Skylar had always been unwelcomed by the Joneses, so they were all irked upon seeing her. Slamming her cutlery on the table, Irene sprang to her feet.
“Why are you here? And when did you become so ill-mannered that you simply walked in without permission?”
Avery shot daggers at her while Hayden pinned a vicious look on her. Thomas was the only one who wore a grim expression, and he was only the only person with his composure intact.
“I have something to say to him,” Skylar declared with a thoughtful expression.
Without any regard for seniority whatsoever, she pointed her finger at Thomas.
Thomas put down his cutlery. “I have nothing to say to you. Also, has no one ever taught you manners that you’re pointing a finger at your elder?”
Ignoring his reprimand, Skylar murmured, “I’ve just gone home earlier and had a good chat with my mother. I found out that the two of you actually have a lot of history. I wonder if…”
“Zip it! Follow me to the garden, and I’ll teach you some manners,” Thomas blurted, cutting her off.
In truth, Skylar was traumatized by the garden in Jones residence. On that particular rainy night, Thomas threw a paltry two hundred at her feet as though she was a beggar and warned her to stay far away from him.
As Meredith looked on at her drenched self, who was still clutching the bills in her hand, she hugged her and wept with her.
Her grandmother lamented her difficult life, bemoaning the fact that the affluent Jones family would even begrudge taking her in.
Ever since then, she never again asked her to go to Jones residence for money.
At that moment, there was a hint of guilt in Thomas’ eyes. “What did your mother tell you? How could you possibly believe her when she isn’t in her right mind?”
“She told me a lot of things about Tara Ziegler. Some things can never remain a secret forever, after all. If that matter gets out, your reputation will inevitably be ruined.”
Despite the stricken expression on his face, Thomas still tried to deny it, snapping, “Stop slandering me! Tara’s incident has nothing to do with me. If you don’t believe me, just lodge a police report!”
Fishing out her cell phone from her handbag, Skylar started tapping her long and slender fingers on the keypad. “What’s the number again? Something along the lines of 911?”
Finally, Thomas snapped and moved to snatch the cell phone out of her hands. At that, Skylar’s gaze suddenly turned cold. “Fine by me if you want this matter to remain a secret, but you’ve got to do something for me right now, Thomas Jones. Don’t feel aggrieved, for you’re only cleaning up the mess your precious son and daughter created.”
She then threatened to lodge a police report and expose him for having murdered Tara back then if he refused to issue a statement revealing the truth that he abandoned his wife and daughter back then.
She also lied and claimed that Miranda had agreed as well.
Although many years had passed since the incident, Thomas wasn’t certain whether he could get off scot-free if the case was overturned and reinvestigated.
Skylar pressured him relentlessly, giving him no room to decline. She also saved him considerable trouble, sending him the script she had prepared and ordering him to type it out and post it on Twitter.
Kate, on the other hand, had contracted the top ten Twitter marketing accounts with the greatest number of fans to have them sway the public opinion by sharing Thomas’ post.
When Avery saw the script in Thomas’ hands, she exclaimed incredulously, “Dad, how could you promise Skylar this? Did you consider your reputation and my future? If you publish such a post, I’ll become the illegitimate daughter while she becomes the most innocent victim!”
With his face a mask of worry, Thomas hissed through gritted teeth, “This was all your doing! It was you who brought all that to light, yet you’re now asking me whether it’ll affect your future? Don’t think I’m unaware that the two of you paid the media off to sabotage her!” His voice was colored with rage.
Hayden rushed forward at once and shielded Avery behind him. He couldn’t understand why his father was adamant about speaking up for Skylar at the cost of his sister being hurt and his own reputation being tarnished.
“Why would you do this, Dad? You love Avery most! Did she use Tobias Ford to threaten you and browbeat us?”
