Chapter 37

Skylar, shaken by a confrontation with Bree and paparazzi, refuses to leave West’s property, feeling both protected and trapped. She and West preemptively warn the kids about potential stories and photos, a painful talk that leaves Skylar raw. She withdraws, avoids watching West ride, and withholds news of the Bree encounter, creating emotional distance.

Skylar’s anxiety fuels self-doubt about deserving West’s love and the impact of the scandal on his family. Intimacy pauses; West offers steady comfort without pressure, which Skylar misreads as pity. She fixates on how her presence brings trouble to West’s doorstep.

Rosie finds Skylar by the lake and bluntly acknowledges the severity of the fallout, noting West has been patrolling the fence lines like a protective wolf. She adds that Ford has already hired security. The gesture underscores West’s care and the gravity of the situation, moving Skylar to tears.

Rosie then challenges Skylar to examine her relationship to fame. Probing what parts she actually likes, Rosie exposes that Skylar’s career was shaped by childhood pressure. She tells Skylar she’s allowed to quit—or create only for herself—without feeding the machine that’s harming her. Skylar absorbs the possibility, torn between her health and obligations to others.