Our preparations were in full swing, and the online chatter about my upcoming press conference had reached a boiling point.Online activists were rallying fans who were skeptical of the truth to demand answers during the press conference. What I thought would be a simple press event turned into a major commotion.After a full day of meetings, I was utterly drained.Ivanna noticed my exhaustion and cautiously suggested, "Chlo, I should take you home. You need to rest and clear your mind. Tomorrow's press conference, though well-organized, may still present unforeseen challenges. You don't look well."Lauren kept signaling her with her eyes, urging her to stop.I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. "I'm fine. I'll get some rest after the press conference."Deep down, I knew that finding relaxation wouldn't be easy. Plus, it takes a hundred days for a tendon injury to heal, and my foot injury affected a tendon. I couldn't dare put weight on it. Where could I even go?Clearing
I knew it was too late to say anything. Judging from the situation that night, Ivanna was already in too deep. That man had already captured her heart.Ivanna let out a heavy sigh. "You've been through it, so you should know that matters of the heart are something no one can truly explain. When you love, you love. There's no such thing as should or shouldn't."Ivanna was trying to rationalize with herself, and she wasn't wrong. It was just like Lauren and Oliver, or me and Atlas. We gave in despite knowing it was pointless because of that heart-pounding sensation."Why did you fall for this trap after not seeing each other for so long?” Lauren was frustrated and asked, "Do you realize how painful this kind of self-destructive love is? Can't at least one of us find some happiness?"Lauren's tone conveyed helplessness. Unlike Lauren, who had hope, my relationship with Atlas was like a fleeting star."You seemed to have a clear head and many promising opportunities ahead. I thought A
Lauren and I both understood that this wasn't something you could just end with a clean break.Ivanna kept her head down. "Atlas is, after all, a legitimate businessman," Lauren sighed. “But Jared, he's unpredictable, Ivanna. I'm not trying to scare you!"Unexpectedly, Ivanna raised her head with a slight smirk. Defiantly, she said, "I knew it from the first day I met him.""Chloe, did you see that? It's over... She's done for and beyond saving!" Lauren’s words became somewhat disjointed. "Chlo's troubles haven't been resolved, and you stir up more!""What do you mean I'm stirring things up?" Ivanna replied. "This is fate!""Oh, come on! Fate?" Lauren scoffed. "Ivanna, if you end up in his wife's crosshairs, you'll know what fate means."I had some doubts as I looked at Lauren. "Aren't you being a bit too dramatic?""Haha..." Lauren heard my words and nearly broke down. "Trinity is a demon. Please be careful, Ivanna, because Trinity has done many things. Even Jared can't handl
I turned and shuffled back into the room. I sat on the bed while still looking toward the window. I even strained my ears, trying to hear the faint sounds outside. Disappointingly, the car stopped.On the press conference day, Ryan arrived early to pick me up. He sensed my nerves and reassured me, “Everything is in place. Don’t worry.”My parents wanted to accompany me, but Ryan and I insisted they stay home. Still, I couldn't shake my unease. For some reason, I felt things would not go smoothly.Since the press conference would occur in Galar Tower’s lobby, we made necessary arrangements with the building’s management. We even chose a time that did not clash with other people’s work.Upon arriving, I realized our mistake. Galar Tower was crowded, making it impossible to get in. Even the entrance to the underground parking lot was full of cars. I couldn’t enter the building, nor could the employees from other companies.I watched the chaos unfold as I sat in Ryan’s car, shocked. T
I desperately clung to the driver's seat, trying to prevent myself from falling. A suffocating sense of despair overwhelmed me at that moment.As the car was about to flip over, it jerked back into position with a thud. The impact made my injured foot hit something, giving me a piercing pain. My vision darkened, and my ears rang as I hugged my legs.I didn’t know what would happen next. I could only think about not dying in the car. Suddenly, I heard someone shouting, "Chloe?! Stop it, all of you! Chlo!"I knew it was Ryan's voice. Despairingly, I yelled, "Leave me! Go!"I sensed two groups fighting, constantly tugging the car but no longer causing it to tip over. I curled into a ball to protect my legs and prayed for the disaster to end.Heavy objects crashed into the car, causing me to tremble. A long while later, someone called my name and knocked on the car window. “Chloe, it’s okay! Open the door!”I recognized Ryan's voice and nervously obeyed. He climbed into the car, and
The press conference was remarkable. I was only supposed to clarify what had happened at the banquet, but it resembled a public trial after the authorities took over. It revealed underlying truths.Surprisingly, ATL Empire dispatched its PR team to provide a detailed account of the incident. They presented compelling audio-visual evidence that reconstructed the events during the banquet.The surveillance footage showed the waiter luring me and Harmony to the rooftop. The footage showed everything that had happened, including the set’s collapse and my attempt to save Harmony.I was even more surprised when ATL Empire presented signs of tampering on the set. ATL Empire vowed to cooperate with the investigation and not tolerate anyone tarnishing the company's image.I knew ATL Empire's response was a double-edged sword. After all, they were the hosts of the banquet. Their cooperation and stance showed sincerity, which preserved their image. I couldn't help but admire ATL Empire’s adep
Stunned, I stared at the door. I didn't know if what had happened was a dream or reality.Just then, Lauren entered with a bag of items. "You must be hungry, so I bought you food. You should have some now. You've slept for so long."I asked her groggily, "Did someone visit just now?"She looked at me, puzzled. "No one came. You were sleeping so soundly, so I went to get you food."I closed my eyes to calm myself. It seemed I was disoriented. Those who visited had already gone home, so I wondered who else it could be. I chuckled and struggled to sit up. Then, I accepted the towel Lauren handed me and wiped my hands.I said, "I slept for so long that I still feel tired."Lauren set the food by the hospital bed and said, "That riot scared me. The car was about to overturn, but the bodyguards and the cops arrived. It would’ve been disastrous if they arrived even a second later.""You saw it too?" I asked, still shaken."The whole nation saw it." She glanced at me. "The live coverag
I didn’t interrupt Lauren and refused to believe Atlas was behind everything.After dinner, I slept through the night. I woke up the following morning, still wondering who had visited me last evening. Later, Grayson visited and told me Atticus had sent those bodyguards, which relieved me.I would choose Atticus if I had to choose between him and ATL Empire. The favor I owed to Atticus was easier to repay.I stayed in the hospital for half a month, and the investigation concluded as expected. The authorities had found a convenient scapegoat. Naturally, I felt dissatisfied with the result but could do nothing.Still, I knew the details because I was directly involved. Finally, I could put weight on my foot and walk. The doctor advised me to exercise more to aid my recovery. On the day of my discharge, Harmony came to my ward.I was somewhat surprised. I thought Harmony would have visited earlier, yet the authorities had closed the case. She removed her sunglasses and looked at me. S