Chapter 10


    The police questioned had Christopher for several hours. Even though he had presented evidence


    of his rtionship with Skr, the police had refused to believe him.


    The evidence Skr had provided clearly stated that he had borrowed money from her. Seeing the


    100 thousand dors lying in his bank ount, he loathed the thought of having to pay her back.


    Christopher had thought that Skr was just throwing a tantrum. He hadn’t been attentive to her


    lately since he had spent most of his time apanying Maisy.


    She could just tell him if she missed him. Why did she have to cause such a scene? Was she


    unaware that such antics would only make him dislike her even more?


    Infuriated, Christopher called Skr again.


    Skr happened to be on the subway when he called. As she stared at the caller ID on screen, her


    heart throbbed in pain. Clenching her phone, she answered his call.


    Christopher had initially thought that she wouldn’t answer his call. He had never expected her to


    pick up


    once he called.


    It was at that moment that he realized that she was just trying to put on an act to make him coax


    her.


    “Babe, are you mad because I haven’t been able to spend time with you? I’ve been really busy at


    worktely. Where are you now? I’lle and find you.


    “We’ve been together since high school; you should know what I’m like by now. I’ll be rewarded with


    a bonus of 300 thousand dors at the end of the year, and I’ll give it all to you by then, okay?”


    By


    the end of the year, he’de up with an excuse not to give her any money.


    I


    “My mom has always been nice to you, and you know she’s ill, right? Babe, I really love you. All the


    money.


    I earn in the future will be yours.”


    As Skr listened to his ttery, her eyes red with hatred. She snarled, “Christopher, you better


    pay me back as soon as possible. Otherwise, mywyer wille and get you.”


    Christopher thought he had misheard. “Babe? Did any rumors get to you? Since when do you care


    so much about money? How can our rtionship be measured by money?”


    His words were cut short by a sudden beep, indicating that the call had been disconnected. Skr


    had hung up on him.


    What Christopher had said earlier had nearly made Skr throw up.


    Realizing that Skr had hung up on him, Christopher’s expression soured. His grip on his phone


    tightened as he muttered, “Skr, what are you ying at? Do you think I wouldn’t dare to break up


    you?”


    with


    He inhaled sharply, his resolve strengthening. He figured he had to return the money to her. The


    police had already barged into his office today, and his career was going to be over if she decided


    to sue him.


    Christopher decided to pay her back first and then have Amelia call herter. Skr would definitely


    transfer the money back to him again by then.


    He texted Skr once he had transferred her the money.


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    “Babe, I’ve transferred the money to you. Don’t worry about Mom; I’ll figure out another way. If


    you’re not feeling well, I can take you out on a trip this weekend.”


    Skr received a notification about the transfer. Staring at the 100 thousand dors in her ount,


    she was momentarily stunned.


    She soon regained herposure. She transferred 90 thousand dors to Janine and kept ten


    thousand


    dors for herself.


    “Mom, this is the money I’ve saved up from working during school breaks and also from the money


    your usually give me. You probably need money now, so you can use it first,” Skr texted.


    When Janine saw the transfer notification and Skr’s text, she was bbergasted. She called


    Skr right


    away.


    “Skye, you’ve just graduated, and


    U don’t have a job yet. You need money as well! I can still work, and I also get an allowance from


    Steven and Charles every month as well, I can’t take your money.


    “I’ll transfer it back to you. You should spend it on clothes when you go shopping. I really don’t need


    it.”


    Noting the genuine concern in Janine’s words, Skr chuckled. “Mom, I don’t need any money now.


    You guys


    can have it instead. I’m getting off the subway now. Let’s talk more when I go back in a few days.”


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    Janine stared at her phone. While she appreciated Skr’s thoughtfulness, she had a hunch that


    something had probably happened to her. How exactly did the Williamses treat her?


    Janine had to find out.


    She had Sadie’s number saved in her phone, but she had never thought of calling her one day.


    Yet, this was about Skr. She had raised Skr, so she could certainly sense when something felt


    off


    about her. Drawing in a deep breath, she called Sadie.


    “Janine? Why are you calling me?”


    Sadie had also saved Janine’s number for Skr’s sake. She had intended to delete Janine’s


    number after that, but it had slipped her mind. It felt uncanny to have someone like Janine saved in


    her contacts.


    “It’s not a big deal. I just want to khow what’s going on with Skye.” Sensing the contempt in Sadie’s


    tone,


    Janine frowned.


    However, what Sadie said next made her blood boil.


    “Now that you’ve asked, I must tell you. I have no idea how you raised her, but she’s really


    disobedient and reckless. She talks back to us, and shecks basic courtesy.


    “During my birthday, she gave me a painting that looked shabby, iming that it was an ancient


    painting. Look at her, lying so effortlessly!


    “She has clearly been raised poorly since childhood. Did she think we’re totally clueless? I don’t


    expect her to be as sensible as Maisy is, but she really is an embarrassment!


    “She ran away from home again two days ago. Did she go back to your ce? Tell her that we’re


    not going to take her in again if she refuses toe back!


    “Even if she doese back, she has to apologize to us properly! She must be sincere; otherwise,


    we won’t forgive her easily this time.”


    As Janine listened to Sadie’sints, her entire body quivered with rage. Her eyes turned


    bloodshot.


    She had always been kind and rarely spoke harshly to anyone. Yet, she could no longer hold back


    anymore upon hearing Sadiepare Skr and Maisy and belittle Skr as she rambled on…


    “Skr has always been very sensible! You guys must have done something that made her run


    away from home. I raised her; I know her best! She would never do the things you said earlier! You


    should reflect on yourselves. And you owe her an apology instead!”


    Janine hung up promptly and wept. Judging by Sadie’s attitude, she knew Skr


    at Williams Residence.


    Oh, her dear Skr!


    Probably had it tough


    Skr was on the antique street in Jipsburg. The street was lined with everything imaginable, and


    setting foot there felt like traveling back to ancient times.


    She had a huge bag with her today. The ancient painting she had retrieved from Williams


    Residence was stowed away in her bag.


    Back then, she had bought this tattered painting from an old man on this street for ten thousand


    dors. It hadn’t been properly preserved, so it had been extremely worn out and fragmented. It had


    taken her nearly three months to restore the painting.


    The old man had said that his grandfather had left the painting behind and imed that it was from


    1120 BC. Yet, it was impossible to determine the artist due to its poor state. The old man had been


    around this street for ages, and the highest offer anyone had made for the painting was merely a


    thousand dors.


    But Skr had recognized the painting as the work of a painter from 1120 BC who was known for


    depicting picturesque scenery.