Grayson immediately snapped his fingers. “Impossible! His qualifications are way off. Bourdamun intends to establish a new district, shifting the city southward to connect with the Muborough coastline. This will bring it closer to the transportation hub and boost the economy of Bourdamun's old district. "It has received provincial approval. But the specific details haven’t been completed yet. So, Jeremiah's information is correct, but how it got to him is made up.”Grayson’s words ignited a spark of desire in me. I said, “Dig deeper. See who’s overseeing this project.”“Got it!” Grayson nodded.This information seemed precious. I had to thank Christopher. When inspiration struck, there was no stopping it.“Oh, these days, Stella has been in close contact with Trinity,” Grayson mentioned.“That’s not surprising. I think those online rumors might just be Stella’s handiwork. Yesterday, Melanie came here and let something slip. I’m sure she was involved in Ava’s case, too. “So,
"Mr. Atlas, when did it become okay for you to dismiss my people as you please?" I asked with a hint of annoyance. Grayson chuckled and left.Grayson, of course, knew about our relationship. Once Grayson left, Atlas sat on the couch. He extended his hand. “Come here.”I smiled and walked toward him. He grabbed my hand, pulling me onto his lap. “What did you have for lunch?”“I ate everything you made in the morning, so I’m not in the mood for lunch,” I admitted. “Why did you come?”“I missed you. Is that a good reason?” His deep eyes locked onto mine.“Why haven’t I seen you be this clingy before?” I teased.“I’m addicted! I’m obsessed!” He declared.This man was shameless, saying such things with a straight face.He pinched my cheek. “What do you want for dinner?”I still had no appetite, so I hadn’t even thought about dinner. “I haven’t decided yet. What do you want?”“I just want you!”His words almost left me breathless. I pointed at his nose. “I’ll bite you if you kee
I murmured, "I don't want to be a damsel. That would mean losing myself."Seeing me pout, he pulled me into his embrace and said, "Then let's rise to the top together.""What did you mean just now? Do you want to help me with Avalon Hills?" I raised my head from his chest and looked at him."Since you've decided to approach it differently, I'll lend you a hand," Atlas replied."Don't you want to do it under ATL Empire?" I asked, a bit perplexed."Well... my development projects have specific goals. After finding you..." He paused for a moment after saying that, as if he had realized he misspoke.Then he quickly corrected himself, "Since I've known you, my purpose in development has been to help you secure opportunities you might not otherwise get."His words made my heart flutter, but there was a vague sense that there was a deeper meaning behind his previous statement of 'finding me'.I looked at this imposing man in front of me, feeling somewhat puzzled. Why did he want to he
Ava came back to Foswood, and indeed, it was Atlas who went to bring her back.With Ryan not at home and a lot of work to handle in the company, I couldn't leave. Atlas, despite his own busy schedule, insisted on keeping his promise to Ava. Thus, he flew to Celestis Island overnight and spent a whole day playing with her before taking the late-night flight back here.Dylan and I went to pick them up from the airport. On the tarmac, the little one ran toward me like a happy little bird, and her arms were outstretched to hug me tightly. "Mommy, I missed you so much!"Her sweet words almost made me swoon; it seemed that she had completely forgotten about the incident of being abducted.She was quite the social butterfly, confidently pulling me along to introduce her new friend. "Mommy, let me introduce you to my best friend, Jenny!"This was the first time I saw the girl who was two years older than her. She was a beautiful mixed-race child.After getting to know each other, we all
I scanned the room but didn't notice anything amiss, so I regained my focus and got into the car to head back to the company.Upon returning to the office, I eagerly took out the plan and delved into it. The more I read, the more excited I became. This plan truly seemed tailored for our company; it was incredibly useful.I was starting to feel a rush of excitement and was eager to implement the steps that were forming in my mind. No wonder many businesses were willing to spend a significant amount of money on such strategic planners, who regularly assessed the company's situation and customized operational plans.By comparison, the flaws in our previous operations at Tanum Corporation were glaring. It turned out that was the reason we had been stagnant.Before I knew it, it was already late at night. It wasn't until Atlas walked into my office that I realized everyone else had already gone home, except for Carol, who was still with me in the office.I joyfully ran up to Atlas and
My eyes narrowed as I realized that the photo was of me and Ryan. The angle was truly deceptive, making it seem as though I was passionately kissing him after throwing myself into his arms.It was the moment when I was moved by his words as I was seeing him off to rest in his apartment. I had impulsively leaned in to express my gratitude to this brother figure for his years of care and understanding. However, being frozen in that split second gave it a different implication altogether—ambiguous and suggestive.Scrolling down, I found that it had already spread on the trending pages and was gaining a lot of attention. No wonder there was something off in the way Atlas reacted when I mentioned Ryan earlier. The source of his unease was evidently this.Just then, my phone chimed with a message notification. I exited the trending page and opened the message. It was a text on WhatsApp, and there was a link to a short video. I clicked on it.The video shocked me even more. It seemed to b
At that moment, Harmony's demeanor underwent an astonishing change. "Atlas, don't do this to me. I shouldn't have drank so much. I was wrong. Let's leave, okay? Please, don't be mad at me anymore..."She pressed herself against Atlas while lifting her clothes, revealing more of her skin. I was utterly surprised by her performance. What was she trying to convey? Did Atlas find her acting insufficient? Was this a scene in a movie studio? Had the plot just taken a wild turn?Only now did Atlas fix his gaze on her, uttering a few words coldly, "It's time to end this."He then removed his jacket and tossed it aside.I could clearly sense that Harmony's body tensed up for a moment.The camera flashes went off incessantly, and the sound of cameras clicking filled the room instantly. Atlas remained composed, as if he had been waiting for this moment.Suddenly, a deep voice sounded from outside the door, "Step aside!"I turned around and saw Dylan walking in, carrying a young man in his
All eyes in the room turned to Harmony, awaiting her response.Harmony froze, looking at Atlas’s darkened face with trembling lips. Then, her gaze became colder, as if she had regained her composure.I could see deep-seated resentment in her eyes. Harmony erupted into hysterical shouts.“No one put me up to this! These are my true feelings! Atlas, take a good look at the woman by your side. She’s fickle. That’s why her ex-husband didn’t hesitate to leave her. What do I lack compared to her?”Atlas’s lips parted. “You’re not even worthy of comparison.”“Why not?” Harmony jutted her chin forward, challenging him. “Am I not as pretty as her? Or is it because my status doesn’t measure up to hers? Aside from seducing men left and right, what else does she have? Haha, she even has a bastard child from her ex!”She seemed to have lost her mind, screaming, “I can give you everything she can, and I’ll do it better than her. You’re entangled with someone’s leftovers!”“Even if she has a h
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