In the car, Arnold's computer displayed various surveillance angles, keeping an eye on the movements around the small villa.As the night grew deeper, it had been over an hour since we left the Chandler residence, yet there was no sign of activity.Feeling a bit impatient, I looked at Atlas. He was calmly staring at the road leading to the villa."What if she doesn't show up?" I asked Atlas softly."She won't. That's her weakness. Right now, the only outlet for her frustration is Beatrice, especially after the provocation she received from us today. She's eager to vent the anger in her," Atlas confidently explained.Lauren also reassured me, "Don't worry, punishing her is just a matter of time."I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Just as I was about to speak, Arnold excitedly exclaimed, "She's here."I quickly looked at his computer screen. Simultaneously, lights suddenly illuminated the area not far from the small villa. On the computer screen, a car slowly entered throug
I hurriedly ran over, spotting a small figure curled up in the corner. I crouched down and softly called out to her. "Beatrice, don't be afraid. I'm Chloe Hartz. It's Chlo. I've come to rescue you, Beatrice."I saw the trembling figure in the corner pause, and I knew she had understood me."Beatrice... It’s Chloe! I know I'm late, but look at me! It's me, I'm Chlo!"I heard Hazelyn's arrogant laughter behind me. "Hahaha, she's just a lunatic! You can't save her. She’s lost her mind."Lauren couldn't bear it. She walked up to Hazelyn and slapped her again. "I told you to shut up! You're the crazy one!"I slowly reached out to Beatrice. "Beatrice, don't be afraid. Come on, look at me! I'm Chlo!"The frail figure continued to tremble but slowly raised her head.Only then did I see that she was still wearing a patient gown that was stained with blood all over. Some parts were torn, revealing her body. She clutched herself.The chains on her feet were still locked, and her exposed c
I continued to gently stroke Beatrice's back, and her trembling seemed to calm down.Finn quickly removed his jacket and wrapped it around Beatrice, looking at me. "Ms. Chloe, what do we do now?"I whispered to Beatrice nestled in my arms, trying to comfort her. "Don't be afraid. It's okay now. Nothing will happen. We’re going to the hospital."Don't be scared, Beatrice. This is Finn, my friend from Gerby. He's been working hard to save you. Don't be afraid. Let's leave now, okay?"Beatrice just clung tightly to me. Someone came over and forced open the iron chains on her feet.Finn reached out, wrapping Beatrice closely in his jacket. He lifted her up, tightly embracing her in his broad arms. Beatrice's head was tucked against his chest, and I continued to gently caress her body to comfort her.We quickly left the basement and the villa without a moment's pause, got into the car, and headed straight to the hospital.The entire process had been recorded. I didn't know when Atlas
Atlas continued, "We can't use this hospital's experts. The last diagnostic report was suspected to be forged, and all the doctors involved were from here. We need more authoritative and convincing opinions. The local doctors can only observe. We'll invite a team of specialists to consult."Nathan nodded immediately. "Got it!"When Beatrice was brought back to the hospital room, she was still unconscious, but she was now in a clean hospital gown.Her hair had been attended to and looked much neater. Thick bandages were wrapped around her ankles, and her delicate face was pale without a trace of color. She appeared frail and petite in the hospital bed, beautiful even in her emaciation.I couldn't control the welling tears as my gaze fell upon her. Was this still the Beatrice I knew?I knew Finn was wondering the same thing.Mr. and Mrs. Bullock rushed to the hospital when they heard that we had successfully rescued Beatrice.It was early morning by then.When they saw Beatrice
Nathan grabbed the documents from the staff member beside him and slammed them onto the table in front of Byron with a resounding thud. The papers contained photos depicting Beatrice's current condition and reports detailing her injuries."Take a look... How did you see her? Look at these documents carefully before saying a word!" Nathan shouted at Byron.Byron's tension escalated as he slowly reached out to grab the papers in front of him. When he saw the photos, his eyes widened in disbelief as he carefully studied each one."I...""You’d better tell me the truth. Does she really have mental issues?" Nathan's ominously stern eyes bore into Byron, his gaze intensely scrutinizing. "She's been enduring inhumane abuse and violence for an extended period of time in a psychiatric hospital. Did you know about this?"Byron seemed on the verge of breaking down as he looked at the documents. "I... Who could have done such a thing? Who?"He frantically picked up one photo after another. I
Nathan looked at the bewildered Byron with a disdainful smile, his voice cold as he said, "I'm afraid neither of your daughters will want to see you. Beatrice definitely wouldn't. As for Hazelyn, she's been involved in serious crimes, so chances are, you won't be seeing her."With that, Nathan left the room with determined strides.Byron was left in the chair, his face devoid of color.His clenched fist on the table gradually tightened and the muscles in his jaw protruded. I wondered what was going through his mind.After a long while, he stood up and left the room, leaving the documents on the table untouched. That disappointed me.In a cold tone, Atlas remarked, "He doesn’t deserve to be a father."At that moment, Nathan pushed the door open and walked in, his face still dark."He's determined to resort to extreme measures," Atlas said."How so?" Nathan looked at Atlas inquiringly."He’ll probably try to request custody of Beatrice and find a way to harm her before the psych
My eyes welled up with tears, and everything became blurry."Don't be afraid. You’re safe now. No one will dare to torture or hurt you again," I reassured her.As soon as she heard the word 'hurt,' her body suddenly trembled, and she let out a sharp scream.The nurses rushed over, trying to restrain her.I quickly told them, "No, let go!"I immediately bent down and embraced her emaciated body, patting her gently. "Don't be afraid. It's okay now. Everything is over."My voice choked. "Beatrice, you have to get better quickly so we can be together again. Do you know how much I blame myself? I neglected you all these years. Otherwise, you wouldn't have suffered for so long."She wailed loudly, full of anguish.Doctors also hurried in. After all, this was a direct order from the highest-ranking official in the province, a patient requiring special attention. No one dared to slack off.But seeing her in this state, the doctors quietly stopped the nurses from intervening.She need
"That's good. Out of sight, out of mind," my mom grumbled."Did you receive any mail for the house over there?" I intentionally changed the subject."Mike called last night and told us not to worry. He said there have been quite a few people interested in the house lately. It might be sold soon. Anyway, we've set the price high, so if it sells, great. If not, it can wait. You'll always have a place to stay if you go back."I chuckled. "You're always worried about not having a place to stay when you already have houses everywhere. Last night, Atlas even mentioned investing here in Gerby. He plans to buy a house for us to stay in when we come for inspections. He also said you guys can travel around and stay in different places! Why are you still worried about having nowhere to stay?""Did he really invest in Gerby? Is that place even worthy?" My mom asked.I laughed. Any place was worth investing in. Projects done by Atlas were bound to be prosperous. He tackled things others couldn
Four months later, at a hospital in Foswood.After being wheeled out of the delivery room, I saw my entire family waiting for me outside.My grandmother, supported by Hana, walked up to me, trembling. "Chlo, my Chlo, you've been through so much!"Beside my grandmother was a girl who looked a lot like me, standing silently beside my grandmother. She was the one who had been crafted to be my counterfeit.What was even more dramatic was that the DNA test results had revealed that she was actually my parents' daughter. When we found out, we cried tears of joy. It was truly heaven-sent. From then on, I gained another sister, who was like a twin to me.Feeling a little weak, I looked at her kind smile and said, "Grandma! It's two boys!""We all saw them. They’re very handsome and healthy! I can finally rest assured. My daughter has a life partner now," Ivanna said as she eagerly squeezed by my side.Everyone burst into laughter. Jared reached out his long arm and pulled her back. "Com
I closed my eyes, trying hard to recall my dreams. Usually, this scenario always appeared in my dreams, but now I couldn't remember any details.Atlas looked at me indulgently. "Take your time, don't rush. Your mom will help us."I took a deep breath, clearing all the distractions from my mind. I seemed to see my mom holding my hand, eagerly walking into the woods, looking around and at the treetops. As we ventured deeper into the woods, I asked, "Where are you taking me, Mom? The woods are so dark. I'm scared! Don't go in, Mom. There might be wild animals!""Don't be afraid. I'm here with you. We need to find the tallest tree.""Why do we need to find the tallest tree?""So you can remember!""But I can't walk anymore. I'm scared!""Go sit on that rock for a while. I'll come to you.""A rock," I murmured as I suddenly opened my eyes.I quickly stood up, searching for a place with rocks."Search where there are rocks," Atlas instructed the others.Everyone dispersed quickly,
I gazed at Atlas's anxious face, his features wavering before my eyes. "Chlo... tell me what's wrong," he said, concern etched on his handsome face. I glanced around the room, noticing all our loved ones present, their faces filled with worry, both inside and outside the door.Closing my eyes, I nestled into Atlas's embrace. I felt exhausted like never before. With a soft murmur, I confessed, "I'm... I'm okay." My head throbbed fiercely with an unbearable sensation."I'm fine," I repeated before settling back into his arms, still as a statue. In my ears, the echoes of my dream lingered.A team of medical staff rushed in. Atlas patted me gently. "Let the doctors check you out, sweetheart. You've been out for 48 hours! Let them examine you, okay?"He eased me onto the bed. After the doctors finished their examination, they briefed Atlas on the results.I drifted back to sleep, this time for real, unaware of anything.When I woke up again, the room was bright. Blinking, I look
Ernest was truly shaken by the sight before him, visibly trembling in fear."Everyone in the car, get out! You have one minute." After Atlas's words, several red dots appeared on the foreheads of the people inside the car.The driver immediately wet himself in fear, raising his hands. "N-No... please!..."As his hand reached for the door handle to exit the car, Kenzie shot him dead. I screamed in terror, but at the same time, the man in the passenger seat slumped over, also dead.However, that shot came from a sniper outside.The others were dumbfounded. The two men beside me immediately grabbed their heads and crouched down."Get out of the car!" Kenzie shouted loudly.The two men beside me acted as if they had been granted clemency, reaching to open the car door and shouting, "Don't shoot!" Then, they rolled out of the car, clutching their heads."Kenzie... release Chloe... save me!" Ernest wailed, his appearance filled with disdain.Kenzie's voice trembled. "Ernest...""
"I really haven't seen anything. What are you talking about? My dad never told me about this!" I gritted my teeth, holding onto this secret, but it was clear they already knew about the existence of the survey maps."If you want your children to live, you better tell me the truth. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to show you no mercy. Let me tell you the truth, I didn't plan on leaving alive!" Kenzie's admission was chilling."Then if I die, bitch, I'll take you down with me. Oh... no, scratch that. It'll be you and your children. Haha… So, tell me!" She hit me with the back of the gun."Kenzie, you know how Atlas feels about me. He wouldn't let me be harmed. Do you really think he'd tell me too much? About those maps you mentioned, not only do I not know, but I haven't even seen them. “Even if they exist, my father would only tell him..." I appealed to Atlas's protective feelings toward me, a reasonable plea since most men would be protective of their loved ones, especially Atlas.Ju
I adjusted my breathing and asked, "What do you want to know?"Although I asked this, my mind raced. "He's been back for some time now and has said too much... You've got to tell me, what exactly do you want to know?""Louis and Rory had a secret between them. What was it?" Kenzie said, her voice dripping with malice."They…" I deliberately gasped loudly, buying myself some time. I knew Atlas would come to rescue me. My priority was to protect my children."They... two of them had a... sizable sum of money..." Since that money was already in our hands, I thought it would be futile even if they knew.Kenzie completely released her grip and then shoved my head forward abruptly. My body plunged forward, but quick reflexes saved me as I grabbed onto the front seat, steadying myself."What money? How much?" Kenzie seemed very interested."The amount is significant, but I don't know exactly." I played coy with her. After all, everyone was interested in money matters.Of course, Kenzi
The screech of brakes pierced the air, and a gray car halted right in front of me. Instinctively, I stepped back, unable to discern the make of the car before two individuals leaped out and swiftly pulled me into the vehicle. Simultaneously, a panicked cry sounded from behind me, "Chlo…"Before I could even assess the situation inside the car, it bolted forward."What do you want? Who are you people?" I struggled and shouted.Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind, gripping my neck tightly, and a chilling voice whispered, "Enough."With just those words, I instantly recognized the person. The voice was all too familiar.I steadied my nerves and spoke with feigned calmness, "Kenzie, you've got some nerve, attacking me in broad daylight. It seems like you're really desperate. What? Your plan failed, didn't it?"My neck was forcefully pulled backward. The sudden suffocation drove me to claw at the arm, choking me instinctively."Don't move! If you don't want to die so soon, beh
Atlas's face darkened as he uttered a curt "Hmm" and hung up the phone.Turning to Tristan, he said, "Escort Mrs. Chloe back to the office."He looked at me and softened his tone, "You go back to the office first, I'll come to pick you up later." Atlas expressed a hint of apology."Okay." I nodded.Tristan escorted me to my office and gave me some instructions before leaving.Then, my phone rang. It was a call from Trinity. I quickly answered, "Chlo, I'm about to head to the airport, I’m going to Yare. Do you have any messages for the old lady?"Her sudden question caught me off guard. I really didn't know what message to convey. After all, the old lady of the Avila family to me was just an impression from a photo."No. Let's talk after everything's settled. I'll arrange a time to visit her," I said lightly.Although the travel ban for me had been lifted with the situation becoming clearer, Yare was in turmoil, and I was pregnant. I didn't want to make any promises to the old l
Atticus carefully watched the agitated Mia as he sat in the wheelchair. He pulled out a document and held it out for the media to see."ATL Empire invested 10 billion in Echelon Group a month ago, intending to work together to build a new real estate development and construction field in Zydan. I regret to inform you that you’re no longer a significant shareholder in Echelon, Miss Mia."Even I was shocked by that investment certificate. I looked at Atlas, who seemed confident."To be more accurate, Echelon Group had already signed this agreement before I went to Celestis Island. The real largest shareholder of Echelon Group is ATL Empire. I’m just a partner."As you planned, the shares had long been diluted, but unfortunately, not by you, but by ATL Empire. But I still want to thank you for helping me remove the scum from Echelon Group and purifying Echelon’s ranks."Mia suddenly stood up and banged her fist on the table. She shouted, "Impossible! Atticus, are you playing me?""Y