Dave glanced at her before walking into the living room. He picked up his phone, dialed a number, and sat down on the sofa, his face unreadable.
“I’m not leaving until I’m sure you’re calm and clear-headed,” he said coldly, scrolling through his phone.
Skylar’s face lit up with joy.
Dave had decided to stay with her!
She thought Maybe he did care after all.
Skylar curled her right hand. The scar on it wasn’t from when she saved him.
Back then, her hand had only been scratched by thorns, leaving small wounds that had healed long ago.
She hadn’t shown him her hand at that time, partly because the injuries were minor and partly because she thought it looked ugly, a matter of pride.
The scar was actually something she had made herself with a toothpick before returning to the country.
She had kept it as her secret hope, thinking it would help her win Dave’s heart.
But tonight, in front of many important business people, Dave had chosen Bianca, crushing her pride.
Skylar felt completely humiliated.
For the first time, she truly felt despair.
Lucas had told her this was her last chance. If she couldn’t keep Dave, he would stop supporting her.
Realizing she was trapped, Skylar decided to use her scar to manipulate Dave, even though it was a desperate move.
She was sure that Bianca wouldn’t be able to compete with her.
“Why are you still here when you said you didn’t care about me?” Skylar asked, her voice sweet but sly, watching Dave relax on the sofa with his legs crossed.
Dave didn’t look up. His voice was calm and firm. “You saved my life. Consider this me saving yours. Now we’re even.”
Skylar’s smile, which had been full of victory, suddenly froze.
What did he mean by that?
“What do you mean by ‘even’? You think it’s that simple?” she snapped at him with her voice full of resentment.
Dave turned off his phone and finally looked at her, his face cold. “Today, I’ve paid you the debt for saving my life. From now on, I owe you nothing-not even the favor you once asked for.”
Skylar was left speechless.
She never thought Dave had stayed with her, only for that reason. She had already been humiliated by him, and now he was ending their agreement.
It was all because of that damn woman, Bianca.
Dave would do anything for her!
He wanted to marry Bianca? That would never happen!
Skylar’s fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her skin, drawing blood. But her shock wasn’t over yet.
At that moment, several bodyguards in black suits entered the room and stood quietly in front of Dave.
Skylar looked at them, then at Dave’s cold face as he stood up and spoke to the bodyguards. “Stay here and make sure Miss Larson is safe. Keep her out of danger until she leaves tomorrow.”
Skylar felt like everything was falling apart.
Dave’s concern for her safety on the ship wasn’t about her-it was about protecting the Evans Group’s reputation.
Once she was off the ship, she was no longer their concern.
He wasn’t repaying her; he was protecting his family’s image and his own interests!
Stunned by the truth, Skylar stepped back, her eyes fixed on the man she had once loved.
Her heart broke.
Had he never cared for her? Was he really that cold?
It all came down to that woman.
Why was Bianca seen as better than her? Why had her life-saving effort been met with nothing but cruelty and coldness?
After all the years of sacrifice and humiliation, why was the title of Mrs. Evans still out of her reach?
Lucas Evans had promised she would marry Dave. But all those promises were lies.
Her whole life had been about becoming Dave’s wife, and she wasn’t going to let that dream go-no matter what it took.
“Dave, you’re going to regret this!” Skylar said through gritted teeth as she looked toward the balcony.
Without waiting for an answer, she ran toward it.
Dave’s expression darkened.
“Stop her!” he ordered.
It was already too late.
The bodyguards reached the balcony just as Skylar climbed over the railing, standing dangerously at the edge of the yacht.
The night wind blew at the hem of her pink gown, and under the moonlight, her face, pale and ghostly, twisted into a threatening grin.
The bodyguards halted their steps, careful not to make things worse.
“Skylar, what are you doing?” Dave called out, his voice tight with worry.
The dark sea stretched out behind her, looking cold and unforgiving, waiting for a single wrong step.
Skylar laughed wildly, noticing the worry in Dave’s eyes, and seized the moment. “I want you to stay with me tonight. I want you to keep your promise. I want you to swear you’ll never marry Bianca. If you don’t, I’ll jump!”
She slowly let go of one hand from the railing.
Dave’s brows furrowed. His face looked serious as he stared at Skylar.
He swallowed hard, his hands forming fists. He didn’t know what to do next.
His mom had always told him to return kindness and keep his promises.
So, he made sure to follow that advice.
After escaping from the asylum and starting the Phoenix Alliance Group, he tracked down the man who helped him.
He later learned that the man was the leader of a dangerous mafia in Edenfield.
This man had been betrayed by his own friends and thrown into the asylum.
The man had committed many crimes, and countless people had died because of him.
Still, because of their deal, Dave helped him turn his life around without questioning his past. He shut down the asylum, erased it, and got his revenge.
In the end, the man decided to stay by Dave’s side. He promised to become a powerful weapon Dave could use whenever needed.
As expected, he took care of Dave’s many difficult problems.
Over the years, Dave’s strong sense of loyalty earned him many followers who would risk their lives for him.
Skylar had also saved his life once. If not for her, he would have died in that cold, damp cellar.
He didn’t forget to thank her. But her requests were too much to fulfill.
Still, he couldn’t let her die like that.
Dave knew that if he let his savior die, his mother in heaven would look at him with disappointment.
She would never stop blaming him if they ever met in the afterlife.