Chapter 548

Steven said nothing, returning Skylar's phone after reviewing it. He then walked to his balcony. His hostel was high, offering a view of the entire city.

As the sky darkened, a cloud of loneliness seemed to descend over Jipsburg.

Skylar looked at Steven's lonely silhouette, her heart sinking. It seemed to curl in on itself, throbbing painfully. Steven shouldn't have been involved in these events, but Annie had dragged him into it despite his innocence.

While Steven was lost in thought on the balcony, Skylar cleared the table and put away their cutlery.

When she came out of the kitchen, she saw Steven smoking. She rarely saw him do that; in fact, she'd never seen him smoke before.

Charles and Harvey had gone through rebellious teenage phases. However, Steven had carried immense responsibilities since a young age, acting as a father figure and ensuring they had a roof over their heads. He needed to buy cigarettes, but was unwilling to spend the money. After he started working, he needed to support his family, sometimes carrying a pack of cigarettes as a mere decoration.

Skylar's heart ached for him. Tears welled up. Then, she received a text from Joe:

"I'm waiting under your brother's hostel to take you home. No need to hurry. If you can't finish, call me. I'll come upstairs to talk for you."

Skylar's tears flowed uncontrollably. She texted back, "Okay," tears blurring her vision. After a brief pause, she added, "Thank you."

She had arrived by taxi, feeling drained. She'd asked Paul to arrange a driver for her car back to Galaxy Villa. Joe had offered to drive her to Steven's hostel, but she'd been angry with him and taken a cab. However, her anger had subsided.

As night fell and stars began to twinkle, Steven looked down. Turning around, he saw Skylar standing behind him, her eyes red-rimmed.

Noticing his gaze, she smiled immediately. Steven felt his heart begin to heal. Concern emanated from Skylar, his sister whom he'd cherished growing up. Whatever happened, his family would always be there for him. He'd worried Skylar.

Steven walked over and said gently, "I've made my decision. Don't worry. I know what to do. Do you know what I was thinking about just now?" He was afraid his silence would worry and frighten her.

Steven remembered many things from their childhood that his younger siblings had forgotten. After university and starting work, he'd experienced much. Yet, he hadn't expected his first serious relationship to end this way.

Skylar shook her head. "I can't guess. I'm scared. Terrified that you'll be affected because of me. You guys mean the most to me. I dread seeing any of my family hurt. Yet"

Her throat felt scratchy. Tears welled up again. She couldn't hide her emotions from Steven, who had always looked after her. It felt like childhood again; when sad, she would confide in Steven.

He caressed her head. "You've never been a burden to me. You're my sister. I know you've faced many troubles and been enveloped by darkness. But I didn't face those problems with you. I didn't even realize you were going through this. I was blaming myself for that just now. I blamed myself for not caring for you, even though I'm your brother. From the moment you met Annie until now, you've been so considerate of my feelings. Skye, you've grown up. It's my fault for making you worry."

Skylar broke down. Through sobs, she choked out, "Steven, it's my fault."