Chapter 915

It was Monday morning. The rush hour was in full swing, and traffic was exceptionally heavy. The car barely moved. Skylar had no choice but to pull over into a roadside parking spot. Deciding she'd reach work faster another way, she hopped out and headed for the subway. Fortunately, the subway, while crowded, wasn't as congested as the roads.

The gridlock was pervasive, extending even underground. Joe sent a photo of the traffic jam with the message, "Stuck in traffic." Skylar replied, "Same here. I parked and took the subway. I think I made the right choice." She might have been stuck for another hour had she remained on the road.

As the subway filled, Skylar put her phone away and held on, awaiting her stop—only three more to go. In about ten minutes, she emerged from the station with fifteen minutes to spare before clocking in. After crossing the street, she calmly walked toward the Gardner Group building.

The group chat buzzed with discussions about the traffic; someone mentioned an accident on one of the main roads—the one Skylar used daily. She was about to snap a photo of the office to share when someone stepped in front of her camera.

Skylar stared at the screen, momentarily disoriented. She wondered if she'd mistaken the person for someone else, or if they simply resembled someone she knew.

"Skylar, long time no see."

It was Christopher, his eyes deep and filled with emotion as he looked at her. His gaze was intense, loving, as if he were gazing upon a precious treasure rediscovered; he seemed unwilling to miss a single moment. Skylar put away her phone, unsure how to react. She hadn't seen him in months and had convinced herself they wouldn't cross paths again. Yet, here he was.

Seeing Skylar's lack of response, Christopher's eyes misted. "I've spent the past few months back in our hometown. I visited our old school; seeing the students brought back so many memories of us. I'll never be able to love anyone else, Skylar. I've come to understand my mistakes. I truly mean it. Every word is from the heart."

He sounded desperate, his eyes wet with unshed tears. Every word rang true. For months, Skylar had been constantly on his mind.

"Even my mother realizes how wrong she was. She knows she treated you poorly and regrets it. She said, if given the chance, she would make things right. We can't lose you."

Seeing Skylar's impassive expression, his anxiety mounting, he moved closer, almost ready to embrace her. He continued, "Joe doesn't really care about you. He's just stringing you along. I saw online reports—he's interested in Ms. Vera Ruell. They're a perfect match. You're just a placeholder, Skylar. I don't want to see you hurt."

Skylar stepped back, her face cold. Months had passed, yet Christopher remained unchanged. He spoke of regret, but his words felt manipulative.

"Do I need to call the police?" she asked icily.

Christopher stiffened, biting his lip. "Don't you believe me?" He pulled out a stack of photos from his backpack. "Just look at these photos, and you'll see Joe can't possibly care about you."