"You're awake!" A warm voice reached my ears, and I knew exactly who it was.I moved my head and struggled to open my eyes, glancing at the handsome face before me. His eyes were focused on me, and his hand gently brushed my forehead. "Feeling better? Do you still have a headache?"I stared at Atlas in confusion, piecing together the events from before. Glancing around, I realized I was in a hospital room.This made me a bit uneasy, and I looked at Atlas, asking, "Am I sick? Is there something wrong with my head?"He looked at me affectionately and asked, "Do you feel sick?""Then why am I here? How long have I been sleeping?"Atlas smiled, cleverly responding, "Well, it's lunchtime anyway!""I slept that long? Who brought me here? What about Grayson? Wasn't he with me in the office? Oh dear, there's so much I need to handle!"After saying that, I struggled to sit up, feeling a dull ache in my head."Well, it looks like you still remember." Atlas patted my cheek. "Grayson br
When he returned, I looked into his eyes and asked, "Have I really lost my memory?"He looked at me seriously, as if contemplating how to tell me.I anxiously stared at Atlas, urging, "You’d better tell me the truth. Don't just brush me off. The truth is, I've been like this for a long time. “Whenever I think about things, my head feels like it will explode, especially when I hear about Stella. Can you tell me what exactly my connection with her is?"As he observed my unsettled state, he sat on the edge of my bed, pulling me into his embrace. "Take it easy. I'll tell you everything.""You always say that, but it feels like you're just avoiding the issue each time. Do you know that the more you do this, the more I suffer? Can you tell me about my relationship with Stella?"I acted like a child, pouting and refusing to give in.He gave a faint smile, tightening his embrace as he cradled my head, pressing it against his chest. "You..."After waiting a while without continuing, I
Atlas took out his phone, pulled up his gallery, and placed the phone in my hands. He started to recount the past."Take a look. This is the real Annalise!"I gazed at the young girl in the phone album. She was beautiful, with lively, sparkling eyes and a radiant smile."The night after Aunt Hailey passed away, we huddled in that empty room. I'll never forget the loneliness, helplessness, and fear. It made me anxious." He glanced at me, his eyes filled with bitterness."I was scared, but Aunt Hailey told me I was a man and had to take care of Stella. Once lively and bustling with family, that room ended up with just the two of us. It was eerily silent."A faint, sorrowful twitch appeared at the corner of Atlas's mouth.Even after so many years, he still recalled those events with a sense of helplessness."At the time, all you did was cry in my arms. I wanted to as well, but I didn't dare to cry, let alone sleep. Aunt Hailey's departure haunted me. I just wanted to wait until d
I completely understood Atlas's state of mind. How could Celine, with her cunning nature, tolerate a child harboring such resentment toward her? She even dared to mess with Louis. She couldn't bear the threat posed by a child."You were really too young to comprehend all of that." I sighed as I looked at him.He lowered his gaze, his face carrying a trace of anguish. “I couldn't find you, and I was so anxious. I acted recklessly and didn't care about anything else. All I wanted was to find you and be with you every day."Atlas's tone was incredibly gentle, devoid of any sharpness.I bit my lip, wondering how I was doing after being separated from him. I pounded my head, lamenting, "Why can't I remember anything? Even a tiny bit would be helpful!"He quickly grabbed my hand to prevent me from hurting myself. "Stella, it's not your fault. It's because I failed to protect you, causing you to suffer and become like this. Losing you for so many years is my punishment."I still fou
Atlas, seeing me suddenly lose control, grew concerned. He quickly pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. "Don't be upset, Chlo... Look, fate has finally smiled upon us, letting me find you in this vast sea of people. It must be the spirit of Hailey watching over us from above, guiding us."I won't let her get away with it, absolutely not," he promised, determination in his eyes. "I will make her repay us a hundredfold, bit by bit, and bring comfort to those departed souls."His words gradually calmed me down. I listened to his strong heartbeat, feeling unprecedented security and reassurance.Atlas continued to kiss me gently, patting my back. "Everything is in the past now, isn't it?""How did you find that orphanage?" I asked him, now that I was calmer.He looked at me seriously, waiting until I had completely relaxed before recounting that undoubtedly harsh history."Ian accidentally overheard Celine instructing her subordinates to get rid of me quietly. Taking a risk,
Atlas looked at me, and in his eyes, I saw a hint of sadness. "That was just the version you heard."He continued, "They gave you that story in a deliberate attempt to confuse you. That's why I've been reminding you that you need to trust me."My mind did a quick flip. He was right. The false Stella was the one who told me about Annalise the first time."The truth is, when the real Stella was sent to that orphanage, she wasn't called Stella anymore. She was given the name 'Annalise'," Atlas said with certainty."So Celine changed her name when she sent her there," I deduced."Yes, that's right. So even though we searched every orphanage, we couldn't find Stella.”"When did you find her?" I was having trouble understanding the intricacies of the situation."Perhaps it was fate. Just as I found the lost little girl, we discovered an orphanage. We went to inquire, and when Cody came back, he told me they had someone named Stella there. Overjoyed, I ran out to see her, but they woul
Atlas’s face darkened. "I think that was a trap set by Celine.""How so?" I asked, wiping my eyes. I didn’t understand"Because later, after the Cross family rescued me, I found out that once she realized I had escaped, she quickly discovered that Ian's son had also disappeared. You can imagine what happened to Ian. She could easily speculate that I was probably going to find Stella. Wherever she sent Stella, she must have planned it well. The facts proved that her approach was correct."Atlas's reasoning was convincing."After the incident, she began to search for me like a madwoman. She might not have known whether 'Annalise' was real or fake, but she was certain that I had been there." Atlas's tone left no room for doubt.I muttered to myself, "So that’s why there's a photo of Stella and 'Annalise' from that time. When we first saw the photo that Grayson found, I couldn't understand why Stella was also in that orphanage. Now it makes sense.""That photo you had him investigate
He looked at me, full of heartache and urgency, and kissed my forehead."That spot was right next to the cliff. He pushed me with all his strength, and his car rolled down the slope and exploded. You were thrown out on a steep bend, not near the sea."After I fell, I completely lost consciousness. I didn't know where I was when I washed ashore. I woke up in a fisherman's village."They saved me. My leg was broken, and I couldn't move. I begged them to help me look for you. They searched everywhere and couldn't find you. I refused to believe it. Even if you were dead, there should have been a body." He said bitterly."I was afraid they had deceived me, so I started to search for myself despite my injured leg. I collapsed and fell unconscious, and my leg was infected after I was rescued again. The locals took me to the hospital."I looked at Atlas, silently shedding tears.He gently wiped them away. "Don't cry."I touched his leg gently, choking on my words. "What happened after t
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