Caroline's POV...As I drew the curtain aside, Julie, who had earlier alerted me to Atlas's presence, cleared her throat. “I don't know what he is doing here. I shall refrain from pestering you concerning that matter. However, had Ryder divulged to you the fact that...”“Atlas is allegedly the murderer. The perpetrator behind my mother's demise.” Gritting my teeth, I experienced a tumultuous mixture of agony and fury. In pain, because the way he was staring at me a while ago hurt me like dozens of wasps stinging at once. With a heavy heart, I reluctantly drew the curtain, feeling a surge of anger at the immense barrier that separated us. I found myself unable to detach it from my grasp and discard it. I loved him. I did. Truly, I did. However, the depth of my love for my mother transcended all physical boundaries, as I cherished her without ever laying eyes on her or feeling her embrace. It manifested as an insatiable hunger, an all-consuming craving that consumed every fiber of their
Atlas's POVUpon my return to Xanthan last night, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of peculiarity. My mother felt like someone so unfamiliar. And that woman's spouse remained as reticent as ever. Fortunately, I had the pleasure of encountering Alex, a a friend with whom I could engage in trivial banter, despite his vexatious disposition. With utmost obedience, Mr. Harris executed my commands flawlessly and deftly conveyed instructions to his peers.“Dude, I'm glad that I'm here. So many beautiful ladies.” Alex emerged from the washroom of the servant quarters and settled beside me, his gaze fixed upon the women who encircled us.A gentle exhalation parted my lips. “You just can't not think about women for once.”Alex cautiously motioned for the women to depart, with whom he had developed a rather intimate relationship. With his hands clasped tightly together, he began to speak at length. “You are very different from last night. What has gotten into you? You really left yo
Caroline's POV...It had been four days since I saw Atlas here. He must have been preparing the proofs. The day had arrived, the final opportunity for him to make things right. He must endeavor to restore his integrity. But he will be here soon, right? The sun was sinking low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape. The sky was ablaze with hues of orange and pink, signaling the impending arrival of nightfall. What if he were to fail?I solemnly avow, the mere contemplation of him or any matter associated with him was anathema to me. However, I found myself unable to resist. My gaze had been longing to catch a glimpse of him. Uncertainty clouded my emotions towards him. Do I truly love him? Yes. Do I hate him? Yes. It's dangerous how some words or incidents can change a whole perception of a person.The previous time when Alex, his comrade, had advised me to trust my instincts was not wrong at all. However, he was unaware that it required courage, or at the very least,
Caroline's POV...As soon as I walked out of my office, the first thing that sprang to mind was to find Julie and give her the results of my hard work. She was the only other living being that I owned. After watching a number of films, she was visibly shaken and in an extremely distressed state at this point."Caroline... what exactly are we going to do?" Her expression was really sad, and it showed in her voice. She was overcome with a whirlwind of conflicting feelings, including grief, rage, and terror, which she experienced all at once in a violent storm. "Look at me, I am shaking. This is such a messed up situation. We are in a bad place." It was clear that she was experiencing a variety of feelings. She spent more time with him than she did with me. She prioritized him over me. They had a connection that was comparable to that of close friends. She put her faith in him, only to have it broken by his violation of her confidence. Not only did he act treacherously against her, but al
Atlas's POV...My entire body was tainted with the noxious odor of wolfsbane thanks to the fact that it was present in every corner of the room. I was still able to breathe even though it was a challenge. My physical self had not yet given in. Nevertheless, there were times when it felt like a form of torture. It's probably best if I don't breathe. I needed to give up trying to live, which was ridiculous given the circumstances. There was no one who could save me from this bottomless pit of torment.Alex made an attempt to do so some time ago, after seeing me counting my remaining hours on the floor, and he must be going through a lot of pain right now.Following our return from Prythian on that particular day, Alex and I immediately got to work trying to determine who had taken my ring and what had become of it. The discovery of the truth, which had taken us nearly two days to make, left the both of us speechless. I was still unable to accept it, and before I could even begin to compr
Atlas's POVBefore my very eyes, my mother collapsed, her body devoid of any signs of life. The figure before him was now a mere mannequin, devoid of any soul or life force. My heart was frozen. The expected emotion of sorrow eluded me, and in its place, a sense of tranquility settled within. For a fleeting moment, the entire world appeared to come to a standstill. Yet, as quickly as it had happened, the moment passed and the world resumed its usual rhythm. As for myself, I found myself momentarily breathless, but soon regained my composure.With a single moment of clarity, I was able to release the weight of my father's killer and the individual who had schemed to end my life - fortunately, without success. As I gazed upon her countenance, a sudden realization dawned upon me - she had never truly been my mother. She had never played the role of a mother in my life. Throughout the passing years, she bided her time, patiently waiting for the opportune moment to take my life as well."I'
[THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT. Please avoid this chapter, if you are not comfortable reading 18+ content]Atlas's POV...I slowly opened my eyes from my beauty, waking up by the soft tinkling that was coming from somewhere near. I blinked my eyes several times until my blurred vision restored. The sound was coming from the balcony, so I turned to the balcony. There was a wind chime dancing against the soft wind. It was still dark outside and the street lights were seeping into the room through the side window.Did I wake up by any nightmare? But I don't remember. And my heartbeats is steady, I'm not sweating, I'm not trembling. My temperature is normal. No... wait. It's not normal. I feel warm.I gasped when someone tightened an arm around my waist. Wait... the warmth. It's Caroline.My half-conscious mind started to regain its senses and my lips instantly curled up with a soft smile when I felt her soft flesh pressed against my body.With my very gentle move, I manoeuvred my b
Atlas's POV...Who was she? The voice was familiar. She must be someone I know, or she knows ne very well. And there is something important I should know? What's that?When my curiosity started overflowing, Caroline's voice shook me up."Anything wrong, Atlas?" She asked, seeing me tensed.I turned around to look at her in the kitchen as I nodded my head firmly. "Someone called me and told me to meet her. She said there is something important I should know!" I shouldn't hide anything from her, it was a promise.Beep BeepMy phone beeped. I glanced at the phone screen before shifting my gaze at her again. "She has sent me the address..""Who?" Caroline's face went puzzled just like mine.I shrugged. "I don't know. But... what do you say? Should I go?"She pursed her lips, thinking deeply. After a while, she took a long breath and nodded. "I think it's work-related. It can be really important. I think you should."It can be important but it can't be work-related. Because if it was work-r