I was at a loss as I looked at Kimberly, mainly because I had never dealt with someone like her. I initially thought Trinity would match Kimberly’s description. However, I realized Trinity was much more sophisticated than what I had imagined after the real showdown.The woman before me was an actual troublemaker. She noticed me lost in my thoughts and tapped her spoon on my plate, saying, “I’m talking about you! Stop looking so indifferent!”“Kim!” Martin reprimanded her.Kimberly rolled her eyes and pursed her lips before continuing to eat.Jake intervened, “The dishes are finally here, Ms. Chloe. Please, have some.”Martin put aside his act and said, “Ms. Chloe, let’s talk while we eat.”I glanced at Kimberly, and no longer had an appetite. It felt like I would be eating someone else’s leftovers. I calmly said, “I’m sorry, everyone, but I don’t have much of an appetite. Please proceed with eating.”My words offended Kimberly. She stared at me and asked, “What do you mean by th
I looked toward the source of the familiar voice I thought I would never hear at this moment. I was shocked when he appeared. Atlas approached in his well-tailored suit with the stern-looking Dylan behind him.The once-arrogant Kimberly now looked dumbfounded. She gawked, captivated by Atlas’s presence. She had forgotten everything while staring at him.Atlas extended his hand to me, and I instinctively held it. His expression was cold as he said, “We don’t have to continue this discussion if it’s unpleasant. No one can stop me from doing what I want.”Martin was initially stunned by Atlas’s sudden appearance. He only returned to his senses after seeing Atlas pulling me into his embrace. Martin’s expression darkened, and a standoff seemed imminent.“That statement might be exaggerated, sir.” Apparently, Martin didn’t recognize Atlas. “No one has dared to speak so boldly in my presence.”Atlas’s reply was imposing, “You’ll hear it a lot more from now on.”Meanwhile, Chad whispered
Upon hearing Martin’s words, Atlas’s expression brightened. He turned and strode toward the table, but his tone lacked warmth as he said, “What rules?”Martin stood up and glared at Atlas. The former gritted his teeth and feigned composure, saying, “The rules of Bourdamun and the Terrels.”“Unfortunately, you can’t represent Bourdamun, and your family’s rules can’t constrain me.” Atlas was firm, and the glint in his eyes made Martin uneasy.The man before Martin exerted immense pressure.Jeremiah was eager to protect Martin, stepping forward and pointing at me. “Chloe, you ungrateful bitch! You don’t appreciate kindness, do you? Since you’ve come here, it won’t be so easy to leave.”He suddenly grabbed my wrist. A moment later, Atlas snatched a fork from Kimberly and jabbed it into Jeremiah’s hand.Jeremiah squealed and instantly released my wrist. He clutched his hand in terror, with blood flowing from his wound. He looked at Atlas fearfully and retreated.“What made you think
Dylan smirked upon hearing Martin’s words. The former exclaimed, “Come in!”A squad of cops entered and lifted Martin’s injured men off the ground. Dylan handed a stack of documents to the squad leader, saying, “These are the evidence of their crimes in Bourdamun over the years and the list of the injured. The detailed process of the incidents is all there.”Martin finally understood the true meaning of fear at that moment. “Atlas, you… Brandon, who authorized you to come here? Why didn’t anyone inform me?”“Sorry, Martin, this is an order from the people above. You have no right to question them.” Brandon, the squad leader, did not even glance at Martin.“Fine. You ungrateful little—”“Take him away!” Brandon interrupted, sensing Martin might speak further. He could not allow Martin to blabber because he knew how scary Atlas could be.“How dare you?!” Martin roared, “My father is still in the hospital, and I must tend to him!”“Your father is not at the hospital but at the stat
The dinner I had with my team was significantly different, as everyone was joyful. Mine and Noah’s team were full of newfound energy. I knew Bourdamun’s future would be utterly different.Everything happened so quickly that the people of Boudamun could barely keep up. The authorities took Nelson from the hospital, where he enjoyed special treatment in a high-end ward.Before the authorities took him away, he treated the staff poorly and cursed at them. At the height of his excitement, a squad of cops barged in to take him in for questioning. Nelson resisted and cursed at the cops.A witness captured a video of it and uploaded it to the internet. The cops had arrested the two heads of the Terrell family and their henchmen overnight.I barely knew how it all happened, but it seemed someone had carefully planned everything. It was only a matter of time for the plan to take place.…Although Bourdamun’s new district was far from the old city, the people were thrilled. They flocked to
I found it hard to believe and rubbed my eyes. It was really Oliver! How could he be here?Instinctively, I looked back at Lauren.Ivanna appeared to be more surprised than we were. "Why are you here?"Oliver ignored Ivanna and focused his attention on Lauren. His eyes looked dark and uncertain, and his lips trembled. He seemed excited.Lauren's hand on my arm tightened, causing me slight pain. My eyes were fixed on Oliver, who had changed a lot. He looked remarkably thin."Lauren, you finally came back." His voice shook. I could see his hand hanging at his side, tightly clenched in anxiety.She looked at him, and her lips twitched. However, she quickly regained her composure.Lauren smiled lightly. "It's you! Have you been good?""No! No one told me where you went!" Oliver sounded like a petulant child who couldn't find a home. Lauren gave a somewhat forced smile. "You can't blame them. I didn't even know where I was going. So, I didn't inform them either. I just told them t
Lauren and I exchanged a knowing glance, sharing a laugh.She whispered to me, "Why is Ivanna so chatty now?"I couldn't help but laugh harder. Ivanna turned around to look at us. "Are you talking about me? Are you annoyed that I'm talking too much?"When we got in the car, I glanced outside. Oliver was standing at the doorway, looking on as we were leaving. The desolation in his eyes made me feel a twinge of pity.However, this was out of my hands. What he did had hurt Lauren, and I didn't want to interfere with Lauren's decision.It was a personal matter, and no third party could intervene. I had no idea how Oliver had spent the previous six months while Lauren was away. What went through his mind? Did he realize where he went wrong?I believed Lauren would never forgive him if he didn't realize his mistakes. Even if she forgave him, I wasn't sure if I could.Only I saw what happened before Lauren left. She had narrowly escaped death, and I could understand her pain.I call
Ava, acting like a little adult, quickly introduced Jenny to Lauren. "Aunt Lauren, this is my big sister. Uncle found her for me."Lauren approved, saying, "Your uncle is quite bossy!"Then she turned her attention to Jenny. "Well! What a beautiful girl!"After a brief greeting, she hugged Jenny and spoke in a soft, gentle tone, "Hello there, pretty girl. I have a gift for you."The kids were excited, especially Ava, who loved unwrapping gifts. Ryan was also there, and he was the chef for the day.After hugging my mom, Lauren playfully complained about hunger. "I haven't tasted delicious homemade food in half a year. I've been dreaming about it.""We'll have dinner right away. Chlo, call Atlas and ask how long before he gets back," my mom directed. Now that Grace was here, she played the role of a captain, organizing and managing everything happily.Ava, unable to contain her excitement, asked, "Aunt Lauren, where's my gift?"Lauren laughed. "I thought you'd forgotten. You're