A wave of relief washed over me with Celine's departure from Foswood. Maybe things would become more manageable for us to investigate. From a particular perspective, this was good news.I asked Grayson to monitor the situation at ATL Empire. Celine leaving would have set things in motion. Even though Atlas was injured, the company had to keep going.Then it struck me—Atlas's home, the grand estate on the hills. It had been his private haven. I wondered if he might be there. After finishing my work at the company, I hopped in my car and headed for the estate.The season was just right, with lush scenery to the south. This area was still considered on hold, and I noticed construction activity over at the scenic area. It indicated ATL Empire was developing it.I turned onto the private road leading to the estate, and my heart began to race. I had a strong feeling that my hunch was correct. In my eagerness, I hit the gas. I could drive right into the estate on previous visits, but th
As I was about to exit the private road, I saw a bright red dot in the distance. It struck me—could that be Stella's red sports car? My heart skipped a beat at the thought. Stella? Was she here at Fremont Bay?I hesitated and followed my instincts. I spotted a small path leading into the woods and maneuvered my car into the junction. Thankfully, my midnight blue Panamera was discreet and wouldn't be easy to spot.Before long, a red sports car whooshed by, confirming my suspicions. Was it Stella? I couldn't be sure, but it seemed plausible since they were relatives. Just as I hesitated, a black sedan swiftly entered.I parked and waited for some time, but no other cars entered or left. Only then did I leave my concealed spot and return to the private road, exiting Fremont Bay premises.Back in the city, I called Nick to set up a meeting, using a project-related excuse as cover. He didn't refuse and instructed me to come to his office. Upon arriving, I got straight to the point."
I stood there feeling helpless and confused. Maybe because Atlas trusted Nick, my emotions got the best of me. I couldn't conceal my anxiety as I looked at him."Mr. Nick, besides the head injury, how is he? Is he okay? Did the doctors say when he might wake up? And...will there be any lasting effects?"I felt myself on the verge of breaking down. Why did fate have to be so cruel? Why did it have to be Atlas?Nick looked at my face, helpless. “He also had arm and chest injuries, but the head injury was the worst. The doctors can't provide a definite timeline for when he'll wake up. It could be a few days or maybe even months, depending on how the bleeding in his head resolves."I couldn’t hold back my tears, but I quickly wiped them away."Ms. Chloe, you should go back. This accident has already disrupted Atlas's plans. We all hope he wakes up soon and can take charge," Nick said seriously. "Of course, I understand how you feel, but now that this has happened, we must focus on mov
Ryan, who hadn’t seen me all day, was anxious. He had called me multiple times, but I hadn't answered. When I finally returned, he hurriedly followed me into my office."Chlo, where were you? Are you feeling unwell?" Ryan's concern was evident as he noticed the pallor on my face.I sank wearily into my chair. "I went to ATL Empire and met with Nick.""Any news?" Ryan inquired promptly, fully aware of why I had met with Nick."H-He's still unconscious! He hasn't woken up yet." I didn't hold back any details from Ryan. I felt utterly powerless. "He suffered a head injury. They're keeping the news under wraps."Ryan understood the gravity of the situation and said, "No wonder they are trying so hard to hide this. This happened as Atlas announced his takeover. It's not a good sign. Those loyalists of Celine, I'm afraid they will be active again.""The most important part is not knowing when he will wake up. Today, Celine returned to Nocturnia. I initially thought it was good news, bu
I remembered something and said to Ryan, “Speaking of Atlas’s injury, I haven't seen or heard anything about Dylan since then. Is Dylan also seriously injured?”I looked at Ryan in puzzlement.He nodded and replied, “You're right. Dylan should be injured, too.”“He was in the same car as Atlas. Judging from the car’s condition, Dylan should also be seriously injured.” I recalled what I had seen on the screen that day. Indeed, the car was severely damaged.“Chlo, trust that Atlas will be okay. You need to relax,” Ryan reassured me, fearing I would get worked up again, “Sometimes, we must think things through.”I helplessly nodded and said, “There’s nothing else I can do. I can’t see how Atlas is, so I can only wait. Please check on the progress of our project in the next few days, especially the project with ATL Empire. We must carefully avoid any mistakes to prevent Celine from causing trouble.”Just then, someone knocked on my office door. I said, “Come in!”Carol entered and w
I became cold and arrogant. While I was nervous during their first visit, I also felt resentful this time. The cops’ attitudes, expressions, and tone annoyed me.“I’m curious, officers. What exactly are you investigating? Although I’m not a professional, I know you’ve missed some crucial questions. I don’t know if you intentionally avoided asking them or if you already have the answers,” I spoke with skepticism.After a pause, I asked, “Why didn’t you ask me what Kennedy wanted to tell me?”Immediately after asking that question, I stared at the officer to observe his reaction. As expected, he was speechless.The other officer awkwardly said, “That’s what we wanted to ask you next.”“Then let me ask you two something. Did you overlook this question on your previous visit? Or did you avoid asking it? Maybe you already know what he wanted to tell me?” My follow-up questions were assertive.I continued questioning, “Since this case involves me, can I know why you’re investigating th
I remained silent momentarily before saying, “I was eager to know how severe his injuries were and why there’s no news about it.”One of the officers said, “Mr. Atlas suffered severe injuries in his accident, and ATL Empire requested to remove the news.”I couldn’t help but frown at the words “severe injuries.”“We could only cooperate with ATL Empire. However, it doesn’t affect how we usually handle his case. The news blackout only concerns Mr. Atlas’s condition, not the case’s outcome. The public should receive a satisfactory explanation once we’ve concluded the case.”I knew the officer was tight-lipped and that trying to extract the information I wanted from them was unlikely. However, I deduced that Celine had ordered to block the news because Atlas was in a coma.Although it was a reasonable precaution on her part, I needed to know what she planned to do afterward. I figured only she and her people knew.I helplessly looked at the two officers and softened my tone, “That’s
Yesterday, Ivanna told me that Stella had visited Harmony. Today, I was surprised to see Harmony at my office.I leaned into my office chair as I watched Harmony saunter in. I smirked and said, “Hey, Ms. Harmony, did you wander into the wrong office? Although we’re neighbors, we have no business together.”Harmony responded playfully, “What’s wrong with that? You should be honored that I came here. Not to brag, but many companies want to hire me.”I stood up with a bright smile, walked out from behind my desk, and sat on the couch. After gesturing for Harmony to join me, I said, “You’re right. Since you’re a guest, please have a seat.”Harmony appeared playful and elegant as she sauntered to the couch. She put down her bag and put it aside. She looked at me and said, “I didn’t expect your company to be so well-organized. I underestimated you.”Her words made me see her in a different light. I was surprised that she dared to speak the truth. I agreed that she had underestimated me.