Chapter 898

chapter898

“Is Aiken the reason you wanted to divorce me?” Joe’s voice was like ice, cutting through the silence of the car.

If it had been anyone else, he might have been able to let her go. But out of all the men in the world, it had to be Aiken. Joe knew the man wasn't suited for Skylar. More than that, the mere vision of Skylar with anyone else made his chest tighten with an unbearable, possessive discomfort.

Skylar hadn't expected a simple dinner to spiral into such a mess of misunderstandings. When Joe had doubted her before, she had been crystal clear about her intentions. Did he think she would only grant him a divorce if she were the one who had made a mistake?

She clenched her jaw, her voice trembling with indignation. “Joe, if you want a divorce, you can just say it. I have never once thought of clinging to you. There is no need to frame me for things I have never done!”

Only yesterday, he had spoken of building a future and a family with her. In the blink of an eye, he was accusing her of infidelity. Men truly never say anything worth believing, she thought bitterly.

Joe slammed on the brakes. The sudden halt caught the driver behind them by surprise, forcing them to swerve and honk furiously to express their outrage. Skylar gripped the door handle, her displeasure written across her face.

Joe ignored the chaos outside, turning the wheel to park the car by the side of the road. A heavy, tense silence fell over the cabin.

“When have I ever said I wanted to divorce you?” Joe finally asked, his voice calmer but still strained.

Skylar paused, the fury in her eyes flickering into confusion. He hadn't asked for a divorce. In fact, he was acting as if she were the one pushing for it. Had they been talking past each other this entire time?

“I... I thought you were the one who wanted out,” Skylar concluded quietly.

In her mind, their marriage was a fragile thing, held together by his grandmother Gloria and a series of coincidences. If not for those twists of fate, they never would have shared a bed. She believed Joe didn't love her and that their "play-pretend" arrangement was reaching its natural end, especially with Vera’s return to the scene.

Joe stared at her, the realization dawning on him as well. The suffocating tension between them suddenly diffused, replaced by a strange, mutual clarity.

Joe managed a small, weary smile. “I have never once thought of divorcing you, Skylar.”

“Aiken and I are nothing more than friends,” she explained, her voice softening.

As they looked at each other, their earlier accusations suddenly seemed childish—a storm brewed in a teacup by nothing but insecurity and a lack of communication.

“Let’s go find some dinner. I’m still hungry,” Joe said, his tone turning cheery as he restarted the engine.

“We should have fondue,” Skylar suggested, realizing her own appetite had returned. Everything at the previous restaurant had felt rubbery and tasteless under the weight of their argument.

The next morning, both of them slept in late.

The reconciliation of the previous night had been intense. Joe had been unable to get enough of her, his passion fueled by the relief of their resolved conflict. From the shower to the bedroom, he had been relentless, only stopping when the clock crept past one in the morning.

Skylar was genuinely exhausted by Joe’s stamina. When she finally woke, her legs felt like jelly.

Joe had already prepared a simple breakfast of sandwiches and coffee. He was in a protective mood; he refused to let her drive herself and insisted that Lucas drive her to work instead.

As Skylar walked into the Gardner Group building, Joe pulled out his phone and dialed Paul. The softness he had shown Skylar vanished instantly, replaced by the cold, calculating demeanor of a man ready to settle scores.