Chapter 959

Skylar already knew Joe's plans. "Okay," she said.

Joe added, "During the next couple of days with Natalie, if anything comes up, call me immediately."

Skylar smiled. "Are you worried about me?"

Joe didn't hide his concern. "Yes," he admitted. It was clear he wasn't entirely at ease with her being alone in a foreign country.

"I'll take care of myself. You focus on your work," Skylar said, feeling a pang of nostalgia as if parting with him. Joe simply nodded.

Natalie arrived at the hotel as they spoke. Skylar opened the door. Nearly two months had passed since they last saw each other. The moment the door opened, Skylar almost didn't recognize Natalie. She had lost considerable weight, but her skin remained untanned. Her hair had grown past her shoulders.

"Wow, you didn't recognize me?" Natalie teased, hugging Skylar tightly. "I missed you so much."

"You've lost weight," Skylar commented.

Natalie immediately explained, "If you lived here for two or three months, I guarantee you'd drop ten pounds. The Floanian cuisine is decent, but it's nothing like home. Everything tastes bland."

Noticing Joe, she addressed him, "Don't worry. I'll take good care of Skylar for the next few days. I'll make sure she eats, drinks, and has fun."

Joe raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Eat well, drink well, and have fun?" he mused. Then, aloud, he said, "Just don't lose too much weight."

Natalie was speechless, her mouth twitching in annoyance. Skylar laughed. "I bought several pastries. Let's have some later. I'm not sure if you've been to this bakery, but the pastries are delicately sweet and very soft."

Natalie's eyes lit up. "Now that you mention it, how could I have forgotten to buy myself some pastries and cakes these past two months?"

"They're in my suitcase," Skylar said, moving it closer. She'd packed a small suitcase with personal items, two outfits, and a few pastries for her two-day stay with Natalie.

Natalie checked the time. "Let's go." She took the suitcase.

"Alright," Skylar replied.

As they were leaving, Skylar glanced back at Joe. Their eyes met. "I'm leaving now. See you the day after tomorrow. Take care," Skylar said.

Joe nodded. "Okay."

Once downstairs and in the car, Natalie remarked, "It seems your relationship with Joe has progressed. He was clearly reluctant to see you go, and he's worried I won't take good care of you—or that you might get too thin."

Skylar laughed. "It's normal for couples to act like that. But enough about me. Let's talk about you. Did Mr. Powell arrange this car?"

"I asked Mr. Powell for time off, and he arranged this car knowing you were coming. We'll use it for our outings. He's a great boss," Natalie said, praising him wholeheartedly. "He's the kind of boss and idol you rarely find."

Fabian Freeman, the driver, also hailed from Jipsburg. Hearing Natalie's praise, he added, "Mr. Powell is incredible. Even though he's a superstar, he's so down-to-earth. My whole family loves his movies. Every role is a masterpiece."

"I'm also a fan," Skylar responded. "His acting is remarkable." It was true; Charles considered Austin one of the most admirable figures in the industry, his admiration growing with each passing year. She thought of Charles' words, then of Natalie's comments about Austin's absorption during rehearsal. Perhaps his feelings for Natalie were now quite apparent.