The Ex-Con Queen Strikes Back - Chapter 172: Chapter 172

Victor still wouldn't budge. "This is way too dangerous. I can't just stand by and watch you take such a risk."
Skylar softened her voice and coaxed, "Victor, if we succeed, we can settle everything once and for all. We won't have to be constantly on edge about these things anymore."
Skylar looked at Victor and said with a reassuring smile, "I promise I'll take good care of myself. Besides, don't I have you to watch my back?"
Skylar smiled and linked her arm through Victor's. "You'll protect me, won't you, Victor?"
After Skylar's persistent coaxing, Victor finally gave a reluctant nod, grim-faced. He said firmly, "Whatever you decide to do, you absolutely have to inform me beforehand."
He was most afraid that Skylar would go behind his back and act alone. If she got into trouble, he might not be able to help her in time.
Skylar raised her hand in a solemn vow and declared, "I swear, Victor, no matter what I do, you'll be the first to know."
Reassured by Skylar's promise, Victor finally relaxed.
Joanne grudgingly made a trip to the police station to bail Curtis out of jail.
Once they got in the car, Joanne kept mocking Curtis. "And you call yourself impressive? You couldn't even handle one woman. She got you arrested!
"All you ever do is talk big in front of me. I can't count on you at all."
Curtis and Joanne had been inseparable since childhood, practically joined at the hip.
Curtis, fed up, raised his voice and cut her off. "Enough! Will you ever stop? You're even worse than my old man with all that yapping!"
"Can't even take criticism when you're so useless," Joanne scoffed, pursing her lips. "If you can't win her over, forget about that car I promised you, deal's off. And our little bet? That's off the table too."
That car wasn't cheap. Curtis had pleaded with his father for ages, but he still wouldn't budge.
Now that someone was actually offering to buy it for him, there was no way Curtis would let this golden opportunity slip away.
If he won the bet, Joanne would be at his beck and call.
There was no way he was going to let a golden opportunity like this slip through his fingers.
Curtis urgently grabbed her hand and pleaded, "For heaven's sake, it hasn't even been that long, you've got to give me some time!"
Joanne yanked her hand away in annoyance. "Three more days, hurry up! I can't stand seeing her cling to Caden any longer."
"Alright then, just wait for my good news."
As Skylar was rehearsing with the actors, a staff member burst in, looking excited. "Ms. Lambert, someone's here to see you!"
Skylar looked up. "Who?"
The staff member shook their head. "No idea who it is, but someone showed up with a truckload of roses, just said they're here for you."
Everyone nearby caught the staff member's words and immediately erupted in excited whispers.
A person said, "Good heavens! A whole truckload of roses. How much must that have cost?"
Another said, "Who's this big spender, going all out just to woo someone?"
Someone else asked, "Can we go check it out? I've never seen anything like this before!"
Skylar ignored the gossiping crowd, set aside what she was holding, and strode purposefully toward the exit.
A few bold, gossip-hungry onlookers trailed after her, eager to catch the drama.
The moment she came out, Curtis, perched atop the truck, waved cockily and called out, "Hey there, guess who's back?"
Skylar didn't even bother to glance at the truck overflowing with vibrant roses. She shot him a frosty glare and demanded, "Why go to all this trouble? What exactly are you after?"
"Didn't I tell you before? I'm here to win you over," Curtis said as he hopped out of the car with a grin. "Heard girls love flowers, every great romance starts with a bouquet, right? Are you impressed?"