"That’s fine! Let’s plan something once you’re back," I said.As I was about to end the call, she asked, “Ms. Chloe, haven’t you heard? ATL Empire is about to change ownership.”“What?” I asked, my heart racing. “Change ownership?”Stella chuckled and said, “Let’s discuss it later when I’m back. It won’t be long now! Goodbye!”She hung up, leaving me puzzled.What did she mean by that? Change of ownership? It was a serious matter. A conglomerate the size of ATL Empire, and they were changing ownership so quickly?My knowledge of ATL Empire was clearly limited. It suddenly made sense why Atlas had rushed off and told me to wait for his return before handling things.Then, I realized the meaning behind Stella’s question. She must have thought the call was an attempt to pry information from her.Just as I was about to call Ivanna, Lauren Burton called. It was a name I had nearly forgotten.I answered the call. “Hello, Ms. Burton!”“Do you have a moment? I need to talk to you a

I looked at Lauren, trying to gauge her thoughts. She had no doubt about the accuracy of this information."We might not be able to touch Echelon Group, but Matthew is another story." Lauren smirked. “Your divorce is driving him crazy. Can he bear to watch you gracefully move on? If he gains power, the first person he'll crush is you!""You're absolutely right. He's already causing chaos with suppliers, leaving me no peace," I sighed."So, are you just going to let him get away with it? Is there still hope for Tanum Corporation?" Lauren looked at me intently. "Whether or not you consider me your friend, when it comes to Matthew, I'm on your side."I lightly patted her hand. "Thank you!"However, revealing my background and details of Tanum Corporation wasn't appropriate, so I only said, "I won't let Tanum Corporation crumble under my watch!" Then I asked, "What's going on with the ATL Empire? Why all the upheaval?" She was as savvy as any businessman and had a keen understandi

I kept my cool and looked at Josh. “How has it been these past two days?”“Hey, don’t even get me started. These guys are no pushovers. They look at every detail, and I have worn out my mouth trying to explain that these are Matthew’s accounts. They kept bugging me, saying they only deal with Tanum Corporation!”“You’ve worked hard, Mr. Josh,” I said, appearing to trust him. “Any ideas on how we can make them see reason?”“Ms. Chloe, if you ask me, Matthew’s not a real man. He should accept the court’s decision. What’s the point of all this?” Josh shook his head. “We should focus on our negotiations with suppliers. You need a plan because the project is about to start!”“Yes, you’re right. In the worst-case scenario, we can subcontract the project on hand. It might mean earning less, but it’s a safer bet,” I said, looking at him helplessly. “Do you have any suitable candidates?”Upon hearing my decision, Josh feigned regret. “Are you set on this?”“What choice do I have? If Matth

The phone call was from Ava’s teacher, informing me that Ava’s father had picked her up. It threw me off. Why on earth would Matthew suddenly decide to pick up Ava?I hurriedly dialed Matthew’s number. The once familiar digits now felt strange and cold. It rang for a long time before he answered, his voice filled with tenderness. “Honey!”I was furious. “Matthew, what are you doing? Who asked you to pick Ava up?”“Honey, calm down. I just missed our little girl. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her, and I couldn’t wait any longer!” His words sent shivers down my spine. Although he talked sweetly, there was a hidden menace to it.Could he really miss our daughter?“I’ve told you, don’t call me that. It disgusts me. Where are you?” My eyes were red with anger, and I shouted into the phone.“It’s out of habit. You’ll always be my wife. That won’t change in this lifetime!” His tone was gentle, and I was sure it was deliberate. He said, “Relax, I’m at Snow World.”After hanging up

Ava leaned into my arms, clutching me tightly. She looked at him, forgetting to continue eating."Chlo, do not be so hostile to me! I never meant to hurt you. Isn’t it wonderful, the three of us together?" He shamelessly declared, "Have you noticed Ava's change? She’s not as chatty as she used to be."He looked as if he were questioning me, as if it were all my fault."Can't you compromise for the sake of our child? ATL Empire has changed hands. Your support is gone. Do you still want to persist?" Triumph filled his eyes.My heart churned. I clenched the small spoon in my hand and looked at him. "What then?"Ava's little hand tightened around mine. She was afraid that we’d start arguing. I let go of the spoon, embracing her tightly. I reached out to stroke her head. "Mommy's here!""Let’s go back to how things were. You can live in the house, and I won't take your money. But you must send your parents back, and I expect you to be home on time. I want to be with you and our child!

Matthew continued, “We have nothing to worry about if we join forces. We’ll dominate Foswood’s construction industry. What do you say, honey?”“Keep dreaming, scumbag! You’ll never have my support again. Karma will catch up to you.” I couldn’t stand that disgusting man. I picked Ava up and looked at him. “Next time you want to see her, call me!”“Chloe, you’ll see the results in about three days. I’ll be waiting for your mind to change. Think about Ava, and stop being so stubborn,” Matthew revealed a sinister smile as I walked away, “I’m waiting for the day we reconcile, my dear wife!”I held Ava close as I rushed out of Snow World. My body trembled, and I felt like I was about to explode angrily. Ava sat in the child's seat, looking at Snow World’s entrance. I hugged her as tears rolled down my cheeks. I tried to wipe away my tears so my daughter wouldn’t see them.After regaining my composure, I forced a smile and said, “Mommy will take you out for some nice food, okay?”She loo

When Josh passed me the suppliers’ payment reminders the following day, I secretly got Carol to select a few representatives from the companies on the list and match them with the collected information.Then, I told Josh to notify all suppliers of a response meeting at Tanum Corporation next Monday.Josh seemed puzzled. "Ms. Chloe, what's your plan for the meeting?"I noticed his eagerness and asked smilingly, “Mr. Josh, what do you think would be the best way to resolve this situation?”He chuckled, not entirely understanding my intentions. "Ms. Chloe, I'm not sure I follow. You're being quite mysterious.""Haha!" I laughed heartily. "As if you've ever understood me!"He joined in the laughter. "That’s true!""I've got you figured out," I teased him.He blinked, appearing a bit nervous.“Don’t worry, get back to work. I have ideas you can trust,” I reassured and dismissed Josh from my office.Although reluctant, he realized I didn’t care to continue the discussion and left.

I couldn’t shake off my loneliness amidst the lively atmosphere. While the crowd discussed and speculated who the new CEO would be, I considered Matthew’s information. He said something about the son of ATL Empire’s chairman.My face grew numb from smiling and exchanging pleasantries with old clients. I just wanted the conference to end as soon as possible. After all, coming here was about confirming the inevitable.I felt small, lonely, and powerless amidst the crowd. I wanted to escape back to my small hometown to live a peaceful life with my daughter and parents.Finally, the moment arrived. Someone took the stage, and the audience gathered around. I followed the crowd with my heart pounding and fists clenched. I never expected ATL Empire to hold such significance in my life.Matthew stood beside me again, and I silently cursed him. I wondered why he still stuck to me like glue, even after getting what he wanted.Various speeches and formalities occurred on stage. It resembled

When Monday arrived, I had many matters to handle and people to meet. When I reached my office, I noticed how quiet it was. I even wondered if I had got off on the wrong floor.Despite the dark circles around his eyes, Josh knocked and entered my office with a smile. “Ms. Chloe, will the meeting start on time today?”"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" I replied while observing his expression. I couldn't help but wonder why he was so excited.He said, "Great, then I’ll inform the rest.”I entered the large meeting room at ten o’clock. People were in a heated discussion, demanding I settle accounts today.Before the meeting, I invited Adrian to come. After taking over Tanum Corporation, I signed an engagement agreement with him. He was my personal lawyer and the company’s legal counsel.Josh was presiding over the meeting, trying to ease the tension among the crowd. When he saw me, he introduced me to those present. I glanced at the people in the room, who looked like they were glari

I faced the suppliers fearlessly while maintaining my composure. “Everyone here had contracts with Matthew. Each payment and the obligations of both parties were clear. Do you think those contracts are just pieces of paper?“Each contract and payment was complete. Shouldn’t you approach Matthew if you face payment delays? Didn’t he pay you all?”Someone shouted, “There are still many outstanding payments!”I scoffed. “You dare to admit they’re outstanding payments? Why are you here to ask for them now? Do you need to beg for money because you’re tight on finances? How have you done business for so long with this attitude?!”I turned to Carol, who handed me a stack of documents. I slammed them on the table, causing them to slide everywhere.“Do you think you were so perfect? You all cut corners and compromised quality for your contracts with Matthew. Should I bring the developers in to discuss this or report it to the relevant authorities for investigation?“Maybe I should invite