Atticus smiled, saying, “Indeed, I won’t engage in a battle without preparing for it. Of course, I can’t be shameless either because it would be too greedy. I wouldn’t have a favorable outcome if I made a move on Bourdamun without assurance.”“It looks like you’re the crafty one,” I said straightforwardly, “So, you traded a stagnant pond for a vast ocean? You’re winning with a clear conscience.”I had to admit I felt a little uncomfortable. Atticus was extremely cunning.He chuckled somewhat embarrassedly, “It’s like that for me, but Atlas also obtained a boundless opportunity. Do you think he’s easy to shake? Perhaps he wouldn’t have let go if he hadn’t had you back then. I admit it was an unsportsmanlike victory.”It was apparent Atticus was sincere and seemed to hold Atlas in high regard. “Muborough is reaching saturation while Bourdamun has excellent potential. You’ve also acquired a piece of valuable land. How could Atlas lose?“That way, we can dominate our specific territor
I couldn’t help but frown at Johnson’s words. I asked, “She’s at it again?”“Yeah,” Johnson affirmed.I cautioned, “I don’t have much to say to Matthew. I’ll let Adrian handle everything since he knows my stance. My only concern is Charlie. If possible, ask Matthew how he feels about it. You can tell him that we found Charlie’s family, but don’t tell him I found them.”I didn’t want Matthew to think about me because his thoughts were quite unpredictable. If he knew I found Charlie’s family, he might misinterpret it.“Got it,” Johnson replied.“If Matthew doesn’t want to be responsible, we’ll return Charlie to his family as soon as possible. We shouldn’t burden Myra any longer,” I clarified my thoughts. After all, we couldn’t let Myra be responsible for Charlie indefinitely.Johnson sounded helpless as he reported, “Chlo, the developers are suing all the halted projects. The situation isn’t looking good. Liora orchestrated all of it.”Indeed, it seemed graver than before.Johnso
Although my question seemed casual, it was an attempt to probe Atticus. Sure enough, he wasn’t surprised. He nodded indifferently and said, “I know.”I asked with a hidden agenda, “What do you think about him? He seems pretty active lately.”Since Atticus knew about Melvern’s return to Foswood, it meant the former kept an eye on the latter. Atticus looked at me but didn’t answer my question. Instead, he asked, “I noticed a driver drop you off just now. Should we have a drink?”I readily agreed.Atticus looked excited as he fetched a bottle of low-proof white liquor. He then poured me a small glass and another for himself. He raised his glass and solemnly said, “Firstly, I appreciate you traveling all the way to Rivendell to share this meal with me.“Secondly, it’s our first solo meal together. Lastly, let’s toast to our cooperation beyond business matters. I’m grateful to you.”Atticus downed his drink. I could tell he had something to share with me, so I took a big sip. After se
Atticus exuded maturity and a hint of worldly experience, unlike Atlas. The former smiled at me, saying, “It’s okay. I can handle my liquor. This issue has weighed on my heart for over a decade. I couldn’t talk about it since I had no one to confide in. Chloe…”He pointed to his chest and continued, “It hurts a lot. Did you ever expect the grand CEO of Echelon Group to be stepped on consistently for a decade? How can I swallow that humiliation?”I didn’t know how to console him.“You stirred things up and gave me a helping hand. Although you always say it was accidental, you gave me an excuse to vent my frustrations. That’s also why Liora hates you.”I was in disbelief. “I thought Liora was just vindictive. I never thought…”Atticus continued in a hushed tone, “It was too sudden at that time. Everything developed too quickly for them to respond. This time…”I couldn’t believe my ears. I felt uneasy as I asked, “Are you sure?”He nodded solemnly, and a chill ran down my spine. Su
I chuckled, thinking Ava was indeed attached to me. However, I had been so busy that I hadn’t spent much quality time with her. Honestly, I felt guilty about it.Since my mom told me not to enter the music room, I sat with her in the small living area upstairs instead. I leaned against her affectionately, as it had been a long time since I felt this close to my mom, especially after learning about my true identity.I felt an unusual comfort as I rested against her. However, Atlas’s description of Lucille’s final moments flooded my mind, sending shivers down my spine. My mom glanced down at me and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”She instinctively palmed my forehead to check for signs of illness. I quickly reassured her, “No, I’m just tired from today.”“Then go to bed. You’ve been through a lot, dear,” my mom spoke softly.I murmured, “I’m waiting for Atlas to get back. I have something to tell him.” Suddenly, my nose tingled, and I silently uttered, “My poor mother died tragi
Her tone conveyed a hint of sorrow."Mom, why would you go back to Bibury when I'm here?" I asserted without any doubt. "It's just me. Wherever I am, you should be, too."I spoke a bit urgently."And look at Dad, he's adapting so well to the weather and environment here. See how happy he is every day. He's busy but enjoying it. I feel like he's quite familiar with this place."On the other hand, he wasn't accustomed to the climate back in Bibury. I remember he used to get sick every winter. But since you guys came here, has he been ill at all?"It was just something I mentioned casually, but I noticed my mom's expression was quite unnatural. I couldn't help but have a guess. Could it be…At that moment, Ava ran out, and she joyfully ran over. "Uncle Atlas, Mommy, you're back!"She rushed for hugs and kisses, asking Atlas to lift and spin her around.Atlas did just that, and suddenly, the entire second floor felt like it was buzzing with excitement. I was speechless.This moved
Upon hearing Adrian's voice, I instantly felt more alert."Ms. Chloe, sorry to disturb you." Adrian was always so polite."No, not at all. I was planning to call you a bit later, but I completely forgot. Tell me." I quickly rubbed my temples to shake off the drowsiness.I almost forgot such an important matter.Adrian quickly got to the point. "I'm meeting Matthew again. There are some issues I want to discuss with him. However, the situation doesn't look optimistic, especially at this time. The opposing parties are uniting and planning to appeal, which is unfavorable for Matthew's case.""Earlier this afternoon, Johnson called me. I've also seen the noise they're making on the internet. It's clear that they're doing everything they can to eliminate Matthew," I whispered."We must present strong evidence to prove that Matthew's materials fully comply with the standards for a chance to win the lawsuit," Adrian stated bluntly. "But considering the current situation, it's very chall
Atlas remained silent, only tightening his arm around me to draw me closer.I muttered to myself, "Does this promise hold any value? Even though I may not directly act against him, how can I distance myself from everything he's done?"Although I'm well aware that Liora is scheming here, if he hadn't teamed up with her and stood proudly against me, how would we end up in this situation today?"I tilted my face upward, gazing at Atlas's handsome features, and helplessly said, "On the other hand, I have to admit, Liora has quite a fighting spirit. I bow down to her tactics regarding scheming and hurting others. She's truly remarkable."Atlas embraced me tighter, speaking softly, "Don't exhaust yourself by thinking too much. Let things flow naturally."Worriedly, I said, "If we don't confront Liora, it's like leaving a menace behind. It's like raising a tiger. She'll come back to bite me. Do you think her intentions are solely aimed at Matthew this time?""It's not at all. By joining