Inside was a stack of folded, slightly yellowed papers. Atlas took them out and spread them on the table. There were six pieces in all, and the patterns resembled satellite maps.We glanced at each other. Six! These were the mysterious exploration distribution maps.In addition to the six maps, there were five deposit vouchers with large amounts. Seeing the string of numbers on each one, I almost couldn't believe my eyes. I was so stunned that I nearly let out a silent gasp.Louis already had so much wealth 20 years ago. It was simply unbelievable. Moreover, my father had never mentioned this money to us!I looked at Atlas and asked softly, "Did my father mention this money to you?"Atlas nodded. "He did. He said that my father had already prepared the funds for the implementation. But he didn't know how my father dealt with it.""Oh! So that's how it is!" I nodded."He was worried about being taken advantage of by Celine and has always been very worried. After picking him up, I
The following day.I couldn't sleep well because Atlas hadn't returned to the room all night, so I got up and went to Ava's room.She had already gotten up and finished washing.The moment she suddenly saw me, she exclaimed and rushed over, startling my mother so much that her face turned pale. She quickly pulled Ava into her arms. "My little darling, you must be careful not to bump into mommy's belly! Mommy can't hold you now, you know?"She blinked her big eyes and looked at my belly in confusion, appearing a bit aggrieved.I quickly squatted down and hugged her. I explained, "Just be careful. The little brother inside is still tiny!""Oh! How small is he?" She asked incredulously.I was speechless. How should I answer that question?Fortunately, she asked eagerly again, "Mommy, did Daddy say our home is coming back?""Yes! It's coming back!" I said it proudly. "Your daddy is very powerful!""Really? When will you take me back?" Ava exclaimed excitedly."It's being renov
When Lauren and I heard her words, we both laughed. "Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"Ivanna looked at me indifferently and said, "Don't you know from experience? And you say I'm exaggerating?""To be honest, I completely forgot about it while I was carrying Ava. After all, it's been five years. I find that I have some selective amnesia!" I said as we walked back to the living room.Ivanna sneered, "You're forgetting the pain once the wound heals! Can you really forget about this?""But it's not possible to remember all the details!" I argued, then pulled them to sit down.Lauren considerately opened her bag and said, "Come on! Let's eat and chat! Oliver bought the fruits at the farmers market. They've all been washed!""Farmers market?" I was a little surprised. I didn't expect the dignified tycoon to go to there. I teased Lauren, "It seems your tycoon also has a lively side!""Yeah! He goes there to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Nowadays, he's very keen on cooking!" Lauren sa
Lauren pushed Ivanna jokingly, "Are you jealous too?"Ivanna tossed the orange peel she held into the trash can with a 'smack,' then patted her belly and said, "How can I not be jealous? Same procedure, same effort, same work, yet how come she can have two, and we can only have one? Something's not right with the force here."Her expression was hilarious, causing Lauren and me to burst into laughter.After a while, Lauren said to Ivanna while covering her belly, "Oh my goodness, why are you so unrestrained? Pay attention to your prenatal education!""Prenatal education? When my son is born, I'll have to educate him well. He is a self-centered guy who is unwilling to come together and share a little. “Shouldn't he pick up another sibling on the way? He won't be lonely, and I'll suffer less. Otherwise, I have to endure another nine months of pregnancy if I am planning another sibling for him."Ivanna spoke confidently, but we laughed so hard that Lauren and I were practically out
She remained silent and thought for a while before looking up at me and asking, "So, are you returning to family life? Or are you going full-time again?"I immediately replied, "No. I'm interested in the Old Bourdamun resort development project. I have some ideas.""A branded resort?" Lauren asked."That’s right! And it's not just this one. I'll leverage the momentum to continue expanding downward and establish the first chain base for tourism, leisure, food, culture, and more, if possible. Whenever someone thinks about going on vacation, they’ll think of us!" I got excited just talking about this idea."You're on fire! You’re ambitious, huh?" Ivanna looked at me, picked up a golden starfruit, and took a bite. "I might as well invest in it too!""No problem! Aren’t you going to do your show anymore?" I asked, looking at Ivanna."It won't interfere with this. I have experience in this area, and resorts need publicity too. I have the resources. If we want to drum up some publicity,
As soon as the words left my mouth, Trinity responded quickly without any hesitation."Okay!"She responded promptly, but I felt like slapping myself."Um..." I was about to say something, but Trinity had already hung up.I looked anxiously at Ivanna. Lauren also seemed at a loss. The two of us looked at Ivanna uneasily.Ivanna remained calm and said, "Why are you two looking at me?""Um... That was Trinity." I swallowed, feeling a bit embarrassed."So what?" Ivanna raised an eyebrow at me."She said she's coming over right away," Lauren explained. "Chloe didn't react in time and invited her out of habit.""That’s pregnancy brain for you!" I slapped my forehead."Let her come! I'm not afraid of seeing anyone. Foswood isn't that big anyway. We're bound to run into each other," Ivanna said indifferently. "I haven't done anything to her. She should be the one apologizing for what she did to me."The two of us stared at Ivanna in disbelief. We were surprised at how calm she was.
Even though I was mentally prepared, I was still a little stunned.Trinity also hesitated momentarily when she saw who was in the private room, but quickly regained her composure.She casually said, "Looks like everyone's here."Although she said it lightly, the three of us were somewhat surprised by her words. We hadn't expected her to speak so casually, especially after seeing Ivanna.Her meaning was clear: the three of us being together seemed normal to her.I felt relieved and quickly explained, "It's lunchtime, so we decided to come here."Ivanna calmly watched Trinity walk in and sit down without hesitation."Yeah. Jared said you guys were back," Trinity said casually.Her words made Ivanna look directly at her. Ivanna was hesitant to speak.I knew Trinity wasn't telling the truth, so Ivanna's reaction wasn't surprising.Earlier this morning, Ivanna had mentioned that Jared was still asleep, so he had no idea we were back.Atlas and I had decided to come back on a whim
Trinity raised an eyebrow and smiled. "It seems like you care a lot about this.""Yes, I've always been resentful. After all, I don't think I did anything wrong, but you mistreated me. Things were left unresolved after that. Didn't you feel like something was missing?" Ivanna stared at Trinity. Her attitude was firm, and her tone was neither humble nor arrogant.Trinity remained calm and looked at Ivanna's delicate face.The two of them were complete opposites.Ivanna wasn’t wearing any makeup due to her pregnancy. But her delicate face was firm, appearing serene and radiant.Although Trinity had light makeup on, she still exuded a fierce and wild aura, which made her seem like she could explode at any moment.This was one of the reasons why Jared liked Ivanna."What if our positions were switched, Ms. Trinity?" Ivanna continued, "How would you feel if you were treated like this?""For me, that 'what if' doesn’t exist! It's not even possible!" Trinity said assertively.Ivanna
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