Chapter 1001

chapter1001

The more women Charles met, the more he realized that finding someone he could truly trust—someone he actually wanted to marry—was becoming a near impossibility. In his eyes, people these days were far too focused on what they could gain rather than what they could give.

Skylar had discussed these views with him before. At the time, she thought he was being far too rigid, lumping every woman into the same cynical category. She suspected he simply hadn’t met the right person yet. She often teased him that once he finally fell in love, he would look back at his current declarations with a fair amount of embarrassment.

They didn’t talk much longer. Joe finished his shower and stepped out of the bathroom, the steam clinging to his skin. Skylar, feeling sticky and uncomfortable after a long day of walking through the Fachington heat, headed in to take her turn.

Halfway through her shower, the steady drone of the water was interrupted by a faint knock at the door. She vaguely heard Joe answering it, followed by the low murmur of muffled voices. The running water drowned out the specifics, so she couldn't make out a single word.

By the time she dried off and stepped out, Joe had already traded his pajamas for a clean T-shirt and trousers. Skylar raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Are you going out?”

Given how much they had walked that day, she had assumed he’d be as exhausted as she was.

“Yeah, a few old classmates happen to be visiting Fachington. I’m going to head down and meet up with them for a bit,” Joe replied, adjusting his collar in the mirror.

Skylar nodded while she began brushing her damp hair. She figured Joe probably wouldn't be back until dawn; those kinds of reunions had a tendency to stretch through the night.

Once her hair was dry, Skylar settled onto the bed and dialed Natalie.

“Today was absolutely packed with scenes for Mr. Powell,” Natalie groaned into the phone, her voice thick with fatigue. “He didn't even have a chance to sit down for lunch. For dinner, he only managed a few bites of salad between takes. As his assistant, I’ve been on my feet since sunrise. Working life is no joke.”

Skylar chuckled softly. “You really do care about him, don’t you?”

Lately, Natalie’s conversations always seemed to revolve around Austin Powell. Skylar couldn't help but wonder if this was still the simple admiration of a fan, or if something deeper was beginning to take root.

“Of course I do!” Natalie replied quickly. “I’ve told you how dedicated he is. Someone with his status doesn’t need to push himself this hard. He could easily demand a break for a proper meal, but he refuses to hold up the crew or make things difficult for the director. He just skips it and keeps going.”

“Mr. Powell is certainly a professional,” Skylar agreed.

“Exactly! And I have to be just as professional. Even when I’m dead tired, I have to push through. Thankfully, the shoot is almost over—less than a month left and I’ll be back in Jipsburg. By the way, when are you and Joe heading home?”

“In about five days,” Skylar said.

“Let’s make sure to meet up before you leave,” Natalie insisted.

“Definitely. It’s getting late, Nat. Get some rest.” Skylar yawned, her own exhaustion finally catching up to her.

“Goodnight.”

Just as Skylar was about to set her phone on the nightstand, it buzzed twice with new WhatsApp messages. She opened the app to find they were from Vera.

It seemed Vera’s behavior was becoming predictably irritating. Once again, the messages contained nothing but photos.

The first was a selfie of Vera in the front passenger seat of a car, with Joe visible in the back. The second showed the two of them in a dimly lit, atmospheric bar, both holding drinks. Joe’s expression was difficult to read in the shadowy lighting, but Vera was smiling brilliantly at the camera.

Vera had always been a stunning beauty—the kind of woman who could command a room with a single glance. In that intimate, low-light setting, her features looked even more captivating. Even as her rival, Skylar had to admit that Vera possessed a powerful allure. It was no wonder men found it hard to look away.

Skylar stared at the photo of Joe for a long moment, then let out a sharp, mocking scoff. Without a single word of reply to Vera, she hit the forward button and sent both pictures directly to Joe.