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
I stopped in my tracks and turned toward the table.Matthew charged over angrily. "Get back here, Chloe! Who the fuck do you think you are? You used to drink all the time, didn’t you? You should be grateful Mr. Keegan wants to have a drink with you."I trembled with anger, and Carol stood before me protectively. "Stay away from Ms. Chloe.""Fuck off! Who do you think you are?" Matthew shoved Carol aside, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the floor. He grabbed my wrist. "Don't push it."I struggled and yelled, "Let me go!"Damian rushed over. "Take it easy, Ms. Chloe. We're just having some fun, aren't we?"I snapped, "Fun? I'm not going to degrade myself for a contract.""Come on!" The man from the Building Department sneered coldly. "Do you have to put it that way? You're a divorcee. You should know what men want."I glared at him. "What the fuck did you say?"Keegan slammed the table angrily. "What the hell is this, Matthew? What kind of man do you take me for? I d
I was still upset as I drove home after dropping Carol off. Matthew had crossed so many lines that I vowed to take my revenge one day.Also, who was that mysterious Mr. Maddox, and how did he know my name? Why did he save me at that exact moment? There could only be one explanation—someone had asked him to do it. My thoughts immediately turned to Atlas. I made a U-turn and hurried back to The Cerulean. I parked my car in an inconspicuous spot, killed the engine, and watched the entrance.About half an hour later, I saw Atlas come out. However, to my surprise, Stella was on his arm. There was also a tall, middle-aged woman with them. She was impeccably dressed and exuded an air of arrogance.I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. She had to be Atlas's aunt, the former CEO of ATL Empire. That meant Stella didn't lie to me, and her mother did indeed come to Foswood. That's why she told me that Atlas was hers.Then what was I to him?Stella had claimed that everyone in their fam
I was momentarily taken aback before saying, "Please send him in."If my guess was correct, this visit was related to what happened last night. I settled behind my desk and went about my work.The door was soon opened again. I looked up and saw Carol lead Atticus into my office. It was the first time I met him. Dressed in a well-fitted suit, he was tall and looked in his late 30s. While his face wasn't remarkable, his shrewd eyes gave him an air of wisdom and sophistication. Perhaps due to my association with Atlas, I neither liked nor disliked him. After all, I had first heard of Echelon Group as ATL Empire's competitor, and the behavior of his employees last night disgusted me. Carol quickly introduced me to him, and I shook his firm hand. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Chloe," Atticus said politely.I greeted him courteously as well. "Please have a seat."He didn't beat around the bush. "I've come to apologize for what happened last night." After a pause, I said, "It's water u