Ch. 691..700

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 691-| 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. | wasn't a good husband. She becparalyzed, yet I fell in love with another woman…" Oliver admitted it with remorse.

"When | faced her, | felt guilty and conflicted. | struggled, and she tolerated my mistakes. | felt truly sorry toward her, but | can't deny that | 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 becincreasingly agitated, suddenly sitting up from the bed. Her pale face twisted, and she clutched her chest.

Alarmed, | rushed forward. "Lauren, don't move. It's dangerous…"

Considering her fractured ribs and concussion, such sudden movements were undoubtedly risky.

"Haven't | made myself clear?" she said, raising her hand to stopfrom getting closer. "My life doesn't revolve around you, and | won't be your accessory again. | have dignity, and | don't want to live as repressed as you.

"I won't let you remindof my past actions. When | see you, it brings back the memories of my shand the mockery from Just fulfill your promise to your wife since you wanted that."

She paused and was gasping heavily, visibly in pain.

| stepped forward now, holding her other hand. It seemed like she found a pillar of support, so she continued, "Don't pullinto this shameful situation, where | have to face society's mockery again. | could take it from them but not from you, Oliver!"

She took a deep breath and clutched my hand, clearly supporting herself.

"| can't tolerate your disrespect foranymore. Letgo! I've given you the best years of my life, and I'm no longer in my prime. If you want someone as a trophy wife, there are plenty of young women flocking to you. Find them. I'm… not worthy of you."

Lauren looked defeated, like she had exhausted all her strength. Suddenly, streak a of blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth.

"Lauren…" Oliver sounded panicked.

| exclaimed, "Lauren, please don't do this! Lie down… Oliver, call the doctor…"

Before | could finish, she suddenly went limp, collapsing into my arms.

Oliver immediately pressed the call button, and Lauren fainted.

"Lauren!"

We gently faid her back on the hospital bed with Oliver's assistance. Her face was deathly pale, and the vivid streak of red beceven more conspicuous.

The doctor rushed in, examined her briefly, and said, "Take her for a chest X-ray immediately.” In a flurry, they wheeled Lauren away for the X-ray. | looked at Oliver, his rigid figure appearing even more isolated.

Lauren returned to the ward two hours later. Her condition was poor.

Her once stylish short hair was now messy, and her face was ERyPac snow, seesuasiohirk ty. The pErddn eforeseemed entirely different from the elegant woman |

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm first met.

| couldn't help but recall the moment when the car overred Shep 1M cpgenre ir fer rms, protecting € with her own body.

Oliver remained standing by the bedside, watching the nt still-unconscioys L3dren. Sith the (Bi oa

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 692-I reluctantly looked at Oliver, whispering, "Mr. Oliver, why don't you go hto 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 stto think things through." Oliver stood motionless, gazing at the sleeping Lauren for a long time. Finally, he said toreluctantly, "Thank you for your effort." "This is what I should do," I replied lightly. "Give her stime. Perhaps she needs tto 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 in at this moment. Lauren's lashes trembled slightly, indicating that she was waking up, and Oliver turned and walked out of the hospital room. He did not say a word. I grabbed Lauren's hand as I let out a soft sigh.

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt Only then did I remember that Atlas still hadn't returned my call. I didn't know the situation on his end or if there was any news from Dylan.

Glancing at Lauren, who hadn't woken up yet, I quietly released her hand. She suddenly gripped mine. In a feeble voice, she said, "Don't… go."

I was startled and quickly looked at her. There was a hint of pain on her pale face, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm not leaving. I'm here." I quickly sat back down, wiping away her tears. "Why are you torturing yourself like this?" "I can't live like that forever. I don't want to see him again." She still had her eyes closed as she murmured.

"The doctor said your ribs have fractured again. Why put yourself through this?" I comforted her softly.

"Sthings can't be forgotten. As you said, those were your best moments. Take good care of yourself, heal, and start a new life." "Okay," she obediently mumbled.

I chatted with her longer, but she seemed too weak and soon drifted back to sleep.

Quietly, I left the hospital room, intending to call Atlas. I couldn't leave with the current situation because I was worried about Lauren. Plus, I didn't want to leave her with a random caretaker.

As I stepped out, I realized that Oliver hadn't left. His lonely figure leaned against the wall near the room, looking despondent. He heardcoming out. It startled him, but he soon straightened up. "How is she?" I glanced back at the slender figure on the bed, closed the door, and faced Qliver. "Go hnow, and don't disturb her. She's at her e weakest, so let her rest well. We'lhall be here for her. Don't worry"

The corner of Oliver's mouth twitched. After a while he said m "Please take care of her. But… I won't let her go."

Then he turned and strode away. While watching Oliver's rigid back, I felt a profound sense ofhelplessness. I couldn't help but think, if he had known this would happen, why did he still hurt her? X

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 693-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 madeuneasy. I quickly tried Dylan's number, only to discover that his phone had also been turned off. My palms becsweaty 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.

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt "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 swift and efficient.

"She has received a substantial investment from an overseas investor, and she seems determined to succeed," Johnson reminded me. "Once she kicks off the project, she'll be unstoppable." "Got it." I still repeated the exact words.

Seeing my response, Johnson seemed a bit disheartened.

"I have a plan, so you can rest assured. Focus on collecting the information and consult Adrian about it. You need to be prepared to defend our case." I instructed Johnson. "I'm afraid she might change the entire team anytime." After taking over Ardora, Liora would likely target Johnson, whom Matthew had transferred from Tanum to Ardora.

"I know. I'm prepared for it." Johnson's response satisfied me. After hanging up the phone, I paced back and forth in the room. Finally, I decided to call Trinity. After conveying my intentions to her, she said, "Don't worry. I'll make her restless after tomorrow's banquet."

"Hurry up and get her hooked! I no longer want to deal with her to avoid further changes in our plans." I instructed Trinity over the phone. "Just trust me," Trinity confidently replied.

I knew Trinity was always a strategic thinker.

I didn't elaborate much on the phone and ended the call. Then, I returned to the hospital room, facing the dilemma of staying with the ailing Lauren or leaving. At times like these, I couldn't leave her like get side, considering the severity of her injuries.

However, thoughts of Atlas madeuneasy. He had already arranged everything last night when he went to the study.

The words he said towere purely a diversion from my attention.

But he was rescuing my biological father, and that was a great concern of mine. He was the only family had left in this world, and his safety naturally weighed heavily on my mind.

Moreover, Atlas mentioned that the situation there was complicated and dangerous.

my mother cto the hospital around noon. I entrusted Lauren to her care and headed straight to ATL Empire.

As expected, Atlas's secretary informedthat he hadn't shown up at the company.

I was sure he had already set out, and an inexplicable nervousness washed overAIN could do was silently pray for everything to go smoothly. On my way back to the company, I passed by Arkadia Plaza. I suddenly remembered Annika and decided to meet with her.

So, I drove my car into the underground parking lot and went to the fourth floor.

Instead of going directly to the cashier's desk, I wandered around the women's clothing section. I needed a reason to approach the cashier without raising suspicions. A light purple dress caught my eye.

It was a light shade of lavender, elegantly simple, with a uniquely designed neckline and impeccable craftsmanship. Excitement bubbled withinas I reached for the dress. However, when I was taking it down, another hand gripped the hanger too.

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 694-I instinctively looked up and found the woman holding the hanger glaring atarrogantly. "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 perfthat 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 asked, "What are you looking at? Let go." The man stepped forward at this time. "Vicky, why don't we look at other styles?" "Why? I want this one." The stubborn woman showed no intention of backing down, and she tightened her grip on the hanger.

I instantly let go.

Perhaps due to her excessive force, she stumbled backward when I let go without warning. Fortunately, the man behind her caught her to stop her from falling. "Hey" I shrugged, saying casually, "It's all yours." Then I turned away coldly.

The woman snuggled comfortably into the man's arms, seemingly seizing the opportunity as she complained, "Melvern, she did it on purpose." The man paid no attention to her but immediately stopped me. "Miss, thank you. Or… you can ask the sales assistant for other options." "Sorry, I don't like wearing the soutfit as others," I said casually and walked away.

The sales assistant followedwith sregret, smiling and suggesting, "Miss, how about looking at other styles in the scolor series? They all have creative designs." "Thank you, but it's fine." I politely declined and was about to leave, but the stubborn woman muttered without politeness, "The clothes here are all limited edition. I don't think she can afford them.

Look at her outfit, so tacky I turned around and glanced at her theatrically annoyed face, and I noticed that she was now rolling her eyes at me.

"I don't want to wear anything from the sbrand as someone with no taste," I said, finally walking out of the store.

Why did I encounter people like her everywhere? After looking aroundh different stores and finding no styles that caught my eye, I reluctantly settled for a few scarves and headed to the checkout counter.

What I bought didn't matter. What mattered was that I needed to make the payment.

At the checkout counter, several customers were waiting to pay. I quietly stood by, observing the cashier inside.

There, efficiently handling payments, was a woman in her thirties. I wasn't sure if she was Annika at first, but when she looked up, I was convinced I I had the right person. She had beautiful eyes that could charm anyone.

As she took another bill and swiftly collected payment, I observed hen I interactions with the customers. I handed over my bill when no one was behind me. However, another arm appeared before me, passing a piece of paper to Annika.

X

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 695-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 patient. It will only take two minutes. We treat all customers equally, regardless of how much you've purchased. I'll be with you shortly." Annika said, taking my bill and card to start the transaction.

However, Vicky suddenly slammed her own bills and card in front of Annika. "I said I'm in a hurry. Don't you understand English? Why does a stinky cashier like you get to decide things here?" My anger rose. When I saw Annika calmly cleaning up the woman's bills and putting them away, my anger subsided.

"I'm Vicky Mahone, a member of this store! Why don't I have priority? Why can everyone else pay before me? She can wait, can't she? It's just a few scarves. What's wrong with making her wait a bit?" Annika looked somewhat embarrassed. "Ms. Vicky, this is a bit unreasonable. With your quarreling-" "Who's being unreasonable? I dare you to say that again!" Vicky wagged a finger at Annika and shouted, "Get your manager." "No matter who you call, I'm still the one handling payments and have the authority to decide how I do my work. Waiting in line is every customer's…" Before Annika could finish her sentence, Vicky raised her hand, wanting to slap Annika. The latter instinctively recoiled.

I quickly grabbed Vicky's wrist, stopping her.

Then, I sternly looked at her. "Aren't you have going too far? Do you yield to you every you to beclike en "You" Who At that moment, the man who cwith her exclaimed, "Vicky!" I glanced at Vicky, and her expression froze for a moment.

When she turned to the man, her demeanor immediately changed. "Melvern, they teamed up to bully me." I gave her a cold look, not bothering to respond. She was not worth my time.

The man's gaze was fixed on my there was no sign of face, but t especially as his gaze lingered feet my suspended left arm.

Ignoring our conversation, Annika efficiently completed my payment. "Miss, thank you for your purchase." She then continued to collect Vicky's payment without paying attention to our discussion.

I felt relieved, as it seemed Charlie was in od hands with her. At least Annika à's moral compass appeared to be intact. C Ms. Vicky, your payment is complete. You're welcbackm anytAnnika smiled calmly and handed her the receipts.

Vicky seemed displeased, snatching the receipts with a ith a disdainful thas eye-roll at me. "What are you looking at?" I gave her a cold stare, silently cursing her in my mind. She was simply insufferable.

The man diverted his gaze from me, addressing Vicky, "Don't make a scene here."

Then, he turned back to me, offering a polite and friendly smile. I'm sorry for the e disturbance, Miss." He appeared courteous, but something about his scrutinizing eyes was slightly off-putting.

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 696-I smiled and nodded at Annika, saying gently, "Thank you for the excellent work." She looked up atgratefully 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 toas 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 towardwith 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 handedthe 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.

t "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." He extended his hand and insisted, "I don't mean anything by it. Vicky was being impulsive just now and offended you. I sincerely want to apologize. Please accept this, Miss." I remained unmoved and looked at him coldly. "I'll accept your apology, but you can keep the gift. We're not acquainted." "We can get acquainted after meeting a few more times. Foswood isn't that big of a place," he said daringly. "May I know your name?" I looked at him disdainfully. "I'm sorry, sir. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." I didn't bother to continue awkwardly talking to him and went down the escalator indifferently.

That man was being generous. The dress he gavemust have been very expensive. Arkadia Plaza was a luxury shopping mall, and the women's clothing section on the fourth floor featured globally renowned brands. I had casually glanced at the price tag of that dress, and it was astonishingly high. I could afford it, but the cost would pinch.

That man was extravagant, he wanted to give something worth tens of thousands of dollars to a stranger. Did he think I was a shallow woman? What a joke.

I remembered Vicky calling him Melvern. Could he be Melvern Sunny? It couldn't be a coincidence.

Was he the mastermind behind Liora? My mind raced. Was he back in Foswood? He should be with Liora. What role did Vicky play in all of this? This was interesting.

If Melvern had returned to Foswood, there had to be a connection with Liora. He must have cback for a reason. I couldn't believe he would casualty invest large sums of money in Liora. There had to be a motive behind it.

, I absentmindedly called Grayson.

"Chloe."

"Do you have pictures of Melvern Sunny?" asked Grayson. "I want to confirm something about him, And helpcheck his details and senda comprehensive report." en.swhovels "Sure." Grayson's response was prompt, and I could tell he already had what needed.

Before I reached the car, I received a file on my phone. I quickly found my car, gotin, and fold the driver, "Head to the company." I eagerly unlocked my phone. Grayson had sentthe information.

When I opened the file, the first thing that greetedwas Melvern's picture I raised an eyebrow ar ne? at his face-it was the man from earlier.

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 697-I smirked and locked my phone while the car smoothly left the mall's underground parking lot and headed straight back to the company.

When I returned to the office, I eagerly unlocked my phone again and carefully read the detailed information about Melvern.

The records were thorough, detailing the Sunny family's history, status, and influence in Foswood. But there was no information about what trouble Melvern had caused here.

It seemed like that incident was something they wanted to keep hidden, or they wouldn't have covered it up so thoroughly. That madevery curious.

I picked up the phone again and called Grayson. He answered promptly. "What's up, Chloe?" "Can you investigate Melvern's past?" I asked. I believed his return to Foswood must be related to spast incident.

"That might require a special plan," Grayson replied. "I'll think of a way." His mention of a "special plan" implied he had something in mind.

"Okay. This is related to Liora. Melvern has invested a lot in her. I believe he must have a plan." I explained.

"Alright. I'll deal with it. I'll check his profitable projects overseas as well. I'll dig deep into his background since he's investing such a huge amount. There must be something behind this." "That would be great." I felt excited. Then, I asked Grayson, "Do you know anything about the situation in the Lido area?" "Aren't Mr. Atlas and Dylan there right now?" Grayson answered, givingthe information I needed.

I suppressed my inner dissatisfaction and I continued, "I know, but I wanted to ask if there were any new developments." I didn't want Grayson to know that Atlas had left without telling me. I was afraid he might hide things like this fromin the future. I understood that their intentions were for my own good, but this involved my father.

"The situation there is still unclear. Mr. Dylan went there in person because he wanted to act quickly. Our people have reported that the address exists, but we can't confirm if the person is there. Clark probably wouldn't dare lie to us, especially since Jarvis is already in our hands." Grayson's words added to my worries. What if my father wasn't around, and Atlas missed him? "Can we trust our people there?" I asked with sconcern.

"The ones most familiar with that place are the Huffman family's people. But as far as I know, Mr. Pei didn't contact anyone from the Huffman family for this trip," Grayson informedhonestly.

"Don't worry, Chloe. I'm sure Mr. Atlas will take care of it. He wouldn't take risks if he weren't confident. Afterall, he cares a lot about your father's safety." "Alright, notifyimmediately if there's any news," I requested.

"Sure." After hanging up, I thought over Grayson's words. If the Huffman family was familiar with that place, why hadn't Atlas informed them? That madequestion his decision.

But I quickly realized that the Huffman family's familiarity was due to their business interests in that area. Considering Atlas's disdain for that type of business, it made sense that he didn't want the Huffman family to know too much. I understood Atlas's perspective. Perhaps he didn't want to get the Huffman family too involved in this.

But I had an odd feeling that this situation was more complicated than it seemed.

After work, I went straight to the hospital. I wasn't sure if Lauren had gotten better.

I also scheduled a check-up for my injured arm. The doctor said by recovery was going well, and I could 上! now remove the cast. I felt relieved.

I was finally free to move.

Lauren wasn't doing so well, and I had the driver take while I stayed take my mother hstayed with her at the hospital.

Suddenly, I remembered Melvern. I asked, "Lauren, do you know Melvern?" X

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 698-Lauren furrowed her brow. "Melvern, the second son of the Sunny family? Didn't the Sunny family move overseas? Why are you suddenly asking about them?" I realized that Lauren did know him. I quickly explained, "Yes, they moved, but Melvern's been active in Foswood recently. Do you know about his past relationship with Liora?" I looked at Lauren, holding onto a glimmer of hope that she might have sinsider information.

Lauren frowned. "I don't really know much about Melvern. When I cto Foswood, the Sunny family was already showing signs of decline. I hadn't met Oliver at the time, so I didn't have any contact with the Sunny family. But everyone knew that they had to move. The Sunny family were still important in Foswood." Her words leftsomewhat disappointed. It seemed that this matter with the Sunny family was a well-guarded secret. "As far as I know, Melvern was Liora's first love, and she married Atticus later. I think something must have happened there." "Oh, is that so? I had no idea," Lauren said with a hint of surprise.

I continued, "I suspect that Atticus's rejection of the Thompson family must have shidden secrets. Apparently, after Liora married Atticus, she would still contact Melvern in private. Atticus definitely wouldn't tolerate that." Lauren nodded. "Atticus is a proud man; he wouldn't tolerate being cuckolded.

"So, I think that Melvern's return is related to the substantial sum of money he secretly invested in Liora's plan. I'm convinced he has an ulterior motive." I analyzed the details with Lauren, who frowned while she pondered the situation. Finally, she turned toand suggested, "I think you should ask Atticus about the Sunny family, Chlo. You might be able to find out something from him." Lauren's words enlightened me.

She was right. I could use this opportunity to get sinformation and delve deeper into Atticus.

But…

I hesitated and looked at Lauren, "Lauren, do you think it might be too sudden to ask Atticus about this directly? He's quite…" Lauren chuckled weakly, "No." She interrupted before I could finish, clearly understanding my thoughts.

"There's nothing sudden about this. If Atticus has already spoken to you about his divorce, that means he doesn't have reservations about this topic with you. He may be cunning, but he's discerning about the people he keeps around him. I think he has a good impression of you. At the very least, he trusts you." "To be honest, I never expected to have such a rapport with Atticus admitted sincerely. "But when I first met him, things were quite tense because of the situation his subordinates caused." I mentioned the complications of my initial acquaintance with Atticus, which had left a lingering feeling of discomfort.

Lauren looked atwith a weak smile and said, "Actually, it's the opposite, Chlo. Do you know why you've captivated him?" "Hmm?" I looked at Lauren.

"Men respect women like you who are ambitious in their careers." I smiled calmly. "I was pushed to the wall, to be honest." She shook her head and continued, "Your beauty gives you a favorable first impression. You might appear to be proud, but you're down-to-earth and honest in conversations, which creates a second positive impression. don't forget doyalty not forceful coure En for personal gain, you're genuine, and people feel comfortable with you. That's the third positive impression. You have a lot of self-respect as well. That's why men don't act rashly with you out of respect."

I was a little stunned by Lauren's analysis. Her understanding of men was something could never achieve, and her insights leftin awe.

"That's why you've won the favor of a man like Atticus. He definitely has a favorable impression of you, and he can't resist you. That's what's most tempting to him." "Enough, stop it. You're givingchills." I shot a glance at Lauren. "I never intended to tempt him." X

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 699-Lauren burst into laughter but immediately clutched her chest, wincing.

I looked at her nervously, "What's wrong? Does it hurt? You shouldn't laugh too hard." She waved it off. "Anyway, since he's shared his thoughts about divorcing Liora with you and you two have a mutually beneficial agreement, it means he trusts you completely." I acknowledged that. Atticus was a formidable figure in Foswood's construction and development industry. He occupied the top position, at least for now.

Someone like that wouldn't talk about their private business easily, especially when it was about family and marriage. When he first discussed his marital issues with me, I had sdoubts as well.

Lauren continued, "Because he trusts you, he chooses to work with you. It might just be a mutually beneficial cooperation, but you two should still communicate about the information on the shares and resources." I nodded. "You make a valid point." "You can already guess that Atticus's desire for a divorce from Liora is related to Melvern. If you reveal this information to him, he should respond accordingly. After all, you two have mutual goals." Lauren's words shone a light on the situation. It seemed I needed to communicate with Atticus.

t I thought quickly, trying to form a plan in my head.

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. I looked at Lauren and asked cautiously, "Lauren, what if… Melvern is investing in Liora's plan to change things in Foswood's construction industry?" Even saying that out loud startled me.

Lauren looked atsuspiciously, "Are you suggesting that Liora and Melvern have their own motives? Liora wants to use Melvern to eliminate Matthew, and then, Melvern plans to enter the construction industry using this half-finished project to seek revenge against Atticus. Liora will gain a company for free and suppress a group of people, especially you. Is that what you're saying?" "That's exactly what I mean." I enjoyed chatting with Lauren because of our special understanding of each other. Our thoughts always aligned.

This bold speculation left both of us silent.

After a while, I beceven more confident that if this were true, Melvern must have a reason for doing this.

That further indicated that there was skind of secret between him and Atticus.

"It seems that what you said was right, Lauren. I should talk to Atticus." At this point, I was eagerly anticipating the gathering of the big shots tomorrow. I wanted to see what kind of show Trinity would put on.

It was tforto set the stage for the next act.

In the evening, I finally received a message from Atlas, but it was disappointing news.

They were too late. The place was empty when they arrived.

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm I could sense Atlas's heavy emotions, but he tried to comfort me, "Don't worry. Now that we know he's alive and around here, I'll find him even if I have to turn this place upside down." en. Find "I know you did your best, Atlas. Let's figure out our next steps. When will CO you be back?" Despite my ΝΟ disappointment, I tried to console Atlas. "Very soon." After a few more words of comfort, he hung up.

I slumped on the couch, hugging my head. The rescue mission had slipped through our fingers again.

е How was he doing? Was he safe? had no idea. At this moment, I felt aches and pains in every part of my body. en.Find QUMS The next day, Ivanna volunteered to accompanyto the gala.

In the dressing room, I chose a light purple evening gown. It was part of a set of dresses that Atlas had ordered to be specially tailored fora While ago, designed by a renowned fashion designer from Cadrela. It was a series of nine dresses he had acquired from the designer brand "Miss G". He would always spoilwithout reservation.

en.Find The stylist that Ivanna's company hired finished our makeup. When I looked in the mirror, I almost didn't recognize myself. As the nsuggested, the gala was extravagant.

It was my first treceiving an invitation to an event like this, and I was looking forward to it.

Beyond the Divorce Chapter 700-The atmosphere at the party was lively. Glasses were clinking and people were mingling in the splendid hall.

When Ivanna and I entered, it was already pretty late, and many guests had arrived.

I recognized sfaces at the gala, but I had to admit that I was not acquainted with most of the people here.

As we walked into the venue, I overheard people whispering, "What beautiful women." "Who are those two? I don't think I've seen them before." "They're gorgeous. They might be from a prestigious family, and they might have just returned to the country recently." I realized the whispers were talking about us. Of course they hadn't seen us before since I had never attended events like this. But I wasn't interested in their discussions and had no intention of drawing attention to myself. I simply smiled and ignored them.

I glanced around and looked for Trinity. It seemed she hadn't arrived.

I asked Ivanna, "Will Jared be here today?" Ivanna shook her head. "He usually avoids things like this unless it's necessary or if there's someone special he must meet." I nodded, realizing that Jared had always been low-key and wouldn't attend events like this unless there was a compelling reason. Today's gathering had been organized by several renowned companies, but it wasn't significant enough to draw his attention.

Key individuals in the business and entertainment circles were present, and I exchanged greetings with sfamiliar faces.

I spotted Liora unexpectedly. What surprisedmore was that she was accompanied by someone familiar-Vicky, the woman I met yesterday.

I found that puzzling. How was Vicky connected with Liora? They did seem like they were birds of a feather.

Ivanna noticed my gaze fixed on a particular spot and askedin a low voice, "Do you know any of those people around Liora?" I looked over at Liora. Apart from Vicky, who I met yesterday, I didn't know any of the others.

I shook my head playfully, saying, "Her circle changes too quickly." At that moment, Trinity finally made her entrance, capturing the attention of many attendees.

I turned to Ivanna, and we shared a knowing smile. "Yes, she's very ambitious, and she has a lot of tricks up her sleeve." We exchanged glances, acknowledging Liora's approach in everything she did.

I could see her chatting animatedly with several gentlemen from a distance, exuding an air of pride. I was certain she felt that Ardora was securely within her grasp, and this was undoubtedly her moment of triumph.

Just then, a commotion near the entrance caught my attention. As I looked over, I noticed three glamorous women walking in side by side.

As soon as they entered the hall, they immediately attracted the attention of many eager male guests. It seemed that those three beauties had a considerable presence.

Ivanna snorted disdainfully. "These so-called upper class events are nothing special. Anyone can just show up. See the tall one in the middle? She's not even a socialite. She's just a celebrity." "Oh, no wonder…" I squinted my eyes. "No wonder she's so popular." "They've chere with a stronger purpose than Liora. They're trying to 'hook up' with the 'big shots' here, hoping to marry into a wealthy family. These gatherings are a feast. It's the best place for them to showcase themselves." en.Find"It's also a shortcut." That was the highlight of events like this.

"The tall one is the backbone of QM Entertainment." Suddenly, it clicked in my mind. "Poppy Quinn?" "Yes. That's her, She and Harmony were once fierce competitors from different companies. But that woman, is even more of a schemer than Harmony. Unfortunately, Harmony was ruined by Stella." Ivanna looked at Poppy's face with hint of helplessness.

en.Find "Otherwise, given her popularity at that time, she would have been In more famous than this woman. Now that Harmony has fallen, she's m standing out on her own, riding a wave of good luck. Resources are flowing like water toward her." As Ivanna delved into the intricacies of their industry, I couldn't help but admire her knowledge.

While I was engrossed in observing the three beauties, a familiar voice greeted me, "Hey. Ms. Chloe, we meet again.