Capítulos relacionados
Chapter 157 A Natural Talent for Cooking
I saw a sparkle in Atlas’s eyes when he saw the food I made. He took the knife and fork from me to start eating. He ate a lot this time, and I could tell he was starving. I stayed beside him and looked at him with my chin in my hand.We locked eyes when he looked at me, asking, “Haven’t you seen enough of me? You have a talent for cooking, that’s for sure.”I smiled. “Thanks!”I got up to clean the dishes, but he stopped me and held my hand. “Let’s go for a walk. I can’t let that man beat me.”I chuckled. “Get over it, okay? It was not that I had sex with him.”“You did think about it, didn’t you?”I laughed, and he kissed me hard. “You’re mine, okay?” “Hey!” I pulled away and palmed my lip when he bit it.“That should teach you a lesson.” He removed my hand and kissed me again. “Does it still hurt?”I pouted. “Of course!”After showering, he put on silk pajamas that looked great on him. They matched a long nightgown he had prepared for me, and I noticed they were a couple’s
Chapter 158 The Interrogation
Atlas’s words deepened my helplessness, and I became uneasy. I looked down and realized I didn’t just like him a bit. Instead, it seemed I had fallen into his trap. I was puzzled about why he always knew my thoughts, but I knew nothing about him.Furthermore, I couldn’t determine what Atlas meant when he said he liked me. After all, I wasn’t good enough for him regarding my background, status, looks, and age. I should be older than him and was a divorced woman with a four-year-old kid.A man like Atlas could easily find a better woman, yet I always thought of him despite myself. I didn’t know what to do but knew I should stop seeing him. Otherwise, I’d end up heartbroken.“That was why you refused to answer my call. You were trying to avoid me,” Atlas’s tone and gaze lost their warmth.I couldn’t help but step backward and look at him. “You’re right. I wanted to stop seeing you and still do because I’m not good enough for you. Perhaps I’ve been overthinking, but guys like you can g
Chapter 159 Highly Unusual
After a long while, Atlas stopped kissing me and whispered, “Don’t I want to hear your bullshit excuses again, got it?”I looked at him in a daze as he wiped my tears. Then he wrapped his fingers around mine and led me deeper into the courtyard.We arrived at an elevator, and he pulled me inside. As we reached the top, I realized it was an observation deck with a magnificent view. A bottle of red wine was already there for us. He poured me a glass and said, “Drink it. It’s good for you.”Still in a daze, I looked at him and downed the wine. I felt much calmer after taking a deep breath. He pulled me to the railing, and we looked at the bright moon. Then, he embraced me from behind, saying, “Get rid of all your negative thoughts.”After a pause, he continued, “When I saved you at the riverside, I told myself I’d look after you forever. I don’t care about the past, only the future. I mean it.”I leaned into him and stared at the moon that seemed so close I could touch it. I stayed a
Chapter 160 Testing Him
Carol awaited my decision. After some thought, I looked at her and said, “Since he’s already here, let’s meet him.”Carol smiled. “He might be up to no good, you know.”“It’s up to us to decide whether to work with them, right?” I said dismissively, “Let’s see what he says.”“All right, but please be careful." Carol left, and I watched her go with a raised brow, feeling fond of her. A while later, she led Damian into my office.The chubby man appeared to be in his late thirties. He smiled and shook my hand to greet me, “Nice to meet you, Ms. Chloe.”“Nice to meet you too, Mr. Damian. Have a seat.” I gestured toward the chair before my desk instead of the sofa.“Thanks!” He sat on the chair. “I heard so much about you. People keep telling me how well your company is doing.”I chuckled. “I’m sure every contractor in Foswood has heard of how I almost ran the company to the ground. I’m afraid you’re misinformed, Mr. Damian.”Damian blushed and smiled embarrassedly. “You’re being mo
Chapter 161 No Free Lunch
I studied his expression after telling him I would set a higher price.He pondered before saying, “That’s not a problem, Ms. Chloe. I’m sure you’re aware of Echelon Group’s reputation. We’re well known for quality work and always pay on time.”I was frank and said, “One more thing. As everyone knows, Tanum Corporation is undergoing restructuring because of the divorce.” I let my words sink in. “So... I’m careful in choosing our projects. I may require my clients to pay a 30 percent deposit.”All right, I knew I was pushing it when his face stiffened. Still, he asked for my help, and those were my terms.He hesitated and said, “Well, how about we compromise a little?”“Why don’t you provide us with the blueprints, and we can quote a price based on them? We can discuss more details later. What do you think, Mr. Damian?”“Sure, I’ll send you the blueprints later, and then we’ll talk.”“I’ll wait for the drawings, then.” I walked around my desk to see him off, and he shook my hand w
Chapter 162 An Unexpected Reward
After we made our decision, I talked to Ryan about the suppliers Benjamin had been working hard to keep.I invited Benjamin to join us in the discussion to lay out a more flexible strategy. Of course, we could only make arrangements after confirming the project with Echelon Group.That evening, Benjamin and Carol led all our employees to Gourmet Utopia, where they had reserved the largest private room available. It was fancier than my previous employee dinners, and all the staff were excited.Gourmet Utopia was known for hosting parties and banquets, so most of its customers came in groups. On my way there, I received a phone call from Atlas. He asked me where the dinner was, and I told him.“Hmm…” He reminded me, “No drinking, okay?”“Why do you care? I’m having a good time with my employees tonight.”I was happy that he sounded jealous.He asked, “Well, you’re mine, right?” I giggled and could picture him smiling on the other end. “Alright, I have to go. Don’t stay up too
Chapter 163 Not a Good Sign
Everyone burst into laughter. I knew Carol was trying to cover for me so people wouldn’t guess I was with Atlas. However, Ryan smiled at me, and I felt bad. Why did Ivanna tell me he liked me? Now, I felt like I had done him wrong. Ryan was thoughtful, so he only talked about work matters with me and asked nothing about Atlas’s extravagant treat.Carol went to settle the bill, but Atlas had already paid it. I wasn’t used to such special treatment. As we went to our cars, my phone rang again. I knew who it must be and answered, “You’re not spying on me again, are you?”“Mm-hmm.” A beam lit the path before me, and I squinted but couldn’t see who it was. Even though it was dark, I knew it was Atlas.Had he waited for me again? Somehow, I was touched.I walked over to his car, and he opened the door. “Get in.”Knowing I should not spend another night away from home, I paused. However, he held out his hand, and I entered the car. “I can’t stay with you tonight, okay?”“That’s
Chapter 164 Probing
Atlas became busy with work, and his calls and messages became less frequent. I felt lonely and wondered if he had forgotten about me. However, just when I’d feel doubt, he’d reach out as if ensuring I didn’t forget him, either. His sweet gestures reminded me he was still present in my life.Before I could set up a meeting with Lauren, she called and asked to meet me. We seemed to know each other’s thoughts. I had to admit that she was capable and had thrived in the “strange circles” in Foswood. She could dig up dirty little secrets about any VIPs in town. Lauren had discovered that Echelon Group was currying favors with local bureaucrats to secure the prized plot of land. Matthew appeared to be their obedient lackey, and Melanie now led Ardora Construction. She used their association with Echelon Group to win as many contracts as possible.The duplex project appeared to be a real deal. Lauren said, “Integra was the original contractor for the development, and the duplexes