I looked around from my car, trying to spot anything unusual, but everything appeared normal. However, that strange feeling persisted.

With that nagging thought, I pressed on the gas pedal and drove home.

My parents were still in the living room, watching TV. I knew they had been waiting for me.

"Did you drop him off?" my mother asked.

"Yeah," I replied casually, changing my shoes before heading in. "Why aren't you two asleep yet?"

My dad finally got up, stretching with a yawn. "We were waiting for you to get home."

"Mr. Atlas seems quite special. And he treats Ava so well!" My mother seized the opportunity to tease me. "Who would've thought our little girl would be so clingy?"

"He's been quite lonely. Since his parents are gone, maybe he liked the warmth of our family."

Atlas must have spent New Year's alone amidst the celebrations of other households.

My father seemed interested. "He has a big company, right?"

"The bigger the company, the more he might be constrained. Whe