Ivanna looked at me sympathetically while I stared back. I was trying hard not to cry."Chlo, don't be upset. We're in this together now," she said, trying to console me. My eyes welled up with tears, and I rushed into the bathroom.I quickly texted Johnson, washed my face, and returned to the room."What should we do?" I asked, my voice trembling. "I-I'm ready to do whatever it takes. I don't care about my pride anymore."Tears streamed down my face, and I felt utterly helpless.Suddenly, Matthew's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, then hurriedly answered. Although I couldn’t hear what was said, I saw him turn pale. Then he said through trembling lips, "I understand." After hanging up, Matthew’s head bowed in defeat. Ivanna shot me a glance, and I raised an eyebrow at her.He lifted his head and said, "I need to step out for a moment. I'll be back soon. Ivanna, please stay with Chlo. I have something to take care of.""Where are you going?" I asked with a hint of disp

She yelled at me. "Chloe, you seem pretty comfortable, huh? Acting all high and mighty as the boss. Do you think you’re qualified?"I sat calmly in my chair and looked at her. Johnson followed her inside, attempting to mediate. "Ms. Murphy, why are you here? Can't you resolve it at home? There are so many people here, and it's not the right place. Besides...""Is she afraid of causing a scene? Who does she think she is?" Melanie was on a roll, her words cutting.I could see the employees standing and looking at us through the frosted window. I turned to Johnson and said, "Tell them to go home early."Johnson quickly went to disperse the curious employees. They left the office reluctantly. Typically, they’d vanish even if there were only twenty minutes left in the workday.I relaxed in my seat and watched Melanie. "Please go on with what you just said."Johnson sensed the tension and positioned himself between us, just in case.Melanie looked at me with the arrogance of a bull

"Both of you, shut up!" Matthew shouted."So you're protecting her, huh? You cradle your sister and let her call the shots. Honestly, she doesn’t seem like your sister at all. From the looks of it, she's the one sleeping by your side. You do whatever she says! You're like her lapdog!" I couldn’t help but point it out."Come on, Chloe... What are you talking about? Can’t you show a little restraint? Think about the bigger picture?" Matthew's face suddenly changed color, and he shoved me away, causing me to stumble. "Ms. Chloe!" Johnson gasped, offering support as I steadied myself and glared at Matthew.Melanie hid behind her brother and whispered venomously in his ear. "Matt, can't you see she's only after your money? She only cares about herself. Has she ever genuinely worried about you?"She turned to me. "Chloe, remember that Tanum Corporation belongs to the Murphy family. It legally belongs to Matt. It has nothing to do with you. So what if you were the founder? You can't eve

I marveled at the lush greenery, with birds singing and flowers in full bloom."Where is this?" I asked softly."Utopia," he replied, his voice captivating.I turned to the tall man standing next to me. In his presence, I felt safe.My heart raced as a realization hit me. Whenever I was with Atlas, it felt like my soul was being pulled to him. I lost myself, wanting only to follow his lead.I was ashamed of my lack of self-respect. As someone who had hit rock bottom and been abandoned by everyone, I was about to fall for someone else. However, he was undeniably attractive, which made resisting him difficult. He smiled warmly at me, and I stared at him like a deer caught in headlights. Atlas gently brushed a strand of hair from my face. "You've lost weight in just a few days, haven’t you? You look like a damsel in distress!"His words made me smile awkwardly and pull away. "Well, I’m still beautiful, aren’t I?”I cringed at my own words. Did I just call myself beautiful? As

He grabbed my wrist just as I turned. I avoided his eyes, feeling awkward and powerless. We stood there for what seemed like an eternity. He gently pulled me back into his embrace, resting my head on his chest."You need to leave him as soon as possible," Atlas urged, and it softened my resolve."But I need to expose his true colors. Only then can I justify the time I've wasted on him. I won't allow them to continue humiliating me. I want them to pay for their actions and reclaim everything that belongs to me and my daughter.""I said I'd help you," he reassured me.Suddenly, I embraced Atlas and felt an unfamiliar sense of safety."I must cleanse this shame alone. Do you understand?" I looked at him with tears in my eyes. "This is the only way I can do right by myself and my parents, who have supported me.""Come with me." Atlas released me and took my hand. He led me through the breathtaking resort grounds to a small building. I barely paid attention to the stunning beauty arou

After some hesitation, I asked, “Why are you treating me so well?”Atlas smiled at me before ruffling my hair. At that moment, my world felt bright again. He was skilled at flirting, and I felt he had enchanted me."Because I like you. Is that okay?" Atlas asked.My face lit up when he said that. Although I was married, his charisma affected me. I couldn’t believe it when he said he liked me. Such sweet nothings might work on young and innocent girls, but my daughter was almost old enough to understand what love was.I knew my marriage was ending, and I would soon become divorced. However, the outstanding man before me told me he liked me. Even I could sense the irony of the situation.Atlas noticed my silence and pulled me into his arms. "Why do you always torture yourself by overthinking everything? There can be countless reasons to like someone."I rolled my eyes, freed myself from his grasp, and enjoyed the delicious meal. It would be a waste not to savor it. He watched me re

I lay in bed and eventually fell asleep. My nightmare consisted of Matthew and Melanie tormenting Ava and me. I woke up crying but could not release my suppressed anger and frustration.The chirps of birds and the morning sun gradually calmed my racing heart. When I got dressed and went downstairs, I realized I hadn’t appreciated this place’s breathtaking beauty. I knew I shouldn’t miss such a magnificent view.It was already dawn when Atlas found me. He observed my face with concern and asked, “Did you sleep well?”I smiled. "I slept wonderfully! Thank you.""Here we go again with the unnecessary thanks," he said, taking my hand. "Are you hungry? Let's have breakfast."Breakfast at this place was sumptuous, and I enjoyed it. I needed all the energy I could get to face what lay ahead. On our way back, Atlas reminded me, "Take care of yourself and don’t be too stubborn.”I was unsure what he meant by "stubborn," but I did not inquire further. It was my first time being out overnig

Matthew sent his family away after achieving his objectives. However, I didn’t bother to see them off, thinking celebrating our wedding anniversary was great for my plan. Since Matthew wanted it to be lively, I would give that to him.After all, I had nothing to lose because he had tarnished my reputation.Matthew left for work in high spirits after coaxing me. Immediately after, I called Johnson and asked about the progress.He said, “Chlo, I did my best, but he won’t reveal his intentions. I couldn’t do anything about that either. I recorded the conversation you wanted and will send it to you soon.“Also, he knows about your…meet up with Mr. Atlas from ATL Empire. Matthew said…Well, you should listen to the recording yourself.Johnson hung up and sent me the voice recording. Johnson’s voice sounded first, “Mr. Matthew, the representatives of ATL Empire and another company are meeting for dinner tonight. I have a bad feeling about it.”"Find out the purpose of the dinner.”“Wil

I answered the call and heard Melanie’s usual arrogant tone, “I have something to tell you. Let’s meet.”"Why didn't you tell me that when you were at my place just now?" I asked.“It concerns us, not something suitable to say in front of the others. Come to Midnight Bar now!” She hung up without waiting for my response.While holding my phone, I wondered what Melanie was up to. Still, I wanted to know what she had to say, so I rolled out of bed and checked the time. It was almost noon, so the bar wouldn’t be open at this hour.After some thought, I decided to play it safe and changed into jeans, a T-shirt, and a pair of casual flats. I tried calling Ivanna as I drove in case something went wrong. Unfortunately, she was out of town.I hesitated while holding my phone and finally called Atlas. Immediately after, I decided against it since Melanie knew I had met with him before. I knew it was best not to complicate things and hung up the call as I arrived at the bar.I had never be

Melanie grinned as she spoke, and I knew her following words wouldn’t be pleasant. Still, I remained unfazed, saying, “I don’t think coming here makes a difference. Just say what you must, and don’t beat around the bush. Your family isn’t here.”"Haha! You always act all high and mighty. Matt can't stand you acting like a princess. You're boring and awkward, even when you're trying to act cute!" Melanie smirked."Melanie, do you even know what shame is?" I was furious. "I've never seen anyone as shameless as you.""Chloe, why do you always act superior to everyone? You used to be so patient and enduring. How did you feel when you found the condoms in Matt’s pocket? He said you two never used those."Her words made me nauseous. I never expected Matthew to share our sex life with her. It was disgusting.Melanie swirled her wine, noticing my glare. She continued to grin, saying, "Are you angry? Let me tell you something. I put them there without his knowledge.”She laughed as if she