There was a sense of urgency in his quick, forceful movements. I was shocked at how audaciously Dylan shoved Atlas’s girlfriend.He quickly cautioned, "Ms. Chloe, please find shelter in the inner room. Once things calm down outside, leave the building quickly, and don't mention that you were at the hospital!" After Dylan left, Carol glanced at the consultation room and saw the small inner chamber. She quickly pulled me inside.We could hear bustling footsteps from the corridor outside. Carol and I dared not make a sound, fearing that someone might discover us.I was clueless about what was going on outside. Why would such a maneuver be necessary? Still, since Atlas had arranged it that way, I had to comply.Carol and I hid in the inner room for half an hour, waiting until it grew quiet outside. Only then did we venture outside. She led the way, making sure there were no strangers in the corridor before motioning for me to follow.Finally, we left the hospital and returned stra

I looked at the phone, and there was new information. It stated that Harmony had acute cholecystitis. Even the attending physician had given an interview.Atlas had successfully removed me from this incident entirely. It was clear he intended to show the world that Harmony was ill, with no connection to me.I couldn’t understand why he would go to such lengths. Why did he bring me to the hospital if he didn’t want anyone to know we were connected? Was it really necessary to conceal my medical condition and change the doctor?It seemed like an inconsequential detail. What would it matter if everyone knew about my illness? It wasn’t even really an illness, just a case of amnesia.I paused. Could this be related to my amnesia? No, it couldn't be.My mind was filled with surreal images, various versions of what I might have missed as a child. There were pictures of Annalise and Stella, scenes from when I fell off a motorcycle, and more…Those images were strange, and they gave me a s

I had already brewed the tea when Jared entered the room. I looked at the refined man, his eyes brimming with the depth and wisdom that only time and experience could bring.He didn't seem surprised to see me, merely giving me a subtle quirk. "Hello. We've met before."I nodded and got up. "Yes, we have. I'm Chloe, Ivanna's closest friend.""She mentioned you." I was a little uneasy about his composed manner. After all, this man was enigmatic. I felt the vast disparity in our status as a woman watching out for my best friend.Both of us sat looking calm, but there was a faint air of distance. Neither of us rushed to speak.It wasn’t that I didn't want to start the conversation, but I had never interacted with someone like him before. I had no idea how to begin. I gestured toward the tea I had poured for him. "Please, Mr. Jared."He got straight to the point. "Do you know what you wanted to discuss with me?" "Ivanna," I replied directly.What else was there to talk about

I started to feel nervous. His eyes were bottomless as he scrutinized my expression."Ms. Chloe, for Ivanna, I will do everything in my power," he stated, with no unnecessary words.Although it sounded concise, coming from a man of Jared's stature, it held weight."Are you willing to let go?" I persisted."I never once thought of letting her go," he affirmed firmly.I felt moved. Such words, especially when spoken by someone like Jared, were a powerful tool for touching a woman's heart.What more was there to ask? I had intended to ask if he could keep that promise, but how could I even ask such a question to a man like him?I coolly stated, "Honestly, your answer doesn't satisfy me. These words may be significant to you, but they appear superficial. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, especially in Trinity's case. "Perhaps one day I will ask you to protect Ivanna's life, but you might not be able to. Even if Ivanna is willing to give her life for you, I am not willi

My response threw Lauren off guard. She couldn't quite grasp what I was getting at."What do you mean?" She tilted her head to look at me. Perhaps my despondent expression had slowed her train of thought."If we had met the right person at the right time, we wouldn't face these complications. You, me, and Ivanna. Why didn't we meet the right person at the right time?"Lauren suddenly understood what I meant. She shrugged, looking resigned."If I had realized that Ryan had been with me from the start, we could have fallen in love, married, and had children. We would’ve led a simple and fulfilling life." My expression softened."Just like you met Oliver at the right time, how fortunate! If Ivanna had met Jared at the right time, she wouldn't have to be so anxious, would she?" I leaned against the wall."How do you know this isn't the right time?" Lauren countered. "For most people, there are two types of romantic situations. Love at first sight and growing affection. We're not ordi

Ava's questions surprised me, and I responded vaguely before quickly getting up, "Ava, Mommy doesn't have time to take you today. You can take a walk to the kindergarten with grandma, okay?”"Mommy, when will you get home? When are we going to the island?" Ava slid off her chair and approached me excitedly.I knew I couldn't make promises, or she’d question me endlessly. I almost slapped myself for bringing it up. Even if we were going, I should’ve kept it a surprise. But now, I couldn’t fulfill my promise. I had to make it happen no matter what, or I would let my family down.I looked at her excited expression and thought before saying, “We’ll go when I return from Solaris, okay?”I thought taking my parents on vacation would be perfect since Matthew derailed our plans last time. Afterward, I put my small suitcase in the trunk and said goodbye to Ava before leaving for work.However, I saw someone standing at the neighborhood entrance. The woman appeared much skinnier since I las

Grace was petrified as she stared at me, trying to determine if I was telling the truth. She also observed my expression to see if I was being nice. She looked skeptical as she gazed at my seemingly gentle demeanor.I realized why some people hated others. It was because of the things they did in the past.Finally, Grace looked away and mumbled, “I-I just… want to see her.”My heart softened as I looked at Grace. It had been nearly half a year since she saw Ava. The last time might’ve been when they stayed at my place before my divorce. They probably hadn’t met since then.I knew it must’ve taken a lot of courage for Grace to stand here now. I calmly said, “You have my number, so you can call me whenever you want to see her.”She looked at me doubtfully and said, “Y-You’ll… allow me to see her? You’re not going to… stop me?”I answered, “I never said you couldn’t see Ava. I just don’t want you to disturb or hurt her normal life. I won’t stop you if you can do that.”Grace became

Grace knelt at the gate and reached through it as she waved at my daughter. “Ava, come here! Ava…”Even my deepest grudges vanished at that moment. After all, Grace was an elderly woman who had a troubled life. Now, she had to face such a thing in her old age. Still, someone had to be responsible for causing this tragedy.I felt a tear in my eye as I turned away and gulped. I noticed Ava retreating while Grace cried, “Ava, please come here. Don’t you want to see your grandma?”She appeared frantic, looking around as if seeking help to get inside. I could no longer bear it and approached the gate. Ava saw me and called out, “Mommy!”She let go of my mom’s hand but didn’t run toward me. Perhaps she was scared, or Grace’s changed appearance made Ava think she was a stranger.When I reached Grace, I reassured her, “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to her first, okay?”Grace looked at me tearfully as I spoke.Meanwhile, my mom softly spoke to Ava, presumably encouraging her to come over. I kne

I looked toward the departing Grace and felt a sense of oppression. We were once a close-knit family who shared everything, but it had come to this. I realized how unpredictable life could be.I recalled Grace angrily defending Melanie at the baby’s full moon party. Looking at Grace now, I understood her life must be far from ideal, given how worn and aged she looked. After getting in the car, I drove to the office feeling gloomy.I dealt with some urgent matters and told Ryan I needed to go to Solaris. After some thought, he said, “Can you postpone it for a day? We can go together tomorrow.”“You want to come?”Ryan smiled at me, saying, “I mentioned wanting to visit a few friends there last time. I can’t leave yet since we have clients from Canta coming to discuss business.”I thought about it and realized postponing the trip wouldn’t make much difference. After all, I felt unsettled after what happened in the morning. I considered Ava, knowing she wouldn’t be happy today, eithe

Bourdamun was a neighboring city to Muborough. However, the former’s economy couldn’t match Muborough. Although close, Bourdamun lacked a coastline, which slowed its development.Matthew hadn’t taken projects in Bourdamun in recent years because of its sluggish development. I hadn't even considered anything in Bourdamun. A client from there visited today, and I was curious to learn about it.Jeremiah smiled sincerely, but his words were doubtful. He said, “Yes, we’re in the development business. I heard Tanum Corporation’s interior design and construction are leading in Foswood. I’ve always wanted to work with you, but the timing was never right.I smiled calmly and responded, “That’s an overstatement, Mr. Jeremiah. Tanum Corporation is just an ordinary company. It’s been a rough year, so I wouldn’t dare claim it’s leading in anything.“We do our best to uphold honesty and quality to satisfy our clients. Do you have any ongoing construction projects?” I didn’t want to stall. Instea