I almost laughed aloud after finally realizing who that woman was. She was Melanie’s biological mother. The woman was a drama queen. She kept repeating, “You made it hard for me to find you.”However, her expression felt out of place. I wondered what she was looking for.After birthing Melanie, the woman left her with the Murphys and showed no concern over the years. Since that was the case, I couldn’t believe her struggles to find Melanie.The Murphys caused a stir when they moved out of their old place. The woman would only need to ask around to find their new place. Considering her attire, she probably didn’t fare well alone. Now, she had found a lucky break.I knew she was a troublemaker, too. Her return meant that the Murphys, especially Grace, were in for dark times ahead. I couldn’t help but glance at Grace, shaking with anger. I felt genuine sympathy for her.After all, she had sincerely cared for Ava over the years.I admired Lauren for managing to find that woman. I won
Lauren tugged at my hand, I glanced at Carol, and then we left together. When we arrived at a fondue restaurant, Carol could not wait to ask Lauren how she found Melanie’s biological mother. Lauren smiled smugly and told us everything. She had tasked her friends with finding Abby and had been waiting for an opportunity to put her to use. It was clear why Matthew was so embarrassed.Lauren had searched for Abby for several months. About a month ago, she received word that Abby was in the suburbs. The older woman had been hopping from one place to another, marrying and causing trouble for her various husbands.However, Abby had never established herself properly.Lauren had brought her back to Foswood in time for Matthew’s party. She had wined and dined Abby for an entire evening, subtly influencing her. Hence, Abby could not wait to reunite with her ‘successful’ daughter.Carol and I burst into laughter as we listened to Lauren’s story. It was quite a spectacle, and the Murphys we
When I finished explaining my plan, Lauren slammed the table. “I knew you were a sly fox! Your plan is the way to go. We either stay still or make a big move. Let’s go with your plan.”After some thought, even Carol exclaimed, “Ms. Chloe, you blew my mind! I know what to do for your next steps.”We were elated as we celebrated our newfound determination.“I’ve had this idea for a while now,” I said as I looked at Lauren thoughtfully, “It’s just that the timing wasn’t right. I wanted to keep it to myself, but they kept pushing me. The Murphys thought I was an easy target, didn’t they?”Lauren dipped a mushroom into the fondue and added, “They don’t deserve forgiveness. Ivanna was right when she said you were too kind-hearted. Being that way brings more trouble, Chloe. It’s not about avoiding the Murphys. You must get rid of them if you want to live in peace.”Carol concurred, “Let them tremble at the mere thought of you.”I nodded, knowing Carol and Lauren were more ruthless than
"Hey, how many folks are here for the meal? Most are curious to see Matthew's son! Initially, it was all a setup by Liora. She knew what kind of situation Melanie was in when she gave birth!""So it was Liora?" I had thought it was Stella behind this."Keegan has officially become a shareholder in Ardora Construction and invested a whopping seven million dollars. He even brought in a major project! That's why Matthew's head is in the clouds right now!""That’s why Matthew mentioned he has two major projects on hand. Seems like it's true.”Johnson was a bit disgruntled as he grumbled, "Some people have all the luck, even the small-minded ones.""That's not necessarily true!" I retorted.I was secretly overjoyed because this was fantastic news. It would be ideal if Keegan was in charge of Matthew's projects.I wanted to make these three forces unbeatable. This was all thanks to Liora's trap today. She helped me make up my mind.Little did I know that plans were about to change, a
Grayson looked at me as if he had entertained a similar suspicion. Then, he asked, "So, who fell off the cliff? There were witnesses and physical evidence. Even Mr. Atlas saw it with his own eyes!""How could this be?" I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.It was more of a mutter to myself, but suddenly, a memory surged. It was something Atlas had said to me. I recalled him telling me, "Annalise means nothing to anyone, especially not to me!" In light of Grayson's words, Atlas's statement held a different meaning. It appeared that Atlas was keeping something from me. He had said he would reveal it once the clues connected. Coupled with Grayson's revelations, I was now thoroughly convinced that the information they had found didn't add up."What about Rory? Any leads on him?"This man held a certain allure for me. After all, he was Stella's father. Plus, I sensed a certain distance in Stella's attitude toward her parents. It wasn't just indifference but a kind of numbne
The news, to be honest, left me quite unsettled. I immediately sought out Atticus for more details.Atticus's tone was grave. "Yes, I just got this information and called you immediately. I hope you're mentally prepared. Be extra cautious with the projects at ATL Empire. If possible, it's best to disengage from them. This way, you can cut your losses in time." I quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road, listening intently to his call."Why would they want to replace Nick?" I found it hard to believe this news.After all, Nick had been with the Torado headquarters for so long, and his reputation was excellent. Moreover, he had been under Atlas's father's leadership. That was why he had put so much effort into supporting Atlas. Even when we first met, I mistook Atlas for his assistant.How could Celine dare to go after Nick? My heart raced, and I couldn't help but wonder if my actions had affected Nick. After all, Celine was a schemer and narrow-minded. If Nick had
The news from ATL Empire was indeed shocking. They not only replaced Nick, but several other key positions were shuffled as well.Just then, Celine suddenly made Atlas's condition public and even released a photo of him in a coma.Reality was harsher than I expected. As soon as I received the news, I called Nick. His demeanor remained calm and gentle, not avoiding the truth."Mr. Nick, I'm sorry. Is this my fault?" I sincerely apologize to Nick. I felt a heavy weight in my heart."It relates to your situation, but the outcome was inevitable. So, you need not blame yourself." Nick didn't sound reproachful, which made me feel even more guilty."Well... How is Atlas?""There's still no sign of him waking up, but one day he will," Nick stated firmly. "No one can replace his position.""Yes... Mr. Nick, if there's any news about him, please let me know.”"Of course."I sensed he didn't have much more to say, so I reluctantly hung up. Observing the garden through the window, my hear
When he entered my office, his demeanor was genuinely repulsive. It was as if he owned the place, inspecting every corner as if it were his home.The fault was mine. When I took over, I prioritized convenience over renovations. The office remained exactly as it was, untouched.After his inspection, he settled into the sofa, looking at me confidently. He said, "Chloe, you're quite sentimental. It’s obvious from this office. You've never had the heart to change the look. Do you feel like I'm still here?"I let out a cold hum and silently cursed in my heart. The villain thought he was the cream of the crop. Even the way he sat was so smug.I looked at him indifferently, unwilling to engage with his antics. "Alright, what brings you here?""Let's not beat around the bush. I've got too many projects on hand, and they keep pouring in. I can't let such a good opportunity slip away to someone else. That's why I'm here to talk to you. How about merging our companies?"He swayed his