Lauren tugged at my hand, I glanced at Carol, and then we left together. When we arrived at a fondue restaurant, Carol could not wait to ask Lauren how she found Melanie’s biological mother. Lauren smiled smugly and told us everything. She had tasked her friends with finding Abby and had been waiting for an opportunity to put her to use. It was clear why Matthew was so embarrassed.Lauren had searched for Abby for several months. About a month ago, she received word that Abby was in the suburbs. The older woman had been hopping from one place to another, marrying and causing trouble for her various husbands.However, Abby had never established herself properly.Lauren had brought her back to Foswood in time for Matthew’s party. She had wined and dined Abby for an entire evening, subtly influencing her. Hence, Abby could not wait to reunite with her ‘successful’ daughter.Carol and I burst into laughter as we listened to Lauren’s story. It was quite a spectacle, and the Murphys we
When I finished explaining my plan, Lauren slammed the table. “I knew you were a sly fox! Your plan is the way to go. We either stay still or make a big move. Let’s go with your plan.”After some thought, even Carol exclaimed, “Ms. Chloe, you blew my mind! I know what to do for your next steps.”We were elated as we celebrated our newfound determination.“I’ve had this idea for a while now,” I said as I looked at Lauren thoughtfully, “It’s just that the timing wasn’t right. I wanted to keep it to myself, but they kept pushing me. The Murphys thought I was an easy target, didn’t they?”Lauren dipped a mushroom into the fondue and added, “They don’t deserve forgiveness. Ivanna was right when she said you were too kind-hearted. Being that way brings more trouble, Chloe. It’s not about avoiding the Murphys. You must get rid of them if you want to live in peace.”Carol concurred, “Let them tremble at the mere thought of you.”I nodded, knowing Carol and Lauren were more ruthless than
"Hey, how many folks are here for the meal? Most are curious to see Matthew's son! Initially, it was all a setup by Liora. She knew what kind of situation Melanie was in when she gave birth!""So it was Liora?" I had thought it was Stella behind this."Keegan has officially become a shareholder in Ardora Construction and invested a whopping seven million dollars. He even brought in a major project! That's why Matthew's head is in the clouds right now!""That’s why Matthew mentioned he has two major projects on hand. Seems like it's true.”Johnson was a bit disgruntled as he grumbled, "Some people have all the luck, even the small-minded ones.""That's not necessarily true!" I retorted.I was secretly overjoyed because this was fantastic news. It would be ideal if Keegan was in charge of Matthew's projects.I wanted to make these three forces unbeatable. This was all thanks to Liora's trap today. She helped me make up my mind.Little did I know that plans were about to change, a
Grayson looked at me as if he had entertained a similar suspicion. Then, he asked, "So, who fell off the cliff? There were witnesses and physical evidence. Even Mr. Atlas saw it with his own eyes!""How could this be?" I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.It was more of a mutter to myself, but suddenly, a memory surged. It was something Atlas had said to me. I recalled him telling me, "Annalise means nothing to anyone, especially not to me!" In light of Grayson's words, Atlas's statement held a different meaning. It appeared that Atlas was keeping something from me. He had said he would reveal it once the clues connected. Coupled with Grayson's revelations, I was now thoroughly convinced that the information they had found didn't add up."What about Rory? Any leads on him?"This man held a certain allure for me. After all, he was Stella's father. Plus, I sensed a certain distance in Stella's attitude toward her parents. It wasn't just indifference but a kind of numbne
The news, to be honest, left me quite unsettled. I immediately sought out Atticus for more details.Atticus's tone was grave. "Yes, I just got this information and called you immediately. I hope you're mentally prepared. Be extra cautious with the projects at ATL Empire. If possible, it's best to disengage from them. This way, you can cut your losses in time." I quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road, listening intently to his call."Why would they want to replace Nick?" I found it hard to believe this news.After all, Nick had been with the Torado headquarters for so long, and his reputation was excellent. Moreover, he had been under Atlas's father's leadership. That was why he had put so much effort into supporting Atlas. Even when we first met, I mistook Atlas for his assistant.How could Celine dare to go after Nick? My heart raced, and I couldn't help but wonder if my actions had affected Nick. After all, Celine was a schemer and narrow-minded. If Nick had
The news from ATL Empire was indeed shocking. They not only replaced Nick, but several other key positions were shuffled as well.Just then, Celine suddenly made Atlas's condition public and even released a photo of him in a coma.Reality was harsher than I expected. As soon as I received the news, I called Nick. His demeanor remained calm and gentle, not avoiding the truth."Mr. Nick, I'm sorry. Is this my fault?" I sincerely apologize to Nick. I felt a heavy weight in my heart."It relates to your situation, but the outcome was inevitable. So, you need not blame yourself." Nick didn't sound reproachful, which made me feel even more guilty."Well... How is Atlas?""There's still no sign of him waking up, but one day he will," Nick stated firmly. "No one can replace his position.""Yes... Mr. Nick, if there's any news about him, please let me know.”"Of course."I sensed he didn't have much more to say, so I reluctantly hung up. Observing the garden through the window, my hear
When he entered my office, his demeanor was genuinely repulsive. It was as if he owned the place, inspecting every corner as if it were his home.The fault was mine. When I took over, I prioritized convenience over renovations. The office remained exactly as it was, untouched.After his inspection, he settled into the sofa, looking at me confidently. He said, "Chloe, you're quite sentimental. It’s obvious from this office. You've never had the heart to change the look. Do you feel like I'm still here?"I let out a cold hum and silently cursed in my heart. The villain thought he was the cream of the crop. Even the way he sat was so smug.I looked at him indifferently, unwilling to engage with his antics. "Alright, what brings you here?""Let's not beat around the bush. I've got too many projects on hand, and they keep pouring in. I can't let such a good opportunity slip away to someone else. That's why I'm here to talk to you. How about merging our companies?"He swayed his
I knew Matthew didn’t expect me to appear so calm while telling him to get lost. It must’ve been a great insult to him since he looked so embarrassed.“Chloe, I came to talk things out with you. You can make amends or face the consequences of defying me. You can choose if this is a friendly discussion or a warning.Suddenly, someone opened my office door. Ryan entered, asking, “Who’s speaking with such authority? Tell me, where are you planning to move to?”Matthew’s lips twitched when he saw Ryan. The former regained his arrogant composure and retaliated, “I didn’t expect to see my senior from college here.”Matthew knew Ryan well, especially when Matthew pursued me in school. Ryan had taken good care of me then. Therefore, Matthew had been wary of him until I accepted Matthew as my boyfriend.Ryan glanced at Matthew and said, “You just mentioned moving, right? Where to?”Ryan confidently sat at the main seat and looked Matthew in the eyes, saying, “The difference between a man
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