Ava shouted, "Mommy, no phone calls at the dining table. Grandma says we aren't supposed to talk so much while eating."I giggled and quickly put down my phone. I kissed her and said, "You're right. Let's eat."Atlas's call had put my mind at ease. I was sure he had a plan in place. The next day, Grayson walked into my office holding a large bag. "Ms. Chloe, your gown."I didn’t think Atlas was being serious. Grayson placed the bag on the coffee table and left. Curious, I hurried over to inspect its contents. I pulled out a box and inside was a stunning white gown with exquisite jewels.It was the kind of dress that reminded me of something Snow White might wear. I was eager to put it on immediately. Matthew had never bought me any nice clothing, let alone a gown. I had never attended important events before and was unaware of the dress code.I called Ivanna to tell her about the party. She agreed to pick up Ava and even arranged for a makeup artist for me. Ivanna was a great
However, before we reached Atticus, I spotted Maddox talking to an older man. I squeezed Ryan's arm and said, "That man is Maddox O'Connell. Let me say hi to him first."I went over to him with a smile, and he recognized me immediately. "Good evening, Ms. Chloe.""It’s a pleasure to see you again, sir." I maintained a respectful demeanor. "I haven't had the chance to thank you for what you did that evening."Calling him “sir” instead of Mr. Maddox was a deliberate move on my part."Don't mention it," he replied. "Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Mercer Cole."Only then did I realize the person he was speaking to was Atticus's father."Nice to meet you, sir. I'm Chloe from Tanum Corporation.”Mercer gave Maddox a puzzled look, surprised that he’d introduce someone like me to him. However, he soon laughed. "Oh, Tanum Corporation? You're that young lady who founded it, huh?"I smiled. "I'm surprised that you’ve heard of us. We’re nobodies here."Mercer seemed to be in his 60s, bu
Liora glanced at me smilingly. "It's a pleasure! I finally have the honor of meeting you, Ms. Chloe. I heard you’re virtuous and exemplary. I have a lot to learn from you.”Although she sounded polite, her words had an underlying awkwardness. I was puzzled but knew she was far from friendly.“You’re too kind, Mrs. Liora. I’ll have to rely on your support in the future,” I replied cautiously. I didn’t need to offend her since it was her family’s event. It was wise to keep a low profile.Liora sneered, “Ms. Chloe, you’re being too modest. Who am I to support you? You’re a model for all of us. Please feel at ease here. Everyone is upright and respectable. You don’t have to worry about anyone harassing you.”Immediately after, she turned and left arrogantly.I blushed when I noticed people looking at me. It was apparent Liora referred to the other night’s incident. Several of her female friends glanced sidelong at me before following her.At some point, Lauren appeared beside me, say
Seeing Stella and Liora standing side by side gave me a bad feeling. Meanwhile, the two men beside them chatted and laughed like close friends instead of rivals.Just then, Stella smiled and raised her glass toward me. Loira also looked toward me, but she looked proud yet indifferent.I scoffed and whispered to Lauren, “Thank goodness this is her family’s event. Otherwise, things would have gotten ugly. You were right when you said she holds grudges.”Lauren sighed, “That’s because it was hard for the Thompsons to get involved in the Coles’ business. They’ve been planning this for years. Although Atticus was cautious, Loira had some tricks up her sleeve. Then, Keegan eventually entered the company.“However, Atticus finally removed Keegan thanks to your actions. It wouldn’t be right if Loira weren’t mad at you.”“I guess I can buy a lottery ticket just using my instincts,” I joked, then chuckled self-deprecatingly."You're laughing about it?" Lauren rolled her eyes at me. "You sh
My heart sank, wondering if Matthew was bluffing. He was so despicable that it frustrated me further. Just then, Stella approached with an eager smile and said, “Chloe! I finally get to talk to you. What are you doing here?”She glanced at Matthew and then at the drink he had handed me. She looked embarrassed and said, "Did I interrupt you two?"When Matthew stepped forward, someone bumped into him and apologized. However, Matthew didn’t mind and focused on me. He grinned, saying, “It’s nothing. We were just discussing something that concerned you, Ms. Stella.”The man who had accidentally bumped into Matthew passed by again and patted him on the back, saying, "Sorry!"Matthew was annoyed and glared at the man before returning his attention to Stella."Me?" Stella looked surprised and asked, "What does this have to do with me?""Matthew, what are you trying to say?" I asked coldly, feeling uneasy. I knew he was up to something."You should ask Chlo. Right, honey?" Matthew's smug
I felt exposed and couldn’t understand why Matthew acted so boldly. He wouldn’t be this relentless if he didn’t have leverage. I knew him well and had experienced his deceit.Nonetheless, I was even more shocked that Atlas seemed to care little about my dignity. I looked at him disapprovingly and uttered one word, “Shameless!”I directed it toward Atlas and Matthew. Immediately after, I turned away to escape the chaos."Stop right there! Don't you want to see it too?" Matthew continued to taunt me. He smirked and continued, "It won’t be entertaining if you leave."Stella took my arm to seemingly diffuse the situation. She smiled and said, "Chloe, this is all my fault. I didn’t know you two were talking and disrupted your conversation."I glanced at her hand gripping my arm and knew she didn’t want me to leave. She didn’t want to resolve the situation—instead, she wanted to worsen it.Loira emerged from the crowd to look at us with curiosity and annoyance. She glanced at Stella, t
I faltered when I realized what had happened. Still, I sighed and left Echelon Towers.Since I came here in Ryan’s car and didn’t want Atticus’s man to take me home, I took a cab. I told Ryan to stay behind because many high-profile figures from the real estate industry were there.I knew the event wasn’t just a congratulatory gathering. It was also an opportunity for Ryan to network with these people. Furthermore, these people were well-connected. As for Lauren, she was excellent at gathering information.I had sensed something was amiss with Stella tonight. Also, Atlas wasn’t just there to celebrate his competitor’s success.Meanwhile, I became the plot twist in this drama. I overestimated Matthew because he was nowhere near as intelligent as Atlas and Atticus. Matthew was a child compared to them.I felt a chill in my heart as I entered the cab. My mind seemed distracted, unable to keep up with the mess. As the cab drove into Ember Lane, it suddenly stopped. The driver cursed,
His clothes were off, and he pressed himself against me. I fought back by biting and kicking as hard as possible and screaming for help. Matthew looked like a crazed panther as he let out a chilling laugh. "You were never like this before. Weren't you the one who loved me the most? Today, I'll make sure you enjoy it! Haha!""Let go of me, Matthew!" I was in despair. Nausea overwhelmed me again. I’d rather die than have him touch me.When he hit me again, the world started to spin."You don't know what's good for you. I’ll love you like I used to. Chlo, I don't want it to be like this either. I don't want to hurt you. After being apart for so long, I've missed you terribly. I want to be with you!"Crash! With a booming sound, the door burst open from outside. I yelled, "Help me! Let go of me!"The instinct to survive made me fight even harder. Suddenly, I felt lighter. I heard a muffled sound followed by a furious roar. "How dare you touch her?!”It was Atlas's voice. I quic
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