I immediately shook my head. Forget it. I shouldn’t be too ruthless. Matthew’s cruelty didn’t mean I had to retaliate in kind.We had once been a married couple, and even though we had divorced, bitterness was unnecessary. Let the bridges burn. There was no need for a fight to the death.I found myself deep in contemplation. My mindset became more balanced with Ryan’s help at the company, and the previous resentment gradually faded away. Instead of fighting with Matthew, developing my business seemed more worthwhile. He might have bitten me, but I didn’t need to bite back. After all, he was still Ava’s dad.He hadn’t gained much from me, so stepping back would be better. However, I didn’t expect Matthew to back me into a corner.Over the next few days, one problem after another came up. Just as we were about to start our project, he left me with no option. What was the point of the project without these supplies? He was pushing me to the edge.Since Ryan took over Tanum Corporat
I was surprised Stella invited Atlas to join us.“He might be late since he went to Operose. He’s on his way back now, so we don’t have to wait for him to start eating,” she casually explained, “I impulsively decided to invite him. Atlas called me and asked what I wanted to eat, but I told him about our meal. You don’t mind, do you?”I replied, "Of course not!"Although I said that, I felt uneasy. I felt I wasn’t telling Stella the truth when I said I didn’t mind. Still, I couldn’t tell this sincere and harmless girl that.“That’s good,” she said, handing me the menu, “I ordered a few dishes since it’s our first meal together. I don’t know what you like, so please choose.”Her warmth made her more approachable. It differed from our first encounter when she seemed more indifferent and arrogant. I remembered how she glanced at the other diners the other day. Her expression was a significant contrast from her current one. She seemed like two different people.I chose dishes from the
I glared at Melanie through the mirror and said, “You’re like a ghost that haunts me. What are you trying to pull now?”“Hahaha! You’re so shameless, Chloe. He already has someone special in his heart, and you’re tagging along to their dinner? Did you forget you’re a divorced woman? Do you think you’re worthy of a wealthy man?”“That’s not for you to decide. I advise you to be kind for your unborn child’s sake,” I retorted while taking a paper towel to wipe my hands.As I turned to leave, Melanie realized I wouldn’t entertain her. She stood in my way, saying, “I’ll see how long you can keep this up, bitch. Sooner or later, you’ll be crying your eyes out.”When she said those words, Stella entered the restroom. She saw my and Melanie’s confrontation and stood beside me. Stella grabbed my arm and asked, “Ms. Chloe, what’s happening?”Her eyes darted between me and Melanie.Melanie gave Stella a once-over and then smirked. “Hey, gorgeous. You should be wary of the women around you.
I slumped onto the couch when I got home. I was exhausted as I gazed at the ceiling, thinking I was wrong to assume everything would go smoothly after divorcing Matthew. Despite my efforts to move forward, I felt trapped.I didn’t know what Matthew and his “allies” aimed for. Beside them, it seemed an unseen force was pushing me to move. I doubted whether my previous decisions were correct.It was good for the company to have projects, but I also felt tied down. I couldn’t turn back, even if it meant facing tremendous challenges.My mom must’ve heard me and realized I hadn’t returned to my room, so she quietly came downstairs. Her heart ached when she saw me looking so tired. She sat beside me, saying, “You look exhausted.”I smiled bitterly and nodded. "Yeah. Mom, why do we have to grow up?" I asked softly.My mom stroked my hair gently. "It’s a long journey, and you must learn to stop and smell the roses.”“Tanum is my dream and the result of my hard work. Although it’s undergo
I could only hear Atlas’s breath on the other end. Finally, he said, “You’ve been causing trouble for me for a long time now. What should we do about it?”I tensed up and tightened my grip on the phone. Atlas’s words caught me off guard, and I asked, “W-What do you mean?”"You should give yourself to me," he said playfully.I found him ridiculous. We were discussing something serious, yet he started joking with me.“Y-You’re…” I wanted to refute but switched to a more severe matter instead, “Did my contract affect your career? If that’s the case, I’d rather not take it.”"It's too late," he said, "So, you only have one option, and that is not to disappoint everyone's expectations."My body trembled as I gulped. After a while, Atlas whispered, "Are you asleep? Do you want to see me?"My mind went blank, and a longing surged within me. However, I restrained my impulses and changed the subject, “You’re going on a business trip tomorrow, and it’s too late now…”I couldn’t continue.
On the way to the office, I went through all of Tanum Corporation’s employees in my mind. I didn’t believe I had made a mistake keeping a traitor in the company. After all, those who stayed had a history with me.I wondered who among them would conspire with Matthew. Indeed, he was cunning as he played this endless game with me.When I reached my office, I called Atlas. I wanted to confirm Johnson’s information, but Atlas had already turned off his phone. It seemed he was already on the plane. It was just as Johnson said. Those suppliers were causing a commotion.Meanwhile, I stayed behind to manage the company while Ryan negotiated with those suppliers. It gave us an advantage since Matthew was observing me, not Ryan.Ryan left with the information I had provided, and only I knew his whereabouts. Not even Carol knew.There were unfinished projects when I took over Tanum Corporation besides the ones Matthew moved. These suppliers caused a commotion about those projects, demanding
"That’s fine! Let’s plan something once you’re back," I said.As I was about to end the call, she asked, “Ms. Chloe, haven’t you heard? ATL Empire is about to change ownership.”“What?” I asked, my heart racing. “Change ownership?”Stella chuckled and said, “Let’s discuss it later when I’m back. It won’t be long now! Goodbye!”She hung up, leaving me puzzled.What did she mean by that? Change of ownership? It was a serious matter. A conglomerate the size of ATL Empire, and they were changing ownership so quickly?My knowledge of ATL Empire was clearly limited. It suddenly made sense why Atlas had rushed off and told me to wait for his return before handling things.Then, I realized the meaning behind Stella’s question. She must have thought the call was an attempt to pry information from her.Just as I was about to call Ivanna, Lauren Burton called. It was a name I had nearly forgotten.I answered the call. “Hello, Ms. Burton!”“Do you have a moment? I need to talk to you a
I looked at Lauren, trying to gauge her thoughts. She had no doubt about the accuracy of this information."We might not be able to touch Echelon Group, but Matthew is another story." Lauren smirked. “Your divorce is driving him crazy. Can he bear to watch you gracefully move on? If he gains power, the first person he'll crush is you!""You're absolutely right. He's already causing chaos with suppliers, leaving me no peace," I sighed."So, are you just going to let him get away with it? Is there still hope for Tanum Corporation?" Lauren looked at me intently. "Whether or not you consider me your friend, when it comes to Matthew, I'm on your side."I lightly patted her hand. "Thank you!"However, revealing my background and details of Tanum Corporation wasn't appropriate, so I only said, "I won't let Tanum Corporation crumble under my watch!" Then I asked, "What's going on with the ATL Empire? Why all the upheaval?" She was as savvy as any businessman and had a keen understandi