I saw them standing up out of the corner of my eye. The woman spoke to Atlas while she casually put her arm around his. When they turned, she looked arrogantly at the diners. Although not striking, her delicate face was charming.Atlas met my eyes with a blank face. She followed his line of sight and turned to face me. Her entire body froze, and there was a peculiar expression on her face.Atlas calmly led the woman away. Just before they disappeared from view, she shot me another glance.Ivanna noticed how Atlas's presence affected me and said, “Let’s grab some drinks. Loosen up a bit!”I raised both hands in agreement, hoping a few drinks would help me clear my head.However, Ivanna drove us to the Newturn Bar, which I was apprehensive about. She ordered two cocktails for us, and I gulped one down without knowing what it was. Then I signaled the bartender for another.“Hey, take it easy. Do you want to get wasted?” Ivanna raised her voice as she leaned on the bar. “Savor the taste.

I felt a rush of wind, startling me. I covered my head and screamed, but the expected pain never came. Instead, I heard a loud cracking sound.It shocked me halfway sober. Frightened, I turned to see the man crashing onto a table. Atlas was standing by our side, guarding us.The man struggled to his feet and lunged at Atlas. I screamed, and Atlas immediately punched the man. He howled in pain.Despite the many stares, Atlas acted promptly. He grabbed my arm without a word and strode toward the exit. Ivanna picked up our bags and followed us outside.“You’ve got some nerve coming to a place like this and drinking,” Atlas said with a growl.I trembled from my close call, but Atlas’s menacing face sent shivers down my spine. He had been all smiles in the restaurant. Why did his face change when he looked at me?“Chlo, are you okay?” Ivanna checked on me, then looked at Atlas. “Sorry about this. It was my idea to come here.”I managed a faint smile, thinking there was no point dwe

The words were tantalizing, but who did he spend time with today? The thought made me chuckle bitterly.What right did I have to interfere with his choice of company? How often had I been oblivious to that? How could I possibly know?“Why are you laughing?” His patience was wearing thin.“Enough, Mr. Atlas. I wouldn’t dare ask you to keep me company.” I pouted. “A mere commoner like myself wouldn’t dare!”Truly, I wouldn’t dare. He wasn’t mine to claim, and I had to give myself a reality check. I was recently divorced and involved in legal disputes.What right did I have to compete with anyone? Thinking about our relationship left me even more perplexed. Who was I to him? Still, seeing him with another woman caused me unexpected pain.Did my feelings grow too fast? Had I rushed from one chapter of my life into the next? I felt heartless.Atlas asked, “Why the sudden silence?” “What would be appropriate for us to talk about?” I asked softly, looking at him.“Ask whatever you

I thought the situation with his cousin had been resolved, but I soon found myself face-to-face with her.On Monday, Ryan officially joined the team. His presence gave me a boost of energy, as if he had lifted half of the weight off my shoulders.As a show of trust, I gave Ryan a detailed account of Tanum Corporation’s entire development process, including how it had been hollowed out.He even playfully referred to it as my second venture.On Tuesday, I went to ATL Empire for a meeting. Atlas’s cousin was there instead of him. She looked stunning in a pantsuit and came to our project meeting.Throughout the meeting, her gaze remained locked on me, making me uneasy.It was not until the meeting was over and Carol and I were walking out that she called, “Ms. Chloe!”I turned around and saw her approaching with a cheerful smile. “You’re Ms. Chloe, right?”“Yes, I’m Chloe Hartz!” I nodded, extending my hand in a friendly gesture. After all, this was ATL Empire, and I needed to main

I immediately shook my head. Forget it. I shouldn’t be too ruthless. Matthew’s cruelty didn’t mean I had to retaliate in kind.We had once been a married couple, and even though we had divorced, bitterness was unnecessary. Let the bridges burn. There was no need for a fight to the death.I found myself deep in contemplation. My mindset became more balanced with Ryan’s help at the company, and the previous resentment gradually faded away. Instead of fighting with Matthew, developing my business seemed more worthwhile. He might have bitten me, but I didn’t need to bite back. After all, he was still Ava’s dad.He hadn’t gained much from me, so stepping back would be better. However, I didn’t expect Matthew to back me into a corner.Over the next few days, one problem after another came up. Just as we were about to start our project, he left me with no option. What was the point of the project without these supplies? He was pushing me to the edge.Since Ryan took over Tanum Corporat

I was surprised Stella invited Atlas to join us.“He might be late since he went to Operose. He’s on his way back now, so we don’t have to wait for him to start eating,” she casually explained, “I impulsively decided to invite him. Atlas called me and asked what I wanted to eat, but I told him about our meal. You don’t mind, do you?”I replied, "Of course not!"Although I said that, I felt uneasy. I felt I wasn’t telling Stella the truth when I said I didn’t mind. Still, I couldn’t tell this sincere and harmless girl that.“That’s good,” she said, handing me the menu, “I ordered a few dishes since it’s our first meal together. I don’t know what you like, so please choose.”Her warmth made her more approachable. It differed from our first encounter when she seemed more indifferent and arrogant. I remembered how she glanced at the other diners the other day. Her expression was a significant contrast from her current one. She seemed like two different people.I chose dishes from the

I glared at Melanie through the mirror and said, “You’re like a ghost that haunts me. What are you trying to pull now?”“Hahaha! You’re so shameless, Chloe. He already has someone special in his heart, and you’re tagging along to their dinner? Did you forget you’re a divorced woman? Do you think you’re worthy of a wealthy man?”“That’s not for you to decide. I advise you to be kind for your unborn child’s sake,” I retorted while taking a paper towel to wipe my hands.As I turned to leave, Melanie realized I wouldn’t entertain her. She stood in my way, saying, “I’ll see how long you can keep this up, bitch. Sooner or later, you’ll be crying your eyes out.”When she said those words, Stella entered the restroom. She saw my and Melanie’s confrontation and stood beside me. Stella grabbed my arm and asked, “Ms. Chloe, what’s happening?”Her eyes darted between me and Melanie.Melanie gave Stella a once-over and then smirked. “Hey, gorgeous. You should be wary of the women around you.

I slumped onto the couch when I got home. I was exhausted as I gazed at the ceiling, thinking I was wrong to assume everything would go smoothly after divorcing Matthew. Despite my efforts to move forward, I felt trapped.I didn’t know what Matthew and his “allies” aimed for. Beside them, it seemed an unseen force was pushing me to move. I doubted whether my previous decisions were correct.It was good for the company to have projects, but I also felt tied down. I couldn’t turn back, even if it meant facing tremendous challenges.My mom must’ve heard me and realized I hadn’t returned to my room, so she quietly came downstairs. Her heart ached when she saw me looking so tired. She sat beside me, saying, “You look exhausted.”I smiled bitterly and nodded. "Yeah. Mom, why do we have to grow up?" I asked softly.My mom stroked my hair gently. "It’s a long journey, and you must learn to stop and smell the roses.”“Tanum is my dream and the result of my hard work. Although it’s undergo

I could only hear Atlas’s breath on the other end. Finally, he said, “You’ve been causing trouble for me for a long time now. What should we do about it?”I tensed up and tightened my grip on the phone. Atlas’s words caught me off guard, and I asked, “W-What do you mean?”"You should give yourself to me," he said playfully.I found him ridiculous. We were discussing something serious, yet he started joking with me.“Y-You’re…” I wanted to refute but switched to a more severe matter instead, “Did my contract affect your career? If that’s the case, I’d rather not take it.”"It's too late," he said, "So, you only have one option, and that is not to disappoint everyone's expectations."My body trembled as I gulped. After a while, Atlas whispered, "Are you asleep? Do you want to see me?"My mind went blank, and a longing surged within me. However, I restrained my impulses and changed the subject, “You’re going on a business trip tomorrow, and it’s too late now…”I couldn’t continue.

On the way to the office, I went through all of Tanum Corporation’s employees in my mind. I didn’t believe I had made a mistake keeping a traitor in the company. After all, those who stayed had a history with me.I wondered who among them would conspire with Matthew. Indeed, he was cunning as he played this endless game with me.When I reached my office, I called Atlas. I wanted to confirm Johnson’s information, but Atlas had already turned off his phone. It seemed he was already on the plane. It was just as Johnson said. Those suppliers were causing a commotion.Meanwhile, I stayed behind to manage the company while Ryan negotiated with those suppliers. It gave us an advantage since Matthew was observing me, not Ryan.Ryan left with the information I had provided, and only I knew his whereabouts. Not even Carol knew.There were unfinished projects when I took over Tanum Corporation besides the ones Matthew moved. These suppliers caused a commotion about those projects, demanding