Beyond the Divorce

Atlas looked deeply into my eyes, nodded seriously, then embraced me. He gently asked, "Are you hungry? Let's grab something to eat together."

That was when I realized that I hadn't eaten anything for a whole day. I had just sipped a glass of juice on the plane.

"I'm famished," I replied coyly, leaning into his embrace. Suddenly, I felt completely exhausted.

Had I really gone through the whole day without food?

There had been no chance for a peaceful, satisfying meal with all the chaos involving Oliver these past two days. He had risked his life to save me. Then, we had suddenly found my dad, and the constant flying back and forth had made me completely forget about eating. While we were discussing that, someone gently knocked on the room door again. My mom's voice came from outside. "Chlo, Atlas, are you asleep? Do you want to come down and have something to eat?"

I quickly retreated from Atlas's embrace, walked over briskly, and opened the door. "Mom! I'm starving! Is there any food?"

"I asked the chef to cook some noodles. Come downstairs to eat." My mom stood at the doorway, looking at me apprehensively. "Is aglio olio okay?"

"Perfect! I don't know when I last had a proper meal," I said, casually hooking my arm around my mom's. I turned back and called to Atlas, "Let's eat! Quickly!"

Atlas followed me and my mom out of the room. Arnold came out and joined us too. He had probably heard all the commotion.

When we entered the dining room, I saw my dad at the table with the notebook beside him.

Atlas and I exchanged subtle glances. We thought that my dad probably had something to say.NôvelDrama.Org © 2024.

"Sit down, everyone." My dad greeted us, then looked at Atlas. "Thank you for saving my life. It's time to share everything with you all."

Despite my eagerness to unveil this secret, hearing him say that made me feel a strange mix of emotions.

I suddenly felt the cruelty of it all as I saw his helpless, desolate expression,

I also realized why my mom had been evasive and cautious when she was upstairs.

At this moment, I wished I was just Chloe Hartz, unaware of all my past experiences. They could just be my loving, caring parents, too.

Atlas glanced at my dad, pulled me to sit down, and addressed my dad. "It's getting late, Dad. Let's eat and rest early Chlo hasn't rested well these past two days either. We can discuss this another time. Besides, I'm sure you haven't gotten any rest récently, and your health is

important."

As Atlas spoke, my parents both seemed taken aback, their expressions revealing a hint of complexity. But it was clear that they felt relieved.

Arnold clicked his tongue twice. As he saw the relaxed atmosphere, he held back the words he was about to say.

I looked at Atlas, feeling even more

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conflicted. Attas had called a halt just when it seemed the mystery was about to be unraveled. I was displeased, and I didn't understand his intentions. Nevertheless, K trusted him. There had to be a

reason he was handling it this way.

"That makes sense. You've all been through so much trouble because of me..." My dad sighed and lowered his head in regret.

Just as the tension was building up, my mom arrived with freshly cooked pasta. Each of us got a large bowl.

The aroma of the aglio olio wafted through the air, making my stomach growl even more. The beef on top looked exceptionally tempting, stimulating my appetite.

I had to address my empty stomach first. There was no reason for my parents to hide anything anymore since things had gotten to this point. It was only a matter of time.

I accepted the pasta my mom handed me and flashed her a contented smile. "I need some chili flakes, Mom."

She quickly turned around and

hurried to the kitchen, returning with

the chili flakes in hand. As she

handed it to me, she didn't forget to give me a gentle reminder. "It's ate. You shouldn't have food that's too spiey."

That thoughtful remark made my nose suddenly tingle a little. That was my mom alright. She had raised me with her whole heart for twenty years.

I quickly lowered my gaze and added a few chili flakes to my food. I savored the plate of aglio olio, experiencing a flavor I had never encountered before. It was the most delicious pasta I had ever eaten.

As the noodles settled in my stomach, a warm and comforting sensation spread throughout my body, and a feeling of fatigue slowly crept in. I started blinking more slowly.

"You're tired, huh?" Atlas said as he looked at me tenderly.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm exhausted. I need a good night's sleep."

I just wanted to lie down and fall asleep. I was completely uninterested in whatever my dad wanted to talk about.