Chapter 684

Gloria believed she had at least three more years. Why, then, was she feeling ill so soon after leaving the hospital?

Joe's expression turned grim. He called Paul, instructing him to investigate Skylar's situation.

"I'll scope out the situation immediately," Paul replied.

Gloria waved Joe away, urging, "Go there as soon as possible!"

Upon arriving at the road where Skylar had been stuck, Joe found the traffic had cleared. A bad feeling settled over him.

Paul arrived swiftly and reported, "Mr. Martin, I've investigated. This area doesn't usually experience congestion, even during peak hours. I obtained clearance to review surveillance footage. We should have answers soon."

Joe watched the footage. A section of highway was missing from the recording; a camera had allegedly malfunctioned and was under repair. However, Skylar's car was visible in the traffic flow. Eventually, her car cleared the congestion.

The video showed Skylar's car being rear-ended, resulting in significant damage to her bumper. Based on timestamps, Skylar had passed through the jam an hour prior. The journey to Pearlhall Residence was only ten minutes; she should have arrived long ago.

"Could Mrs. Martin have gone to a dealership for repairs?" Paul asked.

Joe's face hardened. He pursed his lips, then commanded, "Something's happened. Investigate. Find Skylar immediately."

"Alright!" Paul exclaimed.

An hour later, Paul presented Joe with Skylar's damaged phone.

"We've located Mrs. Martin's car. It's been burned to a shell. Something has happened to Mrs. Martin!"

Chapter 684

Seeing the phone, Joe's face fell further. He declared, "Deploy all available resources to find her. I want to see her before dawn!" The longer she remained missing, the greater the danger. The thought of her inexperience with such perilous situations clenched his fist until his veins bulged.

After a moment's hesitation, Paul asked, "Mr. Martin, should we enlist Aiken's help?"

"Contact him. He can set his own price," Joe replied.

Aiken was engrossed in a book on antique appraisal. At that hour, few could disrupt his focus; even Simona wouldn't dare. Yet, his private number—known to few—was ringing. Seeing Paul's name, he raised an eyebrow and answered.

Paul succinctly described Skylar's disappearance.

Aiken's expression changed dramatically. He asked, "Does this mean Skylar is Joe's wife?"

He'd received photos of Skylar but, before declining the case, hadn't investigated her. He hadn't known she was Joe's wife. Their marriage had been kept secret; no one in Jipsburg was aware. This explained Edwin's desire to murder Skylar; he still despised her background and character.