Philip’s jaw tightened as rage burned in his veins. His eyes flared, dark and dangerous, as they bore into Willow, who stood smugly beside Skyler. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
Skyler, on the other hand, was completely dumbfounded. He stared at Willow, blinking in disbelief.
’Boyfriend?’ His mind reeled.
He, who always devised a solution to any issue, couldn’t find a way out of this situation. It seemed as if his brain had become dull.
His boss would have his head if he so much as looked at Willow the wrong way. And here she was, practically draping herself over him like they were some madly in love couple.
This mere thought chilled his blood. He tried to push her away and clear the air, but Willow held him tightly and leaned in closer.
He froze yet again, not even breathing.
"If I complain to my brother that you didn’t help me when I needed you, he will punish you," she whispered in his ear. "So, play along."
Skyler felt like he had been thrown into the lion’s den without warning. His entire body tensed as Philip’s murderous gaze bore into him.
Still, he had no choice. He had to get out of this mess before Philip decided to snap and pummel him into the ground.
Skyler let out a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Uh, Willow— you shouldn’t fight with him. He is Mr. Walton, a powerful man. We can’t afford to cross him."
Willow scoffed, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "So what?" she shot back. "We have Theodore’s backing. Why should we fear him? You should complain to Theodore about this. He harassed me."
Skyler’s soul nearly left his body. This woman was really digging his grave! But before he could protest, Willow tugged at his arm, pulling him along.
"Let’s get out of here first."
Philip took a step forward, his fury barely contained. "Willow—"
She didn’t spare him another glance as she walked away, dragging Skyler with her.
Philip stood rooted in place, his blood boiling, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. He had never felt such intense anger before—nor such an overwhelming feeling of loss.
Philip’s hands clenched into fists as he watched Willow disappear with Skyler. His blood boiled, and his jaw tightened. He had assumed that Willow harbored feelings for Theodore due to their closeness, but now, she had thrown an entirely different twist at him. It turned out that she had been dating Theodore’s assistant.
His mind raced with questions. Was she really dating Skyler? Or was she just using him to escape?
If she thought she could push him away so easily, she was mistaken.
Yanking out his phone, he swiftly dialed a number. The moment the call connected, he commanded, "Mason, I need every single detail of Willow. Do it fast."
Meanwhile, in the parking lot, Skyler came to an abrupt stop, turning to Willow with narrowed eyes. "What was that back there? Boyfriend?" he asked incredulously. Are you trying to get me killed?"
Willow pressed her lips together, guilt flashing across her face. "I’m sorry. I used you back there. I just wanted to get away from Philip." She then smirked playfully "I am satisfied with you. You played your role perfectly."
Skyler crossed his arms, his irritation evident. "Was he bothering you?" he asked solemnly.
Willow waved a dismissive hand. "Nothing I couldn’t handle," she replied nonchalantly. "Anyway, why are you here?"
"Mr. Reid instructed me to escort you home," he informed her.
Willow let out an exaggerated sigh. "Of course, he did. Overprotective as always." Shaking her head, she added, "Fine. Let’s get going."
Skyler pulled open the backseat door for her. Willow slid in smoothly, settling against the seat. Closing the door behind her, Skyler walked around and got into the driver’s seat.
An hour later...
Philip’s fingers tightened around his phone as Mason’s words replayed in his mind. "Theodore and Willow are siblings..." The revelation struck him like a jolt of lightning, sending shockwaves through his thoughts.
"What did you say?" Philip exclaimed, shocked. "Theodore and Willow are siblings. But Willow’s last name is Taylor."
"She took her mother’s last name after their parents got divorced," Mason explained.
Philip’s expression turned bleak. He had spent all this time loathing Theodore, assuming he was deceiving Bella with Willow. His hostility had been fueled by a misunderstanding.
Regret gnawed at his heart. ’I jumped to conclusions without knowing the truth.’
But before he could dwell on his mistake, another thought surfaced—Willow’s so-called boyfriend. Willow claimed that Skyler was her boyfriend. Was it true?
"Is she in a relationship?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent, but the tension in his voice betrayed him.
Mason hesitated before responding, "Her status on social media says single, and she hasn’t been seen with anyone at public events. If she has a boyfriend, she is keeping it private."
Philip’s grip on the phone tightened slightly, his heart heavy with the prospect of Willow seeing Skyler. "Is she close to Theodore’s assistant? Is something going on between them?"
Mason sounded puzzled. "Uh... I haven’t seen them together. Why do you ask?"
Philip’s expression darkened. He wanted to know everything about Willow. "Find out what connection they have," he ordered. "Try to get close to Skyler. See if he likes Willow."
"Uh...okay?" Mason stammered, thrown off by the sudden command. "A-Anything else?"
Beep
The line went dead before Mason could get a response.
Staring at his phone, Mason blinked in disbelief. "What’s wrong with him?" he muttered, baffled.
~~~~~~~~~~
Bella finally returned to her hometown. As she set foot in her old house, she felt as if she knew this place. Though her mind remained blank, her body seemed to remember—her feet carrying her forward with a sense of ease, as if they had walked there countless times before.
Her gaze instinctively roamed the space, scanning the cozy living room. Her eyes fell upon a framed photograph on the hearth, drawing her closer. She reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against the glass.
The image captured a tender moment—her younger self smiling beside her mother. But something was missing. She was surprised to see her father was missing in that photo.
A frown crept onto her face. ’Why there is no photo of my father?’ she wondered in her mind but said nothing.
"You must be tired," Selena’s gentle voice broke the silence. "Let me take you to your room."
Bella blinked, momentarily pulled from her thoughts. "My room..." she murmured. Her eyes drifted to a door on the right, and without hesitation, she pointed at it. "Is that my room?"
Selena exchanged a startled glance with Alan before a broad smile graced her lips. "Yes, dear. That’s your room. Do you remember something?" she asked, hope gleaming in her eyes.
Bella shook her head. "No... but I just know it’s my room." Her feet carried her forward as if drawn by an invisible thread.
Selena’s smile faltered, disappointment flickering in her gaze. Seeing this, Alan placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don’t be discouraged," he said softly. "She recognized her room on her own—that’s a good sign. Her memories will come back, little by little."
Selena inhaled deeply, forcing a smile. "You’re right," she whispered. As she watched Bella disappear into the room, a quiet hope rekindled in her heart.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
