Fell Into His Love Trap (Skylar and Tobias)

Penelope once said, "You can never hide your love for someone in your gaze. The rest of the world will fade away when you're there, and they'll only have eyes for you."

Skylar was shaken. She unexpectedly felt discomfited when Tobias glanced at her in such a way.

"Did you switch out the hairdryer?"

Tobias chuckled. "I don't understand why you insist on using your old one. Aren't you scared of electrical faults? I got you a new one since I noticed it has been on your wishlist for some time now." Skylar recalled seeing piles of parcels in the foyer, some already unsealed upon arriving home.

She'd been perplexed as she had no memory of purchasing all that.

"Did you buy everything on my wish list?"

"I came upon it by chance when you left your phone on the bed before going on my business trip. I took it as you giving me a subtle hint. After all, isn't it perfectly normal to do such things for a girlfriend? You should add more expensive items to your list, by the way. I still can't believe you'd wear shorts that cost nineteen ninety out."

Skylar wished for nothing more than to bury herself underground at her miserly habits being exposed.

Perhaps she wouldn't have turned out like this if she hadn't mistrusted an unreliable investment manager and didn't have a spendthrift mother.

She plopped down next to Tobias and rested her head on his shoulder. She always detected the fragrance of white sandalwood whenever he was close. It would have been perfect if it weren't mixed with the scent of cigarette smoke.

What she said next turned his mood sour. "I'll pay you back once I have enough money. Don't feel upset because this is just who I am. I don't feel comfortable spending the money of others. That includes the one million that my mum owes you!"

Tobias wrapped his arm around her shoulders. This ungrateful one still refuses to rely on me despite knowing how unbearable I find it.

He disliked how independent Skylar was. Yet they were two sides of the same coin, to a certain extent.

"I'm not just anybody, you know? There's no need to have such strict boundaries in place. Imagine how exhausting it'll be for both of us. Don't tell me you did this in your past relationships as well. That would be a no-go for sure."

Tobias rarely brought up the topic of

her exes. Skylar's brows furrowed as she thought back on the only relationship she'd been in. She had a rather lackluster love life.

She had always been the one paying the bills for that good-for-nothing Jeremy.

Skylar didn't understand why Tobias wouldn't go all the way when doing her a favor. He only helped her unbox a single parcel when a mountain of them remained.

"You should have opened all the parcels for me. There's so many at the door that they're blocking the way."

Tobias stared at the pile of parcels uneasily. "Do it yourself when you're free. I don't have the patience for these. What a waste of my time. Do you know what an ordeal it is with how securely they're packed?"

Skylar understood that this was typical behavior for men. Tobias was considered kind enough to have helped her with unboxing two to three packages.

Tobias scooped a bowl of piping hot lentil soup from the pot and placed it on the coffee table to cool before serving it to Skylar.

Skylar had tried the pistachio and vanilla-flavored macarons on the TV show for their holiday special.

She would have tasted more than that if Molly hadn't kept a close eye on her.

"Aren't you going back to your mom's? You usually do so during the festive season."

Tobias had not informed Claudia that he'd returned from his business trip. She still thought he was in Newcove and couldn't return home in time. Otherwise, he would be expected to attend a reunion gathering at the Ford residence.

Sheldon had called him several

times to ask him to convey the news that he wouldn't be coming back for Thanksgiving. Tobias chose not to bother himself with Sheldon as he would be doing the same.

Sheldon and his girlfriend were going steady. Hence, he was meeting her parents and spending Thanksgiving with them at their home in Jipsdale. Tobias stared at Skylar silently. She seems slightly repulsed by me.

Nevertheless, he understood that this was because Claudia had been pressuring Skylar by going on a spiel whenever they met.