Chapter 405
Skylar whispered into the phone, "Mr. Martin, I'm sorry, but it's that time of the month."
Silence hung heavy on the other end. Skylar almost thought the call had dropped. A sly smile played on her lips. "You'll have to handle it yourself, then."
A moment of silence followed, then Joe's voice returned, even colder than before. "See you at 9:00 p.m."
After ending the call, Skylar returned to work. Only later, as Joe pulled her into bed, did she realize escape was futile. His kiss silenced any questions she might have had. Exhaustion washed over her. Drifting off to sleep, Skylar contemplated visiting Gloria and staying at Pearlhall Residence for the next few days.
The dimly lit room at Williams Residence held the aftermath of a passionate encounter. Despite Jeffrey and Peter being at home, Kenny and Maisy couldn't resist each other. Maisy had left a trail of love bites on Kenny's shoulder.
Afterward, they snuggled back into bed. Nestled in Kenny's arms, Maisy murmured, "When can we finally tell Dad about us? Sneaking around is getting tiresome."
Kenny sighed, feeling helpless. "Let's hold off a little longer. The family situation is complex right now, and my job is on the line. They're downsizing, and I can't focus on my research with all this going on."
"I was thinking I could submit my resignation in a couple of days. I'll either take over the family business or start something new."
Maisy's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "I completely support you. We could use some of Dad's money to launch our own business. You'd be the CEO! How prestigious is that?"
She saw Kenny as a diamond in the rough, with the potential to someday surpass even Joe's success. Maisy fantasized about being a CEO's wife—a position Skylar could never hold. She believed Joe only saw Skylar as a fling; he'd get bored eventually, and her hopes of staying on Alexander's team would be dashed.
Owning a four-bedroom apartment wasn't that impressive, Maisy thought. Only people with limited experience found it so grand. Sure, it was expensive, but to their family, it was nothing extraordinary. As for the millions Skylar supposedly earned monthly, Maisy scoffed. It was likely a paycheck from Joe. If she were Skylar, she wouldn't brag about it. There was nothing honorable about that kind of arrangement.
Maisy, meanwhile, was about to become a CEO's wife. But did she brag about it? Moreover, the Williams family assets would eventually pass to Kenny.
"Yeah, we shouldn't concern ourselves with others at the company. Let's proceed with this decision." Kenny hesitated initially, but Maisy's words convinced him. Besides, he'd also noticed Steven's increasing competence and his colleagues' distancing themselves. Staying seemed pointless.
"Kenny, there's something I've been debating telling you," Maisy confessed. "I only found out yesterday, and it's been weighing on me. I can't be certain, but Dad and Peter went to see Mr. Lourdes and came back furious. I'm torn because Dad will only get angrier if I'm wrong."
"Tell me, whatever it is," Kenny urged. "This is a safe space."
"Well, I saw Skylar and Joe at a restaurant. They seemed close. It makes me wonder if Joe, not Paul or John, is secretly supporting Skylar financially."
Kenny's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"
It turned out that Joe had been backing Skylar all along. Suddenly, he remembered the day Skylar had returned and declared she'd be sleeping with Joe. Back then, they'd all thought she was crazy.
But Skylar had slept with Joe. And if Joe was her benefactor, Jacky's help made perfect sense.