"That just proves he’s not your true partner! A true partner can give you everything you want and also protect you. He can’t give you anything but trouble." My words were harsh, but Ivanna didn’t argue. After a long pause, she murmured, “Actually, I’ve struggled with it, too. But I can’t bear the pain of leaving him... I’d rather face death head-on.”I fell silent since I understood what Ivanna was saying. How could I break my addiction to Atlas? Perhaps, like our current situation, the best way was for him to have a change of heart.“How did you two meet?” I asked Ivanna.She sat motionless on the sofa, her voice soft and distant as she recounted the story.“It was coincidental. It was about one of my artists, Vanessa Oakley. She was taken to Emgrand Nightclub and caught the eye of some playboys there. Coincidentally, Vanessa was a promising new talent I had high hopes for.”I sat next to her, listening intently.“The day things went south, she called me. So I rushed to Em

After some silence, Ivanna said, "I was supposed to plan for my artists' best interests. I couldn't let the one I'm responsible for get hurt, right? Things would’ve been different if she had called me."I knew Ivanna was a woman of principle. I felt guilty when I initially suspected her of being involved with Matthew. Even though she never held it against me, it weighed heavily on my conscience.Ivanna missed my wandering thoughts and continued, "Back then, I just wanted to get Vanessa out of there. She had just started her career and showed great potential. Venessa was willing to work hard and wasn't interested in vanity.“She was much more valuable than Harmony. What could I do? Stand by and watch someone destroy her life and future?"I nodded in agreement.Ivann’s tone turned severe, "Also, Eloise introduced Vanessa to Emgrand Nightclub. She lied to Vanessa, saying she was arranging an endorsement deal for her.""Eloise is a menace. Why would your company continue to employ so

I needed to find a way to meet Jared. Given the situation, he either had a hidden agenda or treated Ivanna as another fling. Both would be devastating to Ivanna. I couldn’t stand aside and watch my friend crumble.I thought Trinity didn't care about him or ignored his affairs, but those were slim chances. A woman who commanded such respect wouldn't tolerate sharing her man. When I saw them together, their chemistry was unmistakable.I felt an increasing dread. Still, Ivanna seemed prepared for the worst."There are no unyielding principles regarding emotions. Once you’re in it, you can’t resist, right? We're only human, not gods. The heart wants what it wants." Ivanna was conflicted, and her words left me uneasy.Though I understood her, bittersweet love was something only few could grasp.It was late, so I prepared to leave. Ivanna said, "Why don’t you stay the night?"I shook my head. "I'd rather go home. We both could sleep here, but I have something important to do tomorrow.

Atlas grew greedier as we kissed. He cradled my head and prevented me from pulling away. Finally, he released me and looked at me affectionately."Are you still jealous?" His husky voice returned me to my senses, and I met his eyes.I stared at him dumbfounded as he touched my lips. He tenderly said, "Your body is more honest than your attitude. It shows how much you crave me."Atlas’s shameless words resembled a thorn in my side."Stop spouting nonsense!" I retorted."You're not being honest. If you genuinely despised me, as your expression suggests, you would’ve pushed me away earlier. But you enjoyed it and craved it even more. Your eyes are still sparkling. It just proves how much you want me. Am I wrong?" He smirked. "Would you like to try again?"I pushed him away and cursed, "You’re shameless!"Then I reached for the car door, got out, and slammed it shut. His words angered me because I knew he was playing with me. He just dropped off one girl and came to flirt with me.

Lauren agreed when she heard my request. "Okay, wait for my update. I'll do it as soon as possible."Grayson was waiting for me in my office, which surprised me. I said, "It's so early. What's up?"He stood up and handed me several papers. "These are the files on Jared and Trinity you asked for. Also, they met an elderly man at Alvatraz last night. The strange thing is, I couldn't find out who he was."I nodded, pondering. People like Jared and Trinity always had secrets, so the mystery wasn't surprising. I couldn't wait to go through the information Grayson provided.Suddenly, I remembered someone investigating Hartz Construction’s case and asked Grayson, "Did you find out who was looking into Hartz Construction?"Grayson answered, "Not yet. The person disappeared before I could intercept their code. It seems they’re a rare talent to exit so swiftly. The person looking into us is formidable.”"Keep looking. Whoever is targeting our company's system is not an ordinary person. It

My eyes widened as I looked at Grayson's phone. The photo showed a boy and girl with distinct features, around ten years old.I couldn’t stop looking at the little girl's delicate and beautiful face. She had large eyes, thin lips, and, most notably, a small dimple below her mouth. She had two long pigtails with strawberry-shaped hairpins and wore a light pink dress.She looked incredibly familiar, and I wondered why she resembled Ava.The handsome boy beside the girl wore a white shirt and plaid shorts. He had one hand in his pocket and the other resting on a chair. The little girl leaned on the chair with a basketball placed on it.The boy had striking features and an aloof smile. He appeared less cheerful than the girl but had an air of sophistication. I knew it was a young Atlas."Is this... Is this a photo of Atlas when he was young?" My heart pounded, and my mind raced."Yes, it's Atlas and the real Stella during childhood," Grayson confirmed. "Now, look at the next picture.

After some hesitation, Grayson nodded. "Yes.""So, what are you implying?" I couldn't imagine where this was going. It was unfortunate that such a bright and lovely little girl had met such a tragic fate.When Grayson sent me the photo, I returned to my seat and looked at it through my phone. I felt conflicted and muttered, “Why is everything so complicated? Why did they start calling her Annalise?”I continued, murmuring, "Grayson, who do you think the current Stella is? Why have they both appeared in the orphanage in the mountains?"These questions were confusing, and I couldn't understand them."That's why I'm continuing to investigate. There are too many mysteries here, and I feel like there's a missing link," Grayson explained.I looked at him. "What do you think is wrong?""For example, after Rory's death. They confirmed his identity through official DNA testing. There shouldn't be any mistakes. So why would Stella boldly appear by Celine’s side and even be adopted as her

“Yeah, Rory is a man of integrity. Take your time going through these,” Grayson instructed, concerned about me. "Chlo, you should rest for a while. I have an appointment to attend."I asked him, “Oh, I need to go to Solaris in the next day or two. Do you have anything on your schedule?”He replied, "Well, if possible, I'd like to go with you. I want to introduce you to a client. I think you need to meet this person.""Okay, I'll tell you when I plan to leave, and you can tell me more about this person on the way," I said to Grayson.Just then, Carol arrived with the painkillers. Seeing Grayson, she said, "There's a report you need to sign.""Sure.""Oh... Chloe, we have an appointment with ATL Empire at 10 o'clock. You rest first, but we should leave soon," Carol reminded me.I quickly took the medicine from her, swallowed a pill, and drank water.Grayson told Carol to bring the report for him to check. After signing it, he handed it to me. "This is the finances for Hartz Const

I was still shocked when Atlas touched my forehead. He asked, "Are you unwell?"I wondered if he genuinely cared as I met his concerned expression. Well, he was compassionate and energetic when dealing with women.I struggled, and his lips brushed against my forehead. He touched my cheek, saying, "You're not feverish, so why do you look so pale?"His tone remained tender, which made me dizzy. I was excited but tried to control it, fearing I might get caught in an emotional whirlwind. What did he take me for?"That isn't something you should be worrying about." I pushed him away and mocked him. I instinctively stepped back but leaned against the door with a thud.Before I could react, he pinned me against the door. His gaze at me and slowly drew closer. As I watched him inch closer, an image flashed in my mind. I imagined someone else getting closer to me with urgency and panic.Then, that person held me and reassured me, saying, “Stay awake! Everything will be okay!”I was start

Harmony rushed into the examination room, fully disguised, before I could recover. "Mr. Atlas..."She froze when she saw me on the hospital bed. She approached Atlas and asked, "What's going on here?"Atlas didn't answer but gestured to the doctor and left the ward. Harmony stepped forward, looking displeased. “Chloe, what are you doing? Why are you here?""How’d you get here?" I retorted instead of answering her question."Haha, Atlas asked me to come!" she retorted boldly.I laughed bitterly. I wasn't sure what Atlas’s intentions were. Harmony crossed her arms and persisted, "Are you pretending to be pitiful? You’re such a schemer. How dare you resort to such despicable tactics just to see him?"Her words were harsh, but I had no energy to argue. I struggled to sit up. While the headache had subsided, I felt sore all over. Harmony looked at me disdainfully, warning me, "Stop shamelessly pestering Atlas, okay?""How do you know it's me who pestered him?" I asked."Who else cou