Chapter 76

Joe stood in the middle of the room, his presence somewhat oppressive. It made people hesitant to meet his gaze or harbor any contemptuous thoughts. After scanning the area, he seemed to reach a decision regarding the land's redevelopment.

"Is that Joe? Wow, we're lucky! If I weren't married and devoted only to Jeremy, I might have fallen for him," Natalie exclaimed, her eyes shining as she looked at Joe. Suddenly, she had an idea.

Turning to Skylar, she said, "Since you've broken up with Christopher, why don't you work at Martin Group and try to win Joe over? How about becoming his wife? Once you become his wife, your biological parents will surely regret everything. And look at his figure! Among all the men in suits, he stands out the most. I bet he has abs and a well-defined body. Look at those long legs! You're a stunning beauty. With a little charm, you might be able to seduce him."

Skylar looked at Natalie, amused. She almost blurted out that she not only knew Joe but was also married to him. But she had agreed to Joe's request for a covert marriage, so she pretended not to know him.

"Even if I stripped naked in front of him, he wouldn't bat an eye. Let's just enjoy our stew," Skylar said firmly.

Natalie persisted with her fantasy. "Even I'd be tempted if you stripped naked, let alone a man. If you lay on the bed like that, any man, even if he's gay, wouldn't be able to resist."

"You're exaggerating. Does Jeremy know about your wild imagination?" Skylar teased.

Natalie chuckled and stopped. She knew Skylar and Joe could never develop a relationship as she had imagined. They didn't even know each other. Even if Skylar did join Martin Group, she and Joe were like ships passing in the night.

Mentioning Jeremy, Natalie pursed her lips and said, "I should have come out with you yesterday. He was stuck with work until the wee hours of the morning. All that cooking I did went to waste. Enough about me. Let's talk about you. What are you going to do? Christopher has been looking everywhere for you, even calling me. Are you going to forgive him and give him another chance?"

"No," Skylar said, eating a piece of beef. Her eyes were lowered, concealing the chill beneath them.

"Wait… I think Joe is looking at you," Natalie said excitedly, seeing Joe's gaze through the window.

Skylar glanced over, meeting his eyes. Then they calmly looked away, as if they had exchanged a secret signal.

"You must be mistaken," Skylar said.

Chapter 70

Natalie murmured, "The way he looked at you just now seemed like he was surprised, as if he recognized you. But since you two don't know each other, I must have been mistaken. Let's enjoy our stew. It's been a while since I last came. The smell alone brings back memories."

As they ate, Skylar joked, "I remember you wanted to be a police officer when you were young, right?"

"Yeah."

"I think you have the talent for it."

Natalie had shown remarkable insight in recognizing Joe's familiarity with Skylar. It was a pity she didn't pursue a career in law enforcement.

"How did you figure that out? I wanted to go to the police academy, but my family didn't support me. Then I saw how busy police officers were and realized they probably didn't have much time for dating. So, I gave up on that dream for Jeremy's sake," Natalie said with a hint of regret.

Outside, Joe was surprised to see Skylar. She seemed relaxed in the company of her friend. When he noticed her pretending not to recognize him, his expression darkened.