Chapter 96

Coincidental My reaction caught Atlas off guard while Ivanna ran over to pick up my crying daughter.

She glanced at Atlas and then pulled me away.

I was still trembling and vomiting when we reached Ivanna’s place.

Since I had nothing to eat before, I could only vomit bile, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

Aka stayed beside me with widened eyes, concerned as she pleaded, “Mommy, go find Daddy!* I held and reassured her, “Be a good girl, okay? Mommy will always be by your side.” I couldn’t bear to tell her she might not have a father anymore.

Once I calmed down, I called Adrian and asked him a few questions.

Then, I asked Ivanna to help me with some tasks.

She was the only one I could trust at that moment.

She carried my bag the whole time.

When I checked it, I noticed she had taken all my necessities.

Afterward, I told her I wanted to go home, which startled her.

“Why would you want to do that?” “I meant my home here,” I clarified.

When we left Ivanna’s apartment, I was surprised to see Atlas standing beside his car.

He looked at me, and I hesitated before handing Ava to Ivanna, saying, “I need to talk to him for a second.” Ivanna held my daughter and headed toward my apartment unit.

Meanwhile, I approached Atlas in my still -tattered dress.

We stared at each other for a while, and I finally said, “Thank you, but you should go now.” I knew he understood my implication since he didn’t argue.

Instead, he gazed at me intensely, saying, “If you’re hurt, I apologize.” I wondered if he meant that everything was somehow related to him.

He thought he could make things right by apologizing after turning me into Foswood’s laughing stock.

I had painstakingly preserved my dignity, yet he shattered it.

I had no idea what he was trying to accomplish.

I scoffed and said, “Can your apology erase my humiliation? What else can I do? What about my daughter and my family?” Surprisingly, Atlas responded with a cruel smirk, “What happened was a fact.

So, will you let him continue manipulating you, or will you keep deceiving yourself? Can you still endure facing a man like him? You Surprise me, Ms Chloe.” words stabbed at my heart.

Although I had pondered those questions countless times, Atlas’s blunt honey made me ashamed I stared at him without a word, and he stared back.

+15 BONUS Soon after, he stepped forward and caressed my face.

Then, he pulled me into his embrace and said, Just call me if you need anything.” I stubbornly replied, “That won’t be necessary.

It’s my own business, and you’ve already helped me a lot.

I said I’ll handle it myself, so you should leave.

I don’t want to get you into unnecessary trouble.

I know what to do.” Atlas looked at me with an inexplicable emotion.

Suddenly, he smiled and pinched my cheek.

I’ll always be here for you.” His words were touching, but I knew today’s events were coincidental.

I was confused, wondering how he knew Lauren would catch Matthew red–handed.

I straightened up, left his embrace, and said, “Please leave.” Immediately after, I ran toward the apartment that now belonged to me.

I could no longer retreat nor predict what would happen next.