The fine strands of fear seemed to seep through her veins, threading through her entire body...
This was a side of Atlas Hallow that Ava Walker had never seen before.
In the eyes of everyone, Atlas Hallow was mature, wise, decisive in the business arena, yet they had never seen this chilling side of him.
"Do you like her, do you?" Ava's voice trembled, her breath a bit hurried, anxiety mixed with worry and fear.
"I've already said, this is my affair," Atlas said blandly, not even glancing at her.
"Are you resenting me for not choosing you back then, Atlas? I've explained it before, I just wanted to test your reaction. I thought you would stop me from marrying Amir..." Her eyes reddened; it was the worst decision of her life, choosing Amir. She thought she could tease out Atlas's true feelings, but he didn't stop the wedding until that moment.
Back then, every male in the Hallow Family lined up for her to choose from, even the unmarried men from collateral branches, and she should have set aside her pride and taken Atlas away directly. How could she have made such a foolish mistake?
She was well aware of how proud Atlas Hallow was.
The car had already entered the underground parking of the Hallow Clan, stopping in his reserved space. Before getting out of the car, he leaned over.
Ava's heartbeat accelerated. His features were well-defined, and as he leaned closer, his thick eyelashes nearly brushed her cheek. The man's scent was too enticing, like rich wine—when his breath caressed her face, Ava felt her heart was about to leap out.
"Remember, do not bother Charlotte Miller again. I will only say this once." His voice was light, but it pierced her heart like a sharp icicle, cold and painful.
Ava knew that even if she couldn't fully understand Atlas Hallow's current intentions, she at least knew that he wasn't a man to be provoked easily, because he was too dangerous. No one knew the consequences of angering him. The quieter and less talkative a man appeared, the more terrifying he was.
Ava watched Atlas's footsteps as he left the car. A vision appeared before her—the entire parking lot seemed dark and oppressive like a terrifying forest shrouded in a storm, and yet he still left her behind.
The office was on the top floor, overlooking all the views of the city.
The people in the city said that Atlas Hallow built up to ninety-nine floors so that no one would build a hundredth. Of course, it was just a joke but enough to describe Atlas Hallow's influence in C City.
"Daniel Parker, go check all the records on Charlotte Miller in the United States." Upon arriving at the office, the first thing Atlas did was not pick up files to review as usual, but tasked his special assistant with investigating Charlotte Miller.
Daniel nodded. Having worked with Atlas for so long, he knew what "all the records" entailed. It was a time-consuming task because being thorough was not easy.
As he understood it, if his boss wasn't interested in something or someone, he wouldn't even mention it, let alone investigate. Clearly, the newly appointed boss's wife had successfully caught the boss's attention. More directly, she had piqued the boss's interest.
It was known worldwide that Atlas kept away from women. Would exceptions be made?
The aroma of strong coffee lingered. Atlas took a sip, recalling his first glimpse of Charlotte Miller. Her eyes seemed unsettled, yet her beauty was undeniable.
Yes, Charlotte was incredibly beautiful. Fortune had bestowed all the best upon her. At first glance, she appeared soft and innocent, but this morning, he glimpsed another side of her.
While talking on the phone, she exhibited a side profile with a cold allure that was mesmerizing. Such a feeling had never occurred before—it was like a drop of water falling into the sea, creating ripples in his heart that slowly spread...
How lucky he was, to marry a woman of dual nature. At the time the Miller Family mentioned swapping bride candidates, he had a glimpse of Charlotte. From the simplest accessible data, she was always an obedient and docile daughter, scarcely returning home after studying abroad three years ago. Each year, her parents would go overseas for Christmas with her, which he didn't mind, as such a girl was expected to obediently study, learn various etiquette, and then marry into a wealthy family.
But he discovered that Charlotte was far from simple. If a conflict were to arise today, Ava wouldn't gain any advantage.
Charlotte had no idea her new husband had already begun investigating her past. She remained uneasy at the Hallow Family, waiting for her wedding gift.
She knew what Luna Miller was capable of, and those gifts should never appear in the Hallow family, or she'd truly lose face completely.
During the wait, Charlotte realized that apart from Atlas Hallow and Ava, no one else in the Hallow family had exited through that iron gate. This meant that Atlas's parents and his uncle's family were all inside. Yet, despite the grandeur of the building, it was unsettlingly quiet, like a dormant castle devoid of vitality.
Maintaining this unease until nearly dusk, she finally saw a car approaching from afar, seemingly speaking with the gatekeeper. The person held a large pink box tied with a big beige bow in their hands.
Charlotte, her gaze urgent like a panicked rabbit, rushed out. She silently prayed that it wouldn't be opened for inspection. In such a wealthy household, checking packages was surely mandatory.
"That's mine..." She rushed breathlessly, reaching the gatekeeper's hut beside the iron gate as quickly as possible, pointing toward the large pink box.
Just then, outside the gate, a black car slowly approached, prompting the gatekeeper to open the iron gate gradually.
Atlas Hallow had returned.