Chapter 1232

After Steven’s explanation, Skylar finally understood. Neither she nor Jeremy had noticed the poor lighting in the photograph. Their attention had been solely focused on Paul’s injured face.

“So, someone has kidnapped them and kept them captive all these years,” Skylar exclaimed. “But what's their motive? And how did they manage to send this photo?” She was overwhelmed with questions. What troubled her most was why, given the opportunity to contact her, they had chosen to email Jeremy instead.

Steven seemed to anticipate her concern. “They might not have been able to contact you directly,” he explained, “or perhaps they feared it would endanger you. They may also have only had time for a single, inconspicuous email.”

Skylar nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right,” she agreed.

“Skye, this is complicated,” Steven said reassuringly. “But now we know they’re alive, and we have leads to follow. We’ll take it one step at a time. We’ll find them.”

Knowing Joe and Paul were alive was both a relief and a daunting task. Finding them wouldn't be easy. This was the first news they’d received in over three years confirming their survival, and the only communication they'd made with the outside world. Their situation remained uncertain, and some doubts lingered. But those doubts were secondary; finding them was paramount. They needed to track them down as quickly as possible.

Skylar nodded resolutely. “Don’t worry, Steven. Three years ago, I might have been desperate, but now I won’t rush things.”

They spent the rest of dinner meticulously analyzing the photo, enlarging it and scrutinizing every detail. They lost track of time, working well past midnight.

Glancing at the clock, Steven rubbed his temples. “It’s late. You should rest. Mr. Hughes will likely have updates soon, so I’ll head home.”

“Alright,” Skylar said cheerfully. “If you need any help with your wedding to Mona, just call. I have plenty of free time in the coming weeks.”

Steven’s eyes lit up. “She’s been busy choosing her dress. You have great style; it would be wonderful if you could help her pick one out.”

“Sure,” Skylar replied enthusiastically. “I’ll ask her when she’s going wedding dress shopping.”

After seeing Steven off, Skylar didn’t immediately go to bed. Lost in thought, she stared at the photo. She eventually rested her head on the table and fell asleep.

She awoke abruptly to a WhatsApp notification. To her surprise, the message was from Ned. It suddenly occurred to her that they had exchanged contacts at the hospital. She remembered promising to send him instructions for acupressure to relieve headaches, but the day’s events had completely eclipsed it.

Opening the chat, she saw Ned’s message: “Are you asleep?”

She certainly should have been. Her phone was even on silent. He must have been struggling with insomnia.

Skylar quickly sketched some acupressure point diagrams, meticulously noting the massage sequence, pressure duration, and other details. After twenty minutes, she photographed the diagrams under the lamp and sent them to Ned, adding, “Good night.” Exhausted, she immediately fell asleep.

On the other end, Ned stared at the photo and the simple message, feeling somewhat perplexed. Skylar’s cool, distant demeanor puzzled him.

Chapter 1233