After the laughter subsided, I felt a vague sense of unease.I exchanged glances with Atlas, and I knew he understood my thoughts. However, with elders and a child present, neither of us could speak openly.From what I gathered from Atlas’s calls, Dylan was dealing with the aftermath of Ava's kidnapping. Although I hadn't asked, I could tell from his conversations that despite their efforts, Dylan and his team hadn't found the man.Even if he had been lucky, jumping from such a high bridge would not have left him unharmed. However, the fact that there was still no sign of him indicated he was skilled. Despite extensive searches by the authorities and Atlas's team, he had not been found. He must have escaped.As long as he was on the loose, the threat remained. He was a potential danger. Who was to say he wouldn't threaten us again someday?It seemed he was targeting me, or at least, I was his goal. But I was sure that I had never met him. Ava and Atlas's account of what happen
His husky voice murmured in my ear, "How long do you plan on avoiding me?""I'm not..." I tried to defend myself, but as soon as the words left my lips, I felt I had misspoken. We were already so familiar with each other, both physically and emotionally. Any intimacy between us was a tempting lure."Thank you for saving my Ava," I said, hoping to shift our awkwardness."Not just your Ava," he replied, his eyes gleaming affectionately. "Ava has a good heart. It's you who's a little heartless.""I'm not a five-year-old child. I can't bother you!" I reluctantly said. After all, I hadn't overcome the hurdle of him being with Harmony."Nonsense!" Atlas stood up, feigning anger. He moved the chair next to him and pulled me into his arms, settling us both on the beach chair.It had been a long time since we were this close, and it left me feeling uneasy. My heart pounded against my chest.Atlas, his handsome face serious, gazed at me. "Chloe, I know you've been through a lot."Tea
Atlas was probably surprised by my emotional outburst. He nodded and said, "Yes, that ‘Rory,’ who died in the plane crash with my parents, also had a snake tattoo."The news sent a shiver down my spine. "So you mean, the one who died in the crash wasn't Rory? Then who was he?"I couldn't explain why I was so intrigued by Rory. Whenever his name came up, I felt an urge to dig deeper.It was similar to the first time Grayson mentioned Lucille's name, and I felt a sense of déjà vu."This is the part I've always hesitated to make sense of, but one thing is certain. Rory didn't have that tattoo!" Atlas said, "Later, I managed to obtain the evidence from the investigation report.""Is this what made you suspect that your parents' crash wasn't just an accident?" I looked at Atlas. The awkwardness between us from earlier had dissipated, and I straightened up.Atlas brushed aside the stray strands of hair caught in the breeze. His eyes were deep, and his voice was low. "I spent a whole de
I immediately felt flustered. It seemed like the more I feared, the more it came true. This was what I was worried about the most, and now, it happened.I clenched the phone and hurried to the beach to find Atlas, urging him to book a flight back to Foswood as soon as possible.After hearing what happened, Atlas comforted me and discussed it with my dad. To ensure that Ava could completely forget the kidnapping, my parents would continue to stay on Celestis Island for some time. Atlas arranged for someone to care for them. He and I flew back to Foswood.Before boarding the plane, I had Grayson check what had happened to Ivanna. Lauren had urged me to return as soon as possible without explaining the entire story. I had a feeling it wasn't that simple.On the plane, Atlas reassured me repeatedly, saying he would have Dylan investigate.We landed in Foswood at 7 p.m. I quickly called Lauren. She said she was waiting for us at the Vanderberg Palace.Atlas's driver came to pick us
I asked Atlas to wait for a call from Dylan or Grayson. Then, I left Vanderberg Palace with Lauren and headed to Amethyst Apartments.Lauren was anxious on the way, saying, “Thank goodness you’re back. I was worried on my own. Oh, how’s Ava?”“She’s okay now, but Atlas thinks she might be traumatized. That’s why he arranged for my parents to stay with her for a while longer.”Lauren glanced at me while driving. “I had no choice but to call you. I’m sorry for disturbing your time with your family. You finally got a chance for a vacation, but…”“Don’t think that way. How could I ignore Ivanna? Anyway, it was about time I returned. After all, Atlas is a busy man, and I shouldn’t always expect him to be with me. Still, Ava’s very attached to him. She kept asking when we’d be back when we were leaving.”Lauren nodded approvingly and said, “I can see how much Atlas cares for Ava. He does more than Matthew.”I laughed at her statement, “Hahaha, Matthew seems to have forgotten he even ha
After Bella brought food for us, Dylan and Grayson knocked and entered. Atlas said nothing and only looked at them.Dylan said, “Ms. Ivanna had dinner with her colleagues at The Vine the night before yesterday. Their dinner ended at 10:45 pm, and the surveillance footage showed her car leaving at 10:57 pm.”Lauren squinted and interjected, “Yeah, I called her around 10:20 at night. It was noisy on her end.”Dylan added, “When she was on Sebster Street at 11:20 pm, she parked on the roadside for five minutes. I checked the phone records and found that she had received an anonymous call. Soon after, her phone was turned off. The call must’ve come from a temporary phone card.“There was a ten-minute blackout that stopped the surveillance recording when she drove past Rusvil District. We lost track of Ms. Ivanna’s car when the power returned. Our people are searching for her car now.” Dylan looked at Atlas.“What’s the reason for the power outage?” Atlas furrowed his brows.“The elec
Although it was midnight, Foswood remained bright. The nightlife here was at its peak at this hour. However, we became increasingly restless as we waited at Vanderberg Palace. We knew Ivanna would face more danger with each passing minute.When Atlas’s phone rang, Lauren and I perked up and looked at him. When he answered, his furrowed brows relaxed, “Is it just Jared’s people there?”I guessed Jared had taken action when I heard that.Atlas hung up and looked at me, saying, “You and Lauren stay here. I’ll be back in a moment.”“Where are you going?” I urgently asked, “Did you receive any solid information?”Atlas explained, “It’s still uncertain, so just wait for my message. I’ll immediately inform you of any updates.”“What do you mean ‘immediately?’ That means you must tell me what you know now!” I stared at Atlas, refusing to yield.“Chloe, you know these people don’t care about consequences. This time—”I interjected angrily, “That’s why I have to come! Ivanna’s in danger,
When we stood outside, I told Atlas, “I’ll ride with Lauren.”Atlas nodded knowingly and entered his car while I entered Lauren’s. On the way, she remarked, “Stella’s involved with Ivanna’s disappearance.”During the drive, Grayson called, “Chloe, don’t follow Mr. Atlas’s path. Trinity’s people are following you.”I was alarmed and quickly told Lauren, “Don’t follow Atlas. Trinity’s people are tailing us.”I couldn’t help but admire Trinity’s caution and cunning behavior. Immediately after, I called Atlas and explained the situation. He gave me an address and instructed me to return to Amethyst Apartments to distract them.If my memory serves correctly, the address Atlas gave me was for a dilapidated building in Prespoint District that someone bought and converted into a nightclub. The hotel at the same building was on the tenth floor and above, with a peculiar name—Phantom.I could only follow his instructions and tell Lauren to drive to Amethyst Apartments. She cursed, “That ju
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