Chapter 1186

Aiken was surprised by Skylar's call. He initially dismissed her request for help, but her seeking him out revealed a trust that stirred hidden emotions. "Who are you looking for?" he asked.

Skylar, gazing out the window, replied, "Joe." Aiken's expression shifted. "Skylar, you…"

"I'll send you a video; you'll understand," she said softly. "Aiken, it's been three years. I know the weight of this name."

A short surveillance video arrived minutes later. Seeing Joe's likeness in the footage stunned Aiken. It wasn't Skylar who couldn't let go; the video depicted a man identical to Joe, yet he denied knowing Skylar. Was it truly Joe?

Regardless, Skylar's plea for help bound him to action. A knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Aiken, may I come in?"

"Come in."

Simona entered, a frequent visitor to his study. "Aiken, it's been over three years," she declared. "If I were you, I'd have acted by now. Who knows how long Skylar will stay this time? If you don't act, she might leave again, and you'll regret it."

Her frustration with his inaction was palpable. Over three years, he'd visited Skylar in Murida, remaining emotionless each time. Simona, now a college sophomore, urged him to act. She herself was considering suitors, while Aiken remained single despite many women vying for his attention and wealth. He lived, she felt, like a monk.

Aiken, unfazed by her familiar lecture, replied, "I have my own plan. By the way, I hear a young man at your college is pursuing you? You even went to a movie with him?"

Simona's lip twitched. "Aiken, you're not having me followed, are you?"

"In Jipsburg, there's nothing I can't find out if I want to. I've checked him out. He's unsuitable; your backgrounds differ too greatly. You could easily become a stepping stone for him," Aiken stated flatly. The young man's family was ordinary, with a poor reputation and a history of seeking advantages. While the young man himself might be different, his upbringing made him unsuitable for Simona.

Simona's eyes flickered. "Okay, I'll listen to you. I'm not in a rush to marry, and I won't casually date. Don't worry, I'm not a child anymore. But Aiken, you should focus on your own future – opportunities don't wait. Don't let Skylar slip away. Go after her."

Aiken's inaction genuinely worried her.