âYou!âStephanie was stumped for words.Old Mr. Shepard was not a man who would play along with a bum.Besides, a seasoned veteran like Old Mr. Shepard would not confuse a person for someone else.While color washed off Stephanieâs face, her boyfriend grew scared and curtly chided, âEnough!
As if we donât have enough problems because of your loose tongue!âSpooked, Stephanie shut her trap.Judging by the reverence shown by Old Mr. Shepard to Skylar, Stephanie and her boyfriend started shaking in their boots.They had just upset a man of higher esteem than Old Mr. Shepard!Doom was impending if Skylar held a grudge and expressed his resentment to Old Mr. Shepard.With that in mind, Stephanie and her boyfriend lost their nerves.Truth be told, the couple was not worth Skylarâs time.Skylar smiled and nodded at Old Mr. Shepard and Judy. âThatâs right. My family and I will be living here from now on.âThis is my wife, Yulia, and my daughter, Lola.âSince Judy had met Yulia and Lola at the jewelry fair before, Skylar introduced his family to Old Mr. Shepard.âHello, Old Mr. Shepard,â Yulia greeted.Little miss sweet talker said in a cutesy voice, âHello, Old Mr. Shepard!ââOh, sheâs a good girl, isnât she?âOld Mr. Shepard beamed.âLola, do you remember what to call me?âBlinking her eyes, Judy asked.âAunt Judy. Itâs Aunt Judy!âLola glanced at Skylar before proudly declaring.Caressing the little girlâs plump face, Judy remarked, âYou cheeky little thing!âAfter a pleasant chat, it hit Old Mr. Shepard that Skylar was only a few doors away if he had any questions about the workout since Skylar had moved here with his family.Delighted, Old Mr. Shepard smiled and said, âMr. Stone, do you have a lot of luggage in the car?âJudy and I have time. We can help you move your things!âRolling up his sleeves, Old Mr. Shepard was ready to get down and dirty.Not too far away, Stephanie and her boyfriend were rendered speechless.Who on earth was Skylar?Old Mr. Shepard even volunteered to help Skylar with his luggage. It was not a privilege that the second-ranked Curreys could enjoy.Amused by Old Mr.
Shepardâs antics, Skylar waved his arm. âWeâre good. We have everything in the house, so all we took are some clothes.ââAlright then. Weâre neighbors now. Call me if you need anything. Iâm just a few doors away.âTaking the hint, Old Mr. Shepard bade Skyler farewell.As for Stephanie and her boyfriend, they were cowering in a corner of the security office to keep out of Skylarâs sight.They feared their presence might remind Skylar of the earlier incident, and the latter may come after them.Labeling the couple as insignificant, Skylar drove to the gate of the hillside villa.As the vehicle cruised past the gate and into the driveway, Yulia, despite being well-traveled, was taken aback by the extravagance of the villa.âSweetheart, do you like our new home?âWith Lola in his arms, Skylar flauntingly asked.âI love it so much!âDaddy, put me down. I want to walk on my own!âThe little girl demanded.Skylar let go of her.
Once her feet were on the ground, Lola hopped and looked around curiously.Working together as a team, Skylar and Yulia moved the suitcases to the rooms and did a brief cleanup.Seeing that it was almost lunchtime, Skylar asked Lola if there was anything she was craving.Lola gave it a thought before asking for a barbecue. Skylar readily satisfied her request.Half an hour later, the trio arrived at a nearby bar and grill.Since Lola was a meat lover, Skylar ordered extra helpings.The skewers tasted great. Holding a skewer in each hand, the little girl had fun taking a bite here and there.Skylar soon realized Yuliaâs plate of grilled skewers remained untouched. He asked with a smile, âAre you watching your weight?ââYeah. Unlike you, I put on pounds if I eat too much.âYulia miserably commented.Skylar uttered in a muffled voice, âI know a way that lets you eat whatever you want without putting on weight.
Are you interested in giving it a go?ââWhatâs the method?â Yulia was intrigued.Skylar winked. âItâs a massage technique that helps women detox and burn fat.âBut⦠the method is a littleâ¦
unconventionalâ¦â