I looked at Atlas helplessly, saying, "Is this a dead end then? Since her passing was so sudden, nobody would have known."I felt a bit disheartened; trying to find this map was like finding a needle in a haystack."Your father told me that he repeatedly told Lucille that this was something very important, and she had to keep it safe for him. However, Lucille was unaware of the purpose of the map.""Why?" I asked, puzzled."Your father said he never told her what exactly it was. But when Lucille suddenly passed away, it was lost."Neither of us knows, and the people at the old mansion are all gone. Nobody knows where she stored the map. This is truly a dead end." Atlas's tone was somber."Didn't you ask my dad about it again before we came here?" I said in a tone tinged with urgency as I turned to him."He mentioned a few possible places and was waiting for us to return to the Pierce residence to check. That's why I was eager to reclaim the Pierce residence." Atlas smiled at me
I looked at him, not entirely understanding what he meant. I met his questioning gaze and asked, "Are you saying you want to send me back to Foswood?"Atlas nodded and softly explained, "Yes. Fremont Bay is the safest place for you right now. I've ensured tight security there since it was constructed."Atlas was right about this. I fully believed it; Fremont Bay had secret passages, and the entire estate was very well-protected."I’d like to send you back to Fremont Bay so you can rest and get ready for our babies to arrive. I can't afford to have you in any danger. I'll only be at ease when you're in Fremont Bay.""Don't be so nervous. I'm fine! I’ll go back, but I want to return to the Pierce residence first," I asserted firmly.After all, that place had a different allure for me.When Atlas saw my firm attitude, he smiled and gently kissed my hand. "Okay. We'll go to the Pierce residence tomorrow."I knew he still had business to attend to, so I grinned broadly and remarked,
The next day, Atlas was by my side when I woke up. I didn’t know when he had come back.He sensed my slight movements and quickly opened his eyes to look at me. "You’re awake! How do you feel? Is there any discomfort?" he asked, as his large hand gently caressed my belly.He was divulging his deepest secret with that sentence. He must have come back early because he was really concerned about me.I quickly leaned over to nestle into his embrace and comforted him. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm not that fragile, and besides, you took good care of me yesterday. I didn't feel any discomfort at all!"He hugged me with a smile and kissed my forehead lightly. "We can't take any more risks.""Okay," I responded. "I’ll return after visiting the Pierce residence today."When I finally stood in front of the Pierce residence gate, I was a little shocked. The magnificent gates were gorgeous, grand, and breathtaking —just what I had imagined them to be.I could vaguely see the white palace-like
"Of course I remember! I mean, I spent ten years making memories here!" I said without hesitation. Then, I looked at Celine and asked, "Are you comfortable here?"Celine looked at me, suppressed her smile, and showed her usual arrogance. "This has been my home for a long time. Of course I’m comfortable!"I giggled and looked at Atlas, saying mischievously, "Look at how domineering Celine is. She’s still acting so self-righteous even though she’s occupying the house. Such admirable courage!"Atlas looked at my face, then kissed me indulgently in front of Celine and said, "How silly! You can come back here anytime you want."His tone was invincible. He sounded like a landlord coming to collect rent as if it were a matter of course.Celine watched our interaction indifferently, smiling lightly as if she didn’t care about what we were doing. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw her clenching her hand fiercely until her knuckles went white."I need to check if my piano is still here
Celine couldn’t keep her composure. She glanced at me and calmly said, "Kenzie is serious and doesn't smile much.""Is she the same with you?" I asked as I turned to Celine.Although Kenzie maintained a cold and arrogant expression, I could tell from her tightly clenched fists that she was exerting a lot of effort to control herself.When I saw that, I smirked mischievously and pulled apart Kenzie’s hands that were clasped together, saying, "Don't grip your own hands so tightly. Doesn't it hurt? Why are you so at odds with yourself?"Kenzie suddenly raised her head, and a fierce glint shot out from her eyes, piercing straight toward me. I quickly leaned into Atlas's embrace, pretending to be afraid as I said, "What's wrong? Why are you being so fierce? I was just teasing you. After all, I'm happy to be back home. Do you really have to look at me like that?"As he glared at Kenzie, Atlas's eyes immediately turned cold like a hawk's. An indescribable chill emanated from him, sending
I pretended to be cheerful as I approached, but the old woman stopped me before I could reach her rocking chair."Girl, I'm not a Cross!" Her tone was sharp. "Atlas, where did you find such a rash girl?"I immediately interjected, "Am I rash? But I've known for a long time that Atlas's grandmother is surnamed Cross, right, honey?""Right, my grandmother is indeed surnamed Cross." Atlas spoke to me in a lovely manner.I then pretended to look puzzled and glanced at the old woman in the rocking chair. "So, who are you, Grandma?""How insolent! Where did such an impudent brat come from?" The old woman was getting angry at being played by me."This is my home! I was just about to ask you the same question! How can you sit so comfortably in my home? And what's with the thing you're sitting on? It's ruining the attractiveness of this hall. It's really tacky!" I ruthlessly criticized the rocking chair beneath her without holding back"Honey, I'm back. Please quickly get rid of this t
The mother and daughter’s faces turned red.I said, "Anyway... wait! After all, even after doing all these vulgar and despicable things, they can still brazenly spout nonsense, flaunting their virtues in public and behind people's backs. Such people are everywhere, right?"I was really on the verge of laughing out loud.I held back my laughter and continued, "I just said a few words about the chair, and it's considered a sign of the decline of morality! Grandma, you haven't seen the world! Don't go around accusing people. I've never liked that kind of thing!"As for manners? People without manners naturally don't understand a refined upbringing! Otherwise, how could they engage in such underhanded deeds? Grandma, you simply don't understand our upbringing, just as we don't understand yours!"After saying that, I looked at the mother and daughter with great seriousness, pretending to be carefree. However, I was sure they wouldn't dare respond. After all, it's a matter of dignity.
I noticed a shift in his emotions. I asked softly while looking at him, "It's different now, isn't it?""Yeah." His eyes swept across the layout of the entire west side, and he said coldly, "It's no longer the same as before."I knew exactly why Atlas was angry. If the place had been tampered with, the chances of us finding any traces of the past were basically zero.Not to mention any signs of where my mother had left things.Putting his arm around my shoulder and patting it, Atlas reassured me, "I had expected as much.”Despite his words, his expression was depressing. I knew there was still some anger in him because he couldn't help me recall the past and felt regretful."But this also indicates something..." Atlas finished speaking and looked at me.I looked up at him and continued his thought, "Even if she changed the house, she still couldn't find anything of value by accident! In other words, the things aren't in this building!"His eyes skittered over his surroundings,