Chapter 153

The Inside Story Something felt off. Stella reached for a wet wipe and cleaned her hands before saying, “He always says I’m his cousin.”

“You’re not?” I felt uneasy, thinking that Atlas had lied to me.

“Technically, I am. But I was adopted,” Stella said, smiling at me.

My heart skipped a beat. So she’s not blood–related to him! Not again.

I waited for her to continue. However, I regretted being indiscreet. Atlas wouldn’t have told me she was his cousin if we weren’t close, would he?

“My mom is Atlas’s aunt. She’s a strong woman and the former CEO of ATL Empire.” Stella wiped her slender fingers meticulously.

She did everything perfectly. Even her fingernails were flawless.

“Former CEO?” murmured.

“Yes, my mom used to run ATL Empire. She had only just handed over the company back to Atlas.”

Wait a minute. Hadn’t the power struggle lasted for quite some time? Was it between Atlas and his aunt?

If so, why would she give up control of the company? On what terms?

“Hand it back?”

“ATL Empire belonged to my uncle, who was Atlas‘ dad. Oh, his parents had passed away in a plane crash when he was little.” Stella paused and said, “He hates people talking about this. I better stop.”

I was curious, but I couldn’t ask any further questions. She then talked about other things until her phone rang. She whispered that it was Atlas, then went to pick up the call. When she returned, she said she had to attend to something urgent.

We returned to Galar Tower together, and she drove off quickly.

Stella said little, but what she did say was informative. The Pierce family kept many secrets that no one else knew about.

Everything she said about her mother’s former position as CEO and the plane crash was new to me. I was sure there were many more stories I didn’t know about.

When I got back, Benjamin walked into my office with a smile. “Mr. Ryan has done a great job. Based on “That’s wonderfull I was relieved. Now, I could finally fulfill Atlas’s requirements.

“To be honest, some of the previous suppliers weren’t bad. Surface Solutions, for example. Their reputation is as good as their flooring. They also didn’t gang up with Matthew, Would you like to consider their request to work with us?”

I glanced at Benjamin. “Have you forgotten about Josh? I worry they’ll bring us trouble.”

“Well I’ve compiled a list. Take a look when you’re free. I just feel that It’s a pity not to work with them, as their products are good. Anyway, it’s your call.” Benjamin handed me the document. “I better get busy now.”

I browsed through the list, and I could tell Benjamin had put much effort into it. I decided to discuss this with Ryan first As I relaxed, I thought about what Stella said. I imagined there must be a story behind the handover of ATL Empire Atlas.

My phone suddenly rang beside me. I picked it up and was stunned to see the caller ID. It was Atla