Chapter 416

When Skylar stepped out of the bathroom after her shower, she found Joe already out of the shower. He was drying his hair, water droplets dripping from his locks. Shirtless, with only a towel around his waist, he turned toward her, his gaze deepening with desire.

“Finished with your period?” he asked, approaching her. Joe possessed an undeniable presence. He stood there intimidatingly silent, yet the raw hunger in his eyes overshadowed his commanding stature. Despite his aloof demeanor, Skylar knew the intensity of his desires.

Ever since their relationship began, their shared bed had become a battleground. Recalling his intensity, Skylar's legs went weak. “Yes, but… I have work to do. You should sleep first.”

She moved toward the door, but Joe, a tall, imposing figure, blocked her path. His gaze narrowed. “First, the secrecy about our marriage. Now, this neglect of your wifely duties. Explain yourself, or else…”

“Or else what?” Skylar thought, but her retort died on her lips as Joe pulled her into a fierce kiss. The force of the kiss almost knocked Skylar off balance. He didn’t give her a chance to explain. Lost in his embrace, Skylar bit his shoulder and called him a scoundrel.

At the Williams residence, sleep eluded everyone. Uncharacteristically, the entire Williams family gathered in Sadie's room—their first visit since her hospital discharge days earlier. Visits during those days had been scarce; occasional nighttime appearances lasted no more than three minutes, followed by claims of exhaustion and a need for rest. Today, however, the entire family arrived unexpectedly.

Sadie's initial curiosity quickly morphed into suspicion. They wouldn't appear out of the blue without a reason. An agenda was afoot. As expected, after hearing Kenny's account of the day's events, Sadie understood their motives perfectly: they wanted to use her. Their sudden visit wasn't fueled by pangs of conscience or a desire for heartfelt family bonding; it was all wishful thinking on her part.

Jeffery's voice boomed, laced with caution. “How can we be sure you’ve identified the right person this time?” Three prior mistakes had left him wary. Peter also frowned.