I had almost finished preparing the food when Matthew returned with our daughter. Ava ran in, exclaiming in her sweet and childish voice, “Mommy, I’m back! Daddy picked me up!”Her adorable voice brought tears to my eyes, but I suppressed my emotions. "I got you some pineapples. They’re your favorite, right?""Oh! Mommy, you're the best! I can’t wait to eat them" She ran out and headed to Matthew, saying, "Daddy, I want to eat pineapples!""You can have a small piece for now. You can have more after dinner, okay?" Matthew washed his hands and took a small piece to hand to our eager little girl. Then he squeezed into the tiny kitchen and hugged me from behind. "Why did you make so much food?"I felt terrible because this once-happy family of three was now on the verge of collapsing."You just came back from a business trip. You must be tired." I forced a smile and asked, "Were you busy today?"He hummed a reply, and my heart immediately sank. I playfully nudged him with my elbow.
I forced myself out of bed the following day. The dark circles around my eyes were horrible, and Matthew noticed them. He asked in surprise, “The following day, I forced myself out of bed. My dark circles were horrible. Matthew saw my haggard face and asked in surprise, "Are you sick, Coco? Why do you look so pale?""You kept me up all night," I retorted, not in the mood for pleasantries.He was stunned but hugged me with a shy grin. "No more drinking for you. Exercise is better instead since it helps with sleep."I didn't know why, but my stomach churned when I heard his words. I rushed to the bathroom, vomiting and crying.Matthew rushed in behind me and patted my back. "What's wrong with you? Maybe I should take you to the hospital."I pushed him away and lied, "It's nothing. I just didn't sleep well. You should take Ava to kindergarten. I'll be fine once I rest a bit more."He lifted and laid me back on the bed, pulling the blanket over me. "Then get some sleep while I se
I smiled bitterly, replied, “Okay,” and then hung up. Ivanna had become a conniving woman in my eyes. She had pretended to be sincere in advising me to reflect on my values, but now she mocked me in front of my husband.I finally realized how unpredictable people could be. No wonder she tried to probe me by claiming to have seen Matthew. It became evident that it was because of her guilty conscience.Matthew had said it had been long since he saw Ivanna. I felt heartbroken that he had deceived me like that. I invested myself in Ivanna and Matthew in this unfamiliar city, and they betrayed me. I didn’t know who to trust anymore.I kept staring at the window before calling Matthew. As I suspected, his response matched Ivanna’s.I was outraged and rushed to the cafe, but my phone rang as I entered. I received a call from the kindergarten teacher, saying that Ava had fallen off the slide and got sent to the hospital. The news terrified me, and I quickly hailed a cab to the hospital.O
Before I could answer, Matthew explained, "She's not feeling well."He touched my shoulder gently and said, "Don't worry, honey. The doctor said it wasn’t serious. We can go home once Ava's passed the observation period."Home?! That word was a trigger for me. I got up and pushed Matthew away before running out of the ward, sobbing. The cracks in this family were already showing, and I knew it might shatter at any moment. Now, Ava's future stepmother was here, flaunting around me.Ivanna followed me as I rushed out, and Ava started crying again."Coco, what's wrong with you? Don't scare Ava like that." Ivanna grabbed my arm, trying to console me. "Hold it in for a while. The kid is more important.""Hold it in? How can I?!” I roared and glared at Ivanna.I realized I had lost control and tried to collect myself, but I was trembling. My mouth twitched as I said, "You should go back! We're fine. Since you’re so busy, you don't have to delay your work for us!" Afterward, I brush
Ava seemed to cling to me more after the fall. She remained glued to me, and I could not move without her, which drove me crazy at times. Meanwhile, Matthew didn’t give me space to figure things out.His work hours were punctual, and I had no room to pinpoint issues with him. Everything he brought back yielded no clues. I even began to question if I was hallucinating at times.After finally putting Ava to sleep at noon, I realized we were out of fresh vegetables and fruits at home. Since Ava was fast asleep, I knew I had to rush to the market before she woke up.The market was nearby, and I was too lazy to change my clothes, so I hurried out the door and aimed to return as quickly as possible. However, I was dumbfounded when I returned from buying groceries because I didn’t have my keys.I pondered for a while and smacked my forehead in frustration because I must’ve forgotten to bring them when I left. I decided to call Matthew, and he answered in a hushed tone. Afterward, I explai
I felt like lightning struck me when the smug receptionist addressed the person behind me as Mrs. Murphy. I felt rage bubbling inside me as I turned to see how Ivanna would react.How dare she strut around here, flaunting and pretending to be someone she wasn’t? My gaze was cold as I turned, expecting to see Ivanna. However, to my surprise, it was Melanie.Her outfit was vibrant and eye-catching as her blonde hair flowed down her shoulders. She wore exquisite makeup, which added a touch of allure to her otherwise unremarkable features.Melanie approached gracefully with a composed smile. When she was about to speak, she noticed me turning around, my anger evident. Her eyes widened in shock as she stood frozen, unable to process my unexpected appearance.I couldn’t help but smirk. I had to admit Melanie looked more like Mrs. Murphy while I resembled a nanny. Although I was speechless, I thought attire made a vast difference in appearance, and my casual home attire paled to her glamo
Neither I nor Melanie spoke in the elevator. She pouted and lowered her head while leaning against the elevator wall. Frankly, I couldn’t be bothered to engage with her. Although her brother often spoiled her, I never had the patience.When we reached Matthew's office, he was indeed in a meeting. One of his employees saw me and Melanie and called Matthew out. Matthew seemed shocked as his gaze shifted between our faces before stopping at me.After some thought, he asked, “What are you—”“Did I embarrass you? Why should I dress up since I only went to the market?” I interjected, knowing what he was about to say. Irritated, I retorted, “Pass me the keys. Ava’s still asleep.”Immediately after, Matthew rushed to his desk and retrieved the keys from his bag to hand them to me, saying, “Didn’t you ask Mel to send them to you?”I took the keys and glanced at a displeased Melanie. "Does she have the time to bring me the keys? Pretending to be Mrs. Murphy here seems more important than pa
"What's wrong?" Matthew looked at me with concern. "Are you tired? Maybe you should take a nap. I won't leave. I'll stay and play with Ava instead."I suppressed my emotions and nodded. “Yeah, I’m tired. You can entertain Ava while I rest.”Afterward, I placed the plate of fruits on the coffee table and said, “Give her something to eat. There’s more in the kitchen if those aren’t enough.”"Sure thing. You go rest. I'll take you both out for a meal once you’re up," Matthew said, picking up a fork to feed Ava.When I went to the bedroom to lie down, I felt suffocated as tears welled in my eyes. It seemed those two keys were an issue as Matthew rushed home just to take them back. I knew he wasn’t worried about Ava.Most knew a person’s conscience would be thrown out the window once they cheated. Also, I suspected those keys might have belonged to another woman’s house, so I instinctively thought of Ivanna.She had been doing well these past two years and no longer had to share a pla
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