Despite feeling completely helpless, I tried to appear unconcerned. It was clear what Stella was trying to tell me. However, I couldn't let on how I felt. I realized she had been probing me ever since we first met.She seemed surprised by my indifference. "You don't seriously think this is normal, do you?"I sipped my coffee, but it tasted bitter. "I wasn’t born rich, so I don’t understand your world. Though I’m a businesswoman, I’d never force anyone against their will, especially not my family."Stella was somewhat taken aback."Does your mom need to force you into it? You can just marry if you love each other. After all, you’re not related." I stared at her, my words tauntingShe wanted to tell me that Atlas was hers and find out if there was anything between us. I wanted to know why they weren’t married if he loved her. I doubted she could answer me!"Let's change the subject. We're getting off track," Stella chuckled. “Do you know why I've been so interested in you from th
It seemed I had underestimated Stella, and she wasn't as innocent as I thought. Those from ATL Empire were never what they seemed. I once again realized the inexplicable force that had sucked me in.I pinched my thigh to wake myself up. My mom had picked up Ava from kindergarten, who ran over to me. "You're so early today, Mommy! Uncle Ryan bought me a new doll.""Uncle Ryan?" I was puzzled. Ryan came out of the kitchen wearing an apron. "I was at the bank earlier and bumped into your mom. So, I accompanied her to the kindergarten."My mom joined him from the kitchen and said, "He also took us to Parkside Plaza, and we went shopping at the supermarket."I could tell she liked Ryan from how happy she looked."I saw you leaving the office early. Why are you only back now?" Ryan asked. "Well, I was almost at the kindergarten, but Stella wanted to meet me," I said, tired. Ava showed me a new Barbie doll from the latest release. I had a soft spot for Barbies, too. When I was a
My heart pounded because I knew my dad wanted to discuss last night’s events. Sure enough, he looked at me and asked about Atlas, “I don’t want to meddle in your relationships, but you just got out of a failed marriage.“I don’t want to see you get hurt again. I’ve researched Atlas—his family background doesn’t quite match ours. I’m worried about how your relationship will turn out.”I choked on my food, knowing my dad wasn’t entirely convinced about Atlas. “Dad, I’m sorry for making you worry,” I swallowed my food and continued, “You don’t need to be overly concerned. I know what I’m doing and what I want.“Atlas and I are just friends. Even though he’s been good to me, I haven’t considered anything else. I want to work on my company first and worry about other things later. I’m just going with the flow.”I pushed around the food on my plate, unsure how to reassure my dad.“Mr. Atlas has been a great help to me. I can fully break free from Matthew and suppress that asshole when I
I raised an eyebrow and strolled over. Melanie stood there, arms akimbo.It had only been a few days since we last met, but her baby bump had grown noticeably. It protruded confidently, just like her. I thought it was an impressive sight, chuckling to myself. It seemed she come to deliver information to me on a silver platter.“Oh, Mrs. Melanie, you’re here! Don’t get so worked up. Be mindful of the little prince in your belly.”I said “prince” because the Murphys believed Melanie would have a boy.She turned to glare at me. When she saw me approaching, she fired back, “Hah! Don’t act all high and mighty with your sarcasm!”“That’s so rude of you, Melanie. You should consider prenatal care. Your words and actions aren’t good for the baby,” I taunted, pretending to be unconcerned, “You’re someone’s ‘wife’ now, so you should consider how you act in public. Your brother would be distressed if anything terrible happened to you.”The initially angry receptionists chuckled and looked a
I figured someone like Melanie wouldn’t understand the situation’s deeper layers. It would be pointless, even if I asked her.“All right, who told me doesn’t matter, Mrs. Melanie. That’s not something you would know anyway. If you want to keep something a secret, you shouldn’t tell anyone else about it. Leave and tell your brother I appreciate his efforts. He should focus on securing his alliances better.”I didn’t want to waste any more time and turned to leave. After some much-needed sleep, my mind felt sharper."Stop right there, Chloe! If you dare seduce Matthew again, you’ll get it from me!" she shouted at my back, unwilling to let it go."Don't worry! I have no interest in your crap!" I replied loudly, waving without looking back while walking into the elevator.Melanie was still cursing at me from a distance as the elevator doors closed.Meanwhile, I felt foolish and ashamed for even liking someone like Matthew. He was just a rat in the gutter who had some good days but no
Suddenly, the door swung open. Damian smiled widely and greeted the newcomers, “Mr. Matthew, Mr. Keegan! You’re finally here!”I couldn’t help but clench my fists. I didn’t expect Matthew to show up, too. I must’ve jinxed it when I said I hoped to never see him again after our divorce. On the contrary, his presence had haunted me since then.The two approached, and everyone exchanged greetings. Carol and I exchanged disdainful looks, and I kept my composure.“Ms. Chloe, let me introduce you to Mr. Keegan Thompson. He’s our CEO’s brother-in-law,” Damian tactfully introduced me to Keegan. He did it with such flattery as if that guy were some kind of VIP.I looked at the so-called VIP and noticed he was tall and skinny. Although he was in his thirties, his hairstyle was the most eye-catching thing about him. He had a pompadour gelled to keep its shape.He wore a royal blue suit with a white pocket square at the front. The suit might have looked good on someone else, but it was far fr
I ignored Matthew and looked at Keegan, saying, "Mr. Keegan, I appreciate your kindness. However, Tanum Corporation must be cautious when taking on projects, especially since we’re a small company. We can't just take on any projects out of our capabilities.”My words made Keegan laugh as he placed his arm on my shoulder. He lightly patted me and said, "Hahaha! This lady is simply adorable!"The others at the table joined in the laughter. Matthew wore an embarrassed expression and said, "My sweetheart has never been one to keep a low profile. Please don’t mind her.”His tone suggested I was being stubborn.Keegan's hand remained on my shoulder, and he continued, "A woman with character! Most women would be ecstatic in this situation. Instead, Ms. Chloe remains dignified! I love experienced people like her, especially women! Ms. Chloe, I feel I've made a friend today!"Carol looked uncomfortable as she patted my leg quietly, trying to comfort me. I faintly smiled at her and raised m
Everyone turned to me. Carol got up, took my glass, and held me gently to my seat. "Let me do it, Ms. Chloe."With a smile, she raised my glass. "Hey, everyone, I'm Carol, Ms. Chloe's assistant. Please let me propose a toast to all of you for everything you’ve done for Tanum Corporation! Cheers!"She downed the wine. Carol then refilled her glass and approached Keegan with a smile. "Mr. Matthew is right. We should toast to you, Mr. Keegan. It's an honor to meet you today.""However," she continued, "Ms. Chloe hasn't been feeling well. As you all know, she's been hospitalized multiple times, and her doctors advised against alcohol. So, allow me to propose a toast on her behalf."I was surprised at how well Carol had handled this. I was sure anyone could tell she implied that Matthew was being a jerk.Given his experience, Keegan must have realized that Carol was trying to help me.He gave me a longing look. Although he was upset, he knew better than to act rudely now. "You're luck
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