This was the most joyous dinner ever since I moved here. My parents hadn’t laughed so heartily in a long time.My dad even drank a can of beer. I was worried, but he insisted it was okay. After dinner, Ryan stayed with us for quite a while before he got up to bid farewell. I offered to give him a ride home, as the apartment unit he rented wasn’t too far from my place. As we walked to my car, Ryan asked, “Would you like to take a walk? I’m too full, and you can tell me what Josh did.”I said yes, and we walked out of Amethyst Apartments. I brought him up to speed. Since I brought Ryan into the company, I considered him my partner, so I didn’t want to hide things from him. My phone started ringing in my pocket, and I took it out to see who the caller was. It was Atlas.I rejected the call, continued our walk, and talked about the company. That was what we had in common.The phone rang again and Ryan looked at me. “Why don’t you answer it?”I smiled and did so. Atlas’s voice ra
Atlas brought me to the resort again, but he strode away alone after getting out of the car. I mumbled, “He was stalking me, yet he acts like I’m wrong?”The driver exited the car and whispered, “Ms. Chloe.”I stopped and looked at him. He glanced at Atlas, who had walked out of earshot, and said, “Mr. Atlas had a busy week, and he rushed back from Operose just to meet you. He hasn’t even had dinner—"“Hurry up!” Atlas’s voice startled me.The driver quickly shut up, wanting to say more but couldn’t. Meanwhile, I realized why Atlas was upset and felt terrible. Then, I nodded at the driver and chased after Atlas, softening my attitude.After entering the room, Atlas walked toward a sofa and removed his jacket. Immediately after, he stopped to look at me, and I collided with him. He pulled me along and then pinned me to the sofa.He kissed me passionately, and I couldn’t breathe. I felt a trace of anger in his kisses. After a long while, he stopped and stared at me, asking, “Did yo
I saw a sparkle in Atlas’s eyes when he saw the food I made. He took the knife and fork from me to start eating. He ate a lot this time, and I could tell he was starving. I stayed beside him and looked at him with my chin in my hand.We locked eyes when he looked at me, asking, “Haven’t you seen enough of me? You have a talent for cooking, that’s for sure.”I smiled. “Thanks!”I got up to clean the dishes, but he stopped me and held my hand. “Let’s go for a walk. I can’t let that man beat me.”I chuckled. “Get over it, okay? It was not that I had sex with him.”“You did think about it, didn’t you?”I laughed, and he kissed me hard. “You’re mine, okay?” “Hey!” I pulled away and palmed my lip when he bit it.“That should teach you a lesson.” He removed my hand and kissed me again. “Does it still hurt?”I pouted. “Of course!”After showering, he put on silk pajamas that looked great on him. They matched a long nightgown he had prepared for me, and I noticed they were a couple’s
Atlas’s words deepened my helplessness, and I became uneasy. I looked down and realized I didn’t just like him a bit. Instead, it seemed I had fallen into his trap. I was puzzled about why he always knew my thoughts, but I knew nothing about him.Furthermore, I couldn’t determine what Atlas meant when he said he liked me. After all, I wasn’t good enough for him regarding my background, status, looks, and age. I should be older than him and was a divorced woman with a four-year-old kid.A man like Atlas could easily find a better woman, yet I always thought of him despite myself. I didn’t know what to do but knew I should stop seeing him. Otherwise, I’d end up heartbroken.“That was why you refused to answer my call. You were trying to avoid me,” Atlas’s tone and gaze lost their warmth.I couldn’t help but step backward and look at him. “You’re right. I wanted to stop seeing you and still do because I’m not good enough for you. Perhaps I’ve been overthinking, but guys like you can g
After a long while, Atlas stopped kissing me and whispered, “Don’t I want to hear your bullshit excuses again, got it?”I looked at him in a daze as he wiped my tears. Then he wrapped his fingers around mine and led me deeper into the courtyard.We arrived at an elevator, and he pulled me inside. As we reached the top, I realized it was an observation deck with a magnificent view. A bottle of red wine was already there for us. He poured me a glass and said, “Drink it. It’s good for you.”Still in a daze, I looked at him and downed the wine. I felt much calmer after taking a deep breath. He pulled me to the railing, and we looked at the bright moon. Then, he embraced me from behind, saying, “Get rid of all your negative thoughts.”After a pause, he continued, “When I saved you at the riverside, I told myself I’d look after you forever. I don’t care about the past, only the future. I mean it.”I leaned into him and stared at the moon that seemed so close I could touch it. I stayed a
Carol awaited my decision. After some thought, I looked at her and said, “Since he’s already here, let’s meet him.”Carol smiled. “He might be up to no good, you know.”“It’s up to us to decide whether to work with them, right?” I said dismissively, “Let’s see what he says.”“All right, but please be careful." Carol left, and I watched her go with a raised brow, feeling fond of her. A while later, she led Damian into my office.The chubby man appeared to be in his late thirties. He smiled and shook my hand to greet me, “Nice to meet you, Ms. Chloe.”“Nice to meet you too, Mr. Damian. Have a seat.” I gestured toward the chair before my desk instead of the sofa.“Thanks!” He sat on the chair. “I heard so much about you. People keep telling me how well your company is doing.”I chuckled. “I’m sure every contractor in Foswood has heard of how I almost ran the company to the ground. I’m afraid you’re misinformed, Mr. Damian.”Damian blushed and smiled embarrassedly. “You’re being mo
I studied his expression after telling him I would set a higher price.He pondered before saying, “That’s not a problem, Ms. Chloe. I’m sure you’re aware of Echelon Group’s reputation. We’re well known for quality work and always pay on time.”I was frank and said, “One more thing. As everyone knows, Tanum Corporation is undergoing restructuring because of the divorce.” I let my words sink in. “So... I’m careful in choosing our projects. I may require my clients to pay a 30 percent deposit.”All right, I knew I was pushing it when his face stiffened. Still, he asked for my help, and those were my terms.He hesitated and said, “Well, how about we compromise a little?”“Why don’t you provide us with the blueprints, and we can quote a price based on them? We can discuss more details later. What do you think, Mr. Damian?”“Sure, I’ll send you the blueprints later, and then we’ll talk.”“I’ll wait for the drawings, then.” I walked around my desk to see him off, and he shook my hand w
After we made our decision, I talked to Ryan about the suppliers Benjamin had been working hard to keep.I invited Benjamin to join us in the discussion to lay out a more flexible strategy. Of course, we could only make arrangements after confirming the project with Echelon Group.That evening, Benjamin and Carol led all our employees to Gourmet Utopia, where they had reserved the largest private room available. It was fancier than my previous employee dinners, and all the staff were excited.Gourmet Utopia was known for hosting parties and banquets, so most of its customers came in groups. On my way there, I received a phone call from Atlas. He asked me where the dinner was, and I told him.“Hmm…” He reminded me, “No drinking, okay?”“Why do you care? I’m having a good time with my employees tonight.”I was happy that he sounded jealous.He asked, “Well, you’re mine, right?” I giggled and could picture him smiling on the other end. “Alright, I have to go. Don’t stay up too