Chapter 754
Sadie’s death at Peter’s hands quickly became headline news; the matricide spread like wildfire. Samuel fled Jipsburg in disgrace, hastily selling Elden Residence at a substantial loss. Desperate to evade the press, he vanished, his whereabouts remaining a mystery.
Skylar learned of these events through news reports. The Williams family's downfall left her feeling melancholic. One evening, after work, a prison guard called; Peter wished to see her. The guard strongly encouraged her to comply.
At the prison, Skylar found Peter with a shaved head, his stubble streaked with gray. His sharp gaze was replaced by a hollow emptiness; the calculating look he once directed at her was gone. She picked up the phone, acutely aware that her connection to the Williams family was severed. Peter took the phone as well, his eyes fixed on Skylar.
“I’ve done a lot of thinking these past few days,” Peter began. “It’s clear I lived recklessly, ignoring the consequences. I even murdered my mother. You must be happy to see me imprisoned for life, huh?”
“I have no personal feelings about your situation,” Skylar replied with calm detachment. “As a law-abiding citizen, I believe criminals should face appropriate legal consequences.” The Williams family’s fate left her indifferent. Had this occurred before her rebirth, she might have felt satisfaction.
Peter’s face contorted in shock, then broke into laughter. “Let me grant you one final wish,” he said sarcastically. “I regret everything. If only you’d returned home, and I’d treated you with respect, our family wouldn’t have fallen apart. I could have achieved even greater prominence in Jipsburg.”
Skylar raised an eyebrow, then hung up. She stood and left. Peter watched blankly as she walked away, still holding the phone. As the guard led him away, Peter laughed bitterly, muttering, “I wish this were a dream. A nightmare! How could I have been so foolish? So stupid?”
The guard remained unmoved; such reactions were common among newly incarcerated individuals. To kill one’s mother without remorse, he mused, was truly beyond redemption.
Later that evening, in the quiet darkness of their bedroom, Skylar’s body trembled slightly as her mind slowly cleared. She saw Joe replacing a used condom with a new one. The intense earlier encounter had clearly only whetted his appetite.
Skylar’s face was flushed from exertion. Sensing Joe’s renewed interest, she attempted to disengage. “I’m going to take a shower.”
The hoarseness in her voice, her throat sore from earlier screams, startled her. Joe’s dark, intense eyes lingered on her, his desire reignited. “Shower later,” he said, pressing his body onto hers.
Skylar couldn’t escape. Joe’s energy seemed inexhaustible that night as they repeated their intimacy. By the time he finished, Skylar felt utterly exhausted, on the verge of collapse. Even after a shower, she felt completely drained.
Unable to sleep, she lay in bed. Joe returned from the balcony, where he’d been smoking. He climbed into bed and pulled Skylar into his arms. She lay limply, devoid of strength.
“Have you been deliberately avoiding me lately?” Joe’s voice was heavy with concern. Skylar’s recent distance had left him confused. A casual conversation that day revealed Aiken might harbor romantic feelings for Skylar. Several people who’d sought her assistance had mentioned her to Aiken, who’d responded with effusive praise—unusual, as he wasn’t known for readily complimenting women. It was noteworthy that Aiken had been particularly helpful when Skylar had gone missing.