I entered the house, and my parents were still awake, waiting for me.When my mom saw how tired I looked, she grabbed my bag and asked, "Why are you so late? Have you eaten? Why do you look so pale?""I haven't eaten yet, Mom. I'm starving!" It's true what they say—a mother's child is always her treasure. No matter how old you are, as long as your mother is by your side, you're still her child."Alright, I'll heat some food for you!" "Dad, I'm going to change my clothes!" After saying that, I went upstairs. In truth, I longed for my daughter and went straight to Ava's room. Seeing her sleep so peacefully was heartwarming. Her chubby little legs were poking out from the blanket. I smiled and tucked them back in.She turned over, and her little hand grabbed my shirt. It was as if she sensed something and slowly opened her sleepy eyes. With a sweet smile, she called out, "Mommy!"At that moment, I felt more fulfilled than I ever had. What else could I possibly wish for? I h

Suddenly, I noticed a car parked outside the main door, and my heart skipped a beat. The soft night light in the room would show my silhouette, so I pulled the curtains and turned off the light.I leaned against the window, straining to hear any sounds from outside. My eyes grew teary, and I cursed myself for this display of emotion. Wasn't it better for us to stay in our own worlds?Only the faint sound of the car moving away could be heard, and a few tears escaped. I quickly pulled the curtains open and looked outside, but all I could see were the fading red tail lights disappearing from view. My heart tightened.He left even though it was late. He did not come in eagerly like he used to.I slowly drew the curtains again and sat blankly on the bed. Eventually, I got under the covers and tried to sleep.It was already close to noon the next day when I woke up. I woke up close to noon the next day, feeling refreshed. After getting ready, I went downstairs for lunch. I considered

This New Year was unlike any other before. I stayed home, enjoying the joyful atmosphere of a large family gathering filled with laughter and chatter. Little Ava became the center of attention.Even Ivanna joined us after just a few days away. Our family showcased their culinary skills, preparing their signature dishes and creating a festive atmosphere with bright lights in the yard.During the day, I pretended to be carefree like everyone else, but at night, my thoughts couldn't help but drift to that person. Had he left town? He hadn't called, and I didn't reach out. I wanted to test my self-control.Fortunately, I had Ivanna and Lauren to keep me company. Ivanna quietly whispered, "Harmony seems to be fading. She's been saying she spent Christmas overseas, but it's all a lie. She's my artist. I know she worked on a shoot the whole time. Is Atlas getting tired of her?"Lauren quickly nudged her and shot her a meaningful look.I calmly responded, "It’s none of my concern. I’ve

As I rushed out and ran toward the row of potted plants, I found nothing there. I stood there in confusion, knowing it wasn't just my imagination.Ryan suddenly appeared beside me. "Want some company for a walk?"I looked up at his face. He was smiling warmly. A pang of guilt washed over me, so I nodded. "Sure."We walked together through the yard, side by side. Ryan made me feel at ease, never once mentioning why I had dashed out in the first place.He chatted about our school days. Suddenly, I asked him, "Ryan, why can't I remember my childhood?""Which part are you referring to? If it's something related to me, I'll help you recall it." He looked at me with a smile.I shook my head. "No, it's from when I was younger. I remember everything with you, like when we first met in the teacher's office. My dad asked Mr. Thomas to tutor me in physics.""Ah, yes, in Mr. Thomas's office. You were wearing your school uniform and looked different from the others. Your hair was dark, your

I was caught off guard by his words and boldly retorted, "You're being sarcastic, aren't you?""Your turn." He looked at me meaningfully."My turn?" I suddenly felt nervous. This guy was trying to trap me."Is it because of the news online?" He was surprisingly perceptive. I thought he only buried himself in work, but he had quite a high emotional intelligence.He actually paid attention to the trending news."It's nothing to do with me. Many things are out of our hands. Swimming to shore rather than struggling in a whirlpool with no end in sight is preferable." I collected my thoughts. He had always been like a brother, irreplaceable."Ryan, I know you've been good to me. You're an irreplaceable older brother, whether it was in high school or now. As long as you're around, I feel secure."I've been feeling lost these past few days during my break. I always thought I was clear-headed, but I can't seem to move on. I'll focus on getting the company in order first before making

Ryan and I turned to see where the sound came from and saw a few people hurrying back into the yard. We exchanged a smile, and he said, "Uh-oh, they caught us!"I chuckled and playfully took his arm. "Let's go home."Once inside the house, everyone acted as if nothing had happened. However, we knew they were curious. Laughter and chatter filled the room once again.Vacations always seemed to pass quickly because they were full of joy and laughter. Before we knew it, the vacation ended, and it was time to return to work. This time, we were swamped.Ryan's parents had returned to their small town with plans to reunite for the next celebration.Ryan and I had developed a better understanding of each other. We had different roles this time: he was in charge of the projects, I handled the suppliers, and Grayson assisted Ryan with his projects and market analysis.I hadn't received any news from Atlas in a while. I avoided thinking about him and ignored anything concerning him. But dee

Melanie rushed toward me while Matthew followed with a displeased expression. "What are you doing? Be careful!""Chloe! What were you laughing at?" She pointed at me.I acted shocked and looked at her thoughtfully. "Are you asking me? We were just chatting about how there are so many dogs nowadays. If you don't leash them, they bite people. Rabies vaccinations are in high demand. Haven't you heard?"The woman beside us suppressed her laughter and nodded. "Exactly! Mad dogs are running wild these days. It's hard to guard against them."Melanie grimaced angrily.Suddenly, the doctor’s assistant called, "Chloe Hartz, you can come in now!"I stood up with my paperwork and approached the nurse. I handed her my documents before entering the examination room.I smiled when I entered, which delighted the doctor performing the ultrasound. "Oh my, a beautiful lady like you with such a sunny disposition. I've been seeing frowns all day, and you're the only one who comes in with such radian

As I returned to the lobby, I spotted Stella in the crowd. The person with her was Liora. They seemed close as they chatted and laughed while approaching the ward.I wondered if someone we knew got hospitalized but couldn’t think of any friends we might share. Judging by their closeness, they had become quite intimate recently.I paused, then turned to leave since it would be inconvenient for me to follow. Instead, I called Grayson and asked him to find out who was in the hospital.On the way back, I couldn't help but wonder if Stella was visiting Celine. If she were, why would Liora come to visit her? Did they have a connection? If so, it would be interesting. I would have to dig deeper to discover when and how they had become acquainted.That might explain why Celine had given up on the land near Operose during that critical moment. Did Celine have some dealings with Atticus?Back at the office, Carol informed me that Tobshampton Group had sent a representative. They wanted to d

I awaited Grayson’s answer, but he just smiled without a word. My heart pounded as I guessed, “Don’t tell me it’s Celine?”Grayson snapped his fingers. "It is! The old lady has acute appendicitis!"I leaned into my chair, my mind racing. It seemed Liora was involved with Celine. I immediately told Grayson, "Continue the investigation and find out if Celine is connected with Atticus or Liora."Grayson looked at me understandingly. The difference between Celine’s connection with either of them was significant. After Grayson left, I picked up the pen again. The image of that man appeared in my mind, and my heart skipped a beat.I couldn't help but think about the car parked in the woods, wondering if it was him. I took a deep breath, shook my head, and forced myself to dismiss the thought. After all, how could it be him?I got up to find Benjamin to learn more about Tobshampton Group. I planned to secure this contract tonight. I gripped the pen tightly, determined to sign that contra

I arrived at the company early the following day to sign the contract with Tobshampton Group.Benjamin was pleased since he had been eyeing Tobshampton Group and Synergy Solutions. That was because they were easy to work with and offered good profits. Moreover, Tobshampton Group's brand dominated Foswood’s market.It was one of my primary demands in my discussion with Eleanor last night.I agreed to a slight price increase, understanding that the costs of raw materials were rising. They offered us the goods at a cost price, and I wanted our sales to speak for themselves.I had laid the foundation for many of our clients when I reclaimed Tanum Corporation, even though Matthew took away most of them. Several clients had already informed me before the celebrations that they would sign with us in the new year.Of the 80% of clients Matthew had taken, 60% had returned. It was a significant show of support. The remaining 40% who hadn't returned even assured me they would go with the new