Chapter 1312

“Joe’s here?” Skylar thought.

Skylar suddenly remembered Gloria mentioning Nicole’s move here in her youth. Nicole was well-known in the Clusian community and had helped many people over the years. Many from the Clusian community, along with some of Nicole’s family friends, would be attending her 80th birthday celebration. It promised to be quite a crowd. Fortunately, the event was held in a large mansion, almost a castle, easily accommodating everyone.

Stepping from the car, Skylar recognized a familiar vehicle. The license plate confirmed it—Joe’s car. She’d initially expected to wait days for a chance to meet him, but it seemed she’d see him sooner than anticipated. Her initially disinterested mood lifted.

Security guards at the entrance checked invitations. With such a large event, the family wanted to prevent uninvited media or guests. Each invitation had a unique identifier, preventing impersonation. Skylar presented her invitation. Once inside, she discreetly located a staff member, introduced herself, and was guided through a side entrance directly to Nicole.

Though a few years older than Gloria, Nicole was in slightly better health. "Skye, you've finally arrived," Nicole greeted her warmly. Several of Nicole’s friends praised Skylar, whom Nicole knew to be exceptionally capable and the granddaughter-in-law of a dear friend. Having lived a long life, Nicole was adept at reading people.

Skylar smiled politely. "Mrs. Neal Senior," she replied, presenting a gift. "This is from Grandma. She wanted me to give it to you personally. Here's a gift from me as well."

"Oh, well, Gloria is so thoughtful. And you, Skye, no need for gifts. I'm just glad to see you here," Nicole said, her delight evident.

Chapter 1312 (continued)

Even at her age, Nicole retained a childlike love of gifts, cherishing them especially from loved ones.

After chatting with Nicole, Skylar joined her butler, Lionel Pope, for a tour of the collectibles room and the rest of the house. Almost all of Nicole’s family were present, except for a few younger members away at school. Lionel explained that Nicole had informed her family and staff of Skylar’s presence. Her tour proceeded smoothly, treated with great respect.

Skylar aimed to finish quickly to reach the lawn for the banquet, hoping to find Joe and show him a photograph of Gloria, who was incredibly important to him. The photo, or even meeting Gloria, might spark memories. Intently exploring every corner, time flew by. Despite the seemingly uncomplicated situation at Nicole's home, her intuition suggested otherwise. Her youngest son, Ulric Neal, usually healthy, had suffered from frequent nightmares for a month, unable to sleep despite multiple hospital visits yielding inconclusive results.

Chapter 1313