."

Skylar searched "Murida terrorist attack" on Facebook, finding several reports and photos—bodies in the streets, people fleeing in chaos. Her heart sank.

She remembered messaging Joe over an hour ago while at the deli, but had forgotten to check his reply after encountering Claudio. She opened WhatsApp; no response.

She started to call him, but a WhatsApp message from Joe popped up: "Sure, let's eat together when I get back."

Relief washed over Skylar. "There's been a terrorist attack in Murida. Be careful!" she messaged.

A minute later, he replied: "I'm flying back tomorrow. The attack was far from where I am. Don't worry, I'm safe."

"Good, take care," Skylar replied. She reread his message, focusing on "far" and "safe," her anxiety fading. He'd be back tomorrow. She just needed to wait.

Chapter 1157