Chapter 8

In Jipsburg, someone like Joe was way out of Maisy's league. Due to their status in Jipsburg, the Williamses would forever be in the Martin family's shadow. Maisy sighed. "Oh, the things I'd do to marry him!" Instinctively, she trotted toward Joe's direction. Just as she was about to cross the road, Joe got into his car and left promptly. Maisy's chest immediately swelled with determination. She would make Jeffrey create an opportunity for me. The way she saw it, she had the perfect looks and a great figure. Even Skylar's boyfriend was completely smitten with her. Perhaps Joe will fall for her once he saw her too! Speaking of Christopher, what was wrong with him? Why wasn't he there yet when they'd agreed to go shopping? Had he gone to find Skylar? A flicker of arrogance crossed her face. "I'm intrigued to find out how Skylar is going to deal with all of this!" She snorted. "How dare she give me a hard time at the hospital yesterday? Such audacity!" Feeling bored while waiting, Maisy took her phone out and called Sadie. "Mom, I called Skylar earlier. She's still ignoring me. Should I go find her and apologize to her?" "Don't bother with her. Your dad terminated her card, so she'll probably be back in a day or two. She's really a nuisance! If only she was more like you, we would've been more than grateful." Thinking about Skylar's actions made Sadie's blood boil. She had been so furious that she hadn't been able to sleep last night. Maisy comforted Sadie swiftly and called her eldest brother after ending hanging up on her. Maisy told him about everything that happened and sobbed, "Kenny, should you and Peter give her a call instead? Mom and Dad couldn't sleep all night because she ran away from home. And she's… she's also your biological sister, after all." Kenny Williams was swamped with work. His experiments hadn't been successful, and hearing about Skylar's antics only made him even more overwhelmed. "We only acknowledge you as our sister. If she wants to cause trouble, let her be." Maisy chortled. "Kenny, I know you're busy. Remember to take enough rest." "Don't worry, I will." … Skylar had the keys to her home. She was greeted with a waft of an enticing aroma once she opened the door. Janine's cooking skills were divine; she could transform even the simplest ingredients into delectable dishes. Everything in front of Skylar seemed so familiar to her that it felt like a dream. Her eyes reddened as she glanced over at Janine and Steven, who were busy in the kitchen. Their conversation drifted out of the small kitchen. "Skye loves this. Mom, you should make more." "If you can remember what her favorite dish is, of course I can as well. I've already made more of her favorite dishes. When will Charles and Harvey be back?" "They called me earlier, saying that they're stuck in traffic. But they'll be back soon." "Great. It's been so long since we had a meal together." Just as Skylar was about to approach them, a message popped up on her phone. She clicked on it and realized that Joe had texted her. "I'll be away on a business trip for a few days." She replied, "Okay." Then, she put her phone away. Entering the kitchen, she exclaimed, "Mom, Steven, I'm back!" In the past, one of the reasons she had returned to the Wiliams family was to ask for their help. She had been aware that Steven and Charles Sullivan, her second brother, had encountered some difficulties in the past two years, yet they had no one to guide them in Jipsburg. However, Skylar hadn't had the chance to speak about it. After all, Jeffrey and Sadie despised the Sullivans. "Skye, you're back! Go sit in the living room and watch some television. The food will be ready soon," Janine crooned, her eyes brimming with affection for Skylar. She had really missed Skylar. Steven also urged her, saying, "The kitchen can only fit two people. You should go watch some television instead." "Okay." Skylar beamed at them. Her family's affection flooded her with warmth. … Joe was slightly surprised at Skylar's brief response when he was on his way to the airport. He arched his brows. Paul didn't miss this subtle movement. "Mr. Martin, are you not satisfied with the plan? I'll have them redo it," Paul said, about to send a message to the group. Joe looked at Paul. "How can you tell that I'm not satisfied?" Paul was lost for words. He couldn't possibly tell Joe that he could draw conclusions by observing Joe's subtle expressions through years of experience, could he? Thus, he let out an awkward chuckle. All of a sudden, the car, which was moving steadily on the road, came to an abrupt halt. Paul's new laptop fell off his knee with a crash. He just bought his laptop, and it wasn't just a mediocre one—it had cost him ten thousand dollars! But the laptop had broken in half. Paul's pupils were as wide as saucers. Just then, he heard the driver, Lucas Stokes, shriek, "It's a chain accident!" His face paled with horror. Their car had nearly been hit by a tanker. Joe glanced over, realizing that the car in front of them had been crushed by the overturned tanker. Only the logo of the car could be seen, and its model was barely recognizable. The cars on the right and the ones in front were all affected. In an instant, chaos began to ensue as the elevated bridge became jammed with vehicles. … Janine and Steven prepared a table full of dishes. By then, Charles and Harvey had also come back. They flocked to Skylar once they saw her, yet they didn't dare bombard her with questions. They only wanted to know whether the Williamses had treated her well. "Skye, tell us if they dared to mistreat you. We'll back you up!" Harvey detested the Williamses, including Maisy, his biological sister. During their first meeting, Maisy and the Williams had behaved so pompously, as if they were royalty. Harvey had decided that he would only acknowledge Skylar as his sister! "Harvey's right. Don't be intimidated if you encounter any trouble." Charles had always doted on Skylar. Seeing how much weight she had lost, he could tell that she hadn't had a good time with the Williamses. "Don't talk nonsense. They're her family. How could they possibly mistreat her?" Janine took a few bottles of drinks from the fridge. She knew her sons despised the Williamses, but they were Skylar's family, after all. Insulting them would probably put Skylar in a tight spot. Skylar smiled. "I've moved out of Williams Residence and found a place to stay. I won't ever go back again." "You moved out?" All four pairs of eyes stared at Skylar with concern. Why had she suddenly moved out? Could it be that the Williamses had mistreated her? Otherwise, why would she move out? "It's not safe for you to live alone. Why don't you come back and live with us instead? Only Harvey and I are at home all the time. Steven and Charles are always busy anyway. I can stay in the living room," Janine said in a haste. The rent in Jipsburg was too expensive, so she could only afford a two-bedroom apartment. Steven and Charles were constantly busy, and they also had accommodations provided by their respective companies. Occasionally, the three brothers had to cramp together in one room when they all came back. "I'm a man, so I should stay in the living room instead. Skye, you can have my room!" Harvey offered his room without any hesitation. Just as Skylar was about to decline, her phone rang. She had initially intended to reject the call, but she answered it promptly once she realized that it was from Gloria. "Grandma." "Skye, Joe got into an accident!"