I faintly heard someone inside reporting to Atlas that someone had been caught."Good. She can reflect on her actions," Atlas said on the phone, then hung up.I looked at him excitedly. "They caught Abby?""I can't hide anything from you!" Atlas exclaimed. "She’s been caught in a small town near Luxem. The stolen goods are all there. She hasn't had time to deal with it. She’s probably trying to escape the heat.""Who is she trying to scam? I wonder what Melanie thinks, knowing her mother's character," I scoffed. "Like mother, like daughter."After pondering for a moment, I looked at Atlas, wanting to speak, but I hesitated. He seemed to understand my thoughts. He walked to the bookshelf and took out a folder, placing it in front of me and gesturing for me to take a look.I felt a bit dazed as I looked at what was on the table. He said gently, "Take a look. I think this is what you want to know."I reached out for the folder and opened it gently. Rory’s personal information was i
The next morning, Lauren's call woke me from my dreams.After a night of exhaustion with Atlas, I had hoped to sleep a little more, but she had called early.I groggily reached for the phone, answering without even looking, and heard Lauren's voice on the other end. "Why did it take you so long to answer?"Yawning, I replied, half-asleep, "I slept late last night.""I see you're getting very comfortable. Enjoying life a little too much, huh?" Lauren teased."You're so disrespectful. How can you say that?" I didn't hold back and ribbed her. "Looks like you're the one with too much free time."Lauren laughed heartily on the other end, and this banter completely dispelled any lingering sleepiness."Hurry and get up. Ivanna's company is going to visit Bourdamun today. They're planning to shoot a special documentary there. Ivanna says it's a great opportunity for our project, since Bourdamun isn't a typical area of focus. They're doing a follow-up, and you know..."My spirits lifted
I received a call from Lauren and got into her car. As we set off, the gloomy weather intensified. There was only a small patch of white in the sky, creating a stifling and eerie atmosphere."Damn this weather. It looks like heavy rain is coming. We really picked the wrong day for this," Lauren said as she drove, glancing at the ominously dark sky. "It's been so long since it rained."As I looked at the rolling dark clouds, I remarked, "When I was a kid, I used to be terrified of this kind of weather. I always dreamed of a black sky with only a crack of light on the horizon. I would be so scared that I’d wake up, and my mom would give me a hug."Lauren looked at me strangely. Puzzled, I asked, "What's wrong?"She scrutinized me and asked, "When you were a kid?"I absentmindedly nodded. "Yeah."Even I was surprised by my own answer. When I was a kid?Did I have no childhood memories?But these were distant memories from my childhood. I closed my eyes, focused, and felt a sud
The storm hit suddenly and forcefully. Just as we crossed the outskirts of the city, the rain poured down torrentially. I had expected rain, but I didn’t think it would be this intense."Damn, this is too much!" Lauren cautiously maneuvered the car, craning her neck to see the road ahead. But visibility was severely limited, and the windshield wipers swished back and forth futilely, rendered useless by the relentless rain."Maybe we should find a safe spot to pull over and wait. This kind of rain usually doesn’t last too long," I suggested to Lauren while peering outside. I couldn't figure out why my eyelids kept twitching incessantly, adding to my already agitated state.“There’s a risk of landslides. Besides, who knows how long this rain will last? Look at how overcast the sky is. It's getting worse. I'm afraid the rain will get heavier the longer we wait. If there's a landslide, things will get even more dangerous," Lauren said, involuntarily glancing at the slope on our right. "
When I grabbed Lauren, she used all her strength to shield me. My body uncontrollably plummeted to the left and I experienced a dizzying spin. Lauren held me tightly in her embrace as the car violently tumbled. A horrible crashing sound drowned out our screams.It seemed like everything had finally come to a halt. I felt dazed as if my consciousness had slipped away.Suddenly, I sensed icy water splashing over me, and my senses sharpened. My arm throbbed with piercing pain."Lauren…" My voice was weak. I felt Lauren under me, and she didn't let go."Lauren..." I called again, receiving no response. The air carried a faint smell of blood mixed with the scent of rain and the bitter aroma of the plants."Lauren, are you okay? Lauren..." I adjusted my body, attempting to check on Lauren.Suddenly, a sense of terror overwhelmed me. The silence was eerie. Raindrops drummed against the cracked car window, creating a constant tapping sound. But Lauren still did not say a word.I shift
A terrifying scream jolted me awake. I sat up, and a comforting arm wrapped around me. "Chlo, don't be afraid..."I gasped for air and stared at the refined features before me. Still shaken, I looked at him and murmured, "Atlas, a car hit us, and I flew out of the car window..."His eyes were fixed on me. "Chlo, did you remember something?"I was unsure how to respond, considering it was just a dream."Don't be scared. It's all over now. Look!" Atlas reassured me tenderly.I scanned the surroundings and suddenly remembered Lauren. I looked down at the bed, and a sudden realization hit me. "Lauren… Where is she?"Atlas patted my back and softly whispered, "They're still resuscitating her."My whole body stiffened. "Resuscitation?"I quickly pushed Atlas away. "I need to see her. Why do they need to resuscitate her? Is she seriously injured? She saved me..."My voice choked as tears welled up. "Take me there. I need to wait for her. Nothing can happen to her!"Seeing my distr
“Mr. Atlas, the patient is stable for now. She suffered multiple fractured ribs and a ruptured spleen. She's currently unconscious and needs further observation."This news shocked us all. Her injuries sounded severe, like she had been on the brink of death."Doctor, is she still in danger?" Oliver muttered."The patient will be transferred to the ICU shortly for continued observation. If her vital signs remain stable within the next 24 hours and she regains consciousness, she can be moved back to a regular ward."The doctor turned back to the emergency room.I involuntarily swayed, muttering, "This is all my fault. She wouldn't have suffered such severe injuries if it weren't for me!"Ivanna comforted me, "Chlo, it's not your fault. Let's go to the ICU and check on her."Two days later, Lauren was finally transferred to a regular ward.My arm had a fracture, restricting my movement. Atlas had arranged for the best care.Oliver silently stayed by Lauren's side when she was unc
Then, I leaned back and smiled at her, scrutinizing her expression. She paled for a moment but quickly returned to normal. Still smiling, she reminded me, "Be careful on the road."That was audacious of her! However, just this subtle change was enough for me to understand. I calmly replied, "Thanks. I'll take your words to heart. I'm just like a cat, after all."Then, I got into the car and told the driver, "Take me back to the office."Since I got injured, Atlas didn't allow me to drive independently and assigned a driver for me.I dialed Grayson, "Check why Liora came to the hospital."Before I could hang up, another call came in from Trinity. "Where are you?""On my way back to the office.""Is it urgent?""Yeah, I have some things to do." I didn't hide anything, and she knew about my injury. "Do you need anything?"“Call me back when you’re done," she said, then hung up.Back at the office, I called Adrian and explained Ardora's situation in detail. After pondering for