The spontaneous remark from earlier might actually be the truth.It seemed like my mom was hiding something from me.I finished my meal calmly, spoke briefly to Grandma Rose, and went upstairs to change. I planned to check on Lauren and examine my arm later.I tried calling Atlas on the way, but he didn't answer. I was puzzled. What could he be doing so early in the morning? I was worried that there might be news from Dylan. But it was unlikely, since only a short time had passed.When I arrived at the hospital, I saw Lauren losing her temper. Only Lauren and Oliver were present in the ward. As I entered, I sensed an uncomfortable tension in the air.A thermos was on the bedside table. Oliver had probably brought it here for Lauren. Oliver stood by the bed, and Lauren seemed distant and cold. When she saw me, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.I walked over, said hello to Oliver, and turned to Lauren. "How are you feeling today?""Not great," she replied coldly. "Help me
Lauren did not give him a chance to speak and continued in a weak voice, "You don't need to feel guilty or anything. You don't have to take a woman like me to heart."Her words were self-deprecating."Lauren...""Even if you do want to break your promise to your wife, you can easily find someone more suitable for you since you’re an important man. I’m sure it won’t be me. In the eyes of you and your wife, I'm just a shameless, lowly socialite. I'm not good enough to step into your home, let alone be your wife.""It’s not like that. Please don't misunderstand me," Oliver seemed anxious, and took a step forward to explain.Lauren raised her hand to stop him, "You don't need to explain anything. Your words and actions have already said it all. I'm sure that I’m still smart enough to figure out what you want. Your wife is formidable. She triumphed over me even in death. She’s looking down on me from beyond the grave. I have to admit defeat."As Lauren spoke, a sad smile appeared on h
I couldn’t tell if he knew what he was saying."The car accident was my fault, and she ended up like that because of me. I wasn't a good husband. She became paralyzed, yet I fell in love with another woman..." Oliver admitted it with remorse."When I faced her, I felt guilty and conflicted. I struggled, and she tolerated my mistakes. I felt truly sorry toward her, but I can't deny that I love you—""Oliver!" Lauren interrupted sternly. "There's a higher power watching over us. Your wife is watching you, too. Don't try to redeem yourself with me. I'm not a savior. I'm just an ordinary woman trying to live her life. Spare me."As Lauren spoke, she became increasingly agitated, suddenly sitting up from the bed. Her pale face twisted, and she clutched her chest.Alarmed, I rushed forward. "Lauren, don't move. It's dangerous..."Considering her fractured ribs and concussion, such sudden movements were undoubtedly risky."Haven’t I made myself clear?" she said, raising her hand to sto
I reluctantly looked at Oliver, whispering, "Mr. Oliver, why don't you go home to avoid agitating her again when she wakes up? Her recovery is the most important."Before potentially hurting him, I added, "Let's take things slowly. Give her some time to think things through.”Oliver stood motionless, gazing at the sleeping Lauren for a long time. Finally, he said to me reluctantly, "Thank you for your effort.""This is what I should do," I replied lightly. "Give her some time. Perhaps she needs time to heal."When I mentioned healing, Oliver understood what I was referring to. It was a wound in Lauren's heart. From her behavior today, I knew that the wound hadn't healed. At the slightest touch, it would still bleed.Oliver stepped back, but his eyes were unwilling to leave Lauren's face. I didn't know what kind of storm might be raging beneath his calm exterior.Lauren's words had reflected her inner thoughts, pointing at Oliver's vulnerability. Only he knew how much pain he was
I snapped out of my thoughts, took out my phone and dialed Atlas's number. However, the call went straight to voicemail.A tight knot formed in my chest, and a suspicion immediately flashed through my mind.This suspicion made me uneasy. I quickly tried Dylan’s number, only to discover that his phone had also been turned off.My palms became sweaty instantly, and a thought crossed my mind. Could Atlas have already set out?Just as I was pondering this, my phone rang. Glancing at the screen, I saw that it was a call from Johnson. I worried that receiving a call at this hour couldn't be good news."Chloe, we lost Ardora." Johnson sounded disheartened.My grip on the phone tightened. It happened too soon."We just finished the meeting. Liora has completely taken over Ardora and will not be responsible for any of Ardora’s previous projects. She has taken over all the new projects, though.”"Got it." Although everything was within my expectations, I had to admit Liora's actions were
I instinctively looked up and found the woman holding the hanger glaring at me arrogantly. "I saw this dress first.""But I got it first," I replied calmly."So what?" she sneered. I saw it, so others can only take it if I don’t want it anymore."I assessed the woman before me. Her long, wavy hair gathered on one side, and her face was dolled in makeup. Her features were defined, proving that she had gotten something done on her face in the past. Her slightly upturned eyes suggested a cunning personality.She wore a long yellow dress, had a limited edition designer bag on her arm, and carried a strong scent of perfume that lacked taste despite her stylish appearance. The light purple dress would not match her dull skin tone at all.Behind her stood a tall man with his eyes fixed on my face, and when our eyes met, he quickly offered a slight smile.I withdrew my gaze, looked at the woman before me, and casually asked, "Are you sure you want this dress?"Noticing my scrutiny, she
I was taken aback and instinctively looked at the owner of this hand. It was Vicky, the person I encountered at the clothing store earlier.She confidently handed the receipt to Annika, saying, "Take mine, I'm in a hurry."Annika glanced at her, wearing a gentle smile. "Miss, please wait a moment. She only has one bill, and she's been waiting for a while. I'll finish her payment immediately and deal with yours. Hers will take a shorter time.”"Why should I wait? So what if she only has one bill? That’s because she can’t afford the things here!" Vicky’s face turned cold, her eyes looking even more disdainful. "I said I'm in a hurry. I'm a major customer of your store, so why can't I be prioritized? “She’s just buying a few cheap scarves, and I have to wait here for her to be done. Doesn’t she feel embarrassed?”I had been silently observing her, not getting angry, even though she deliberately belittled me. I wanted to see how Annika would handle the situation."Miss, please be pa
I smiled and nodded at Annika, saying gently, "Thank you for the excellent work.”She looked up at me gratefully and nodded politely. "Take care, Miss."I smiled warmly and walked away. I didn't bother looking back at the pair of them.Someone suddenly called out to me as I headed downstairs to leave Arkadia Plaza. "Miss, please wait."I turned around to see the man who had been with Vicky. He was walking toward me with a bag in his hand. I raised an eyebrow as I asked, "You called me?""Yes, Miss. I apologize for what happened today." He smiled, but there was a mysterious glint in his eyes. He handed me the bag, saying, "This dress was originally something you liked. A gentleman does not take away what someone loves. Take this as my apology to you.”I was a bit surprised. A gentleman?That was unlikely."Thank you, but I'm sorry. I've lost interest in this dress. Besides, I don't have a habit of accepting things from strangers," I said straightforwardly. "I don't know you."H