Chapter 232
Beyond the Divorce
Shocking Headlines âDoesnât she look a bit like you?â Ivanna looked at me and asked, âI used to have a good impression of her. Thereâs something about her that resembles you. But now⦠damn! Sheâs trying to climb the ladderâ¦â
Ivannaâs words made my heart race. Did I look like Annalise? Or rather, was it Harmony who resembled Annalise?
Atlas held a deep affection for Annalise. He wouldnât let any woman resembling her slip through his fingers.
He was looking for Annaliseâs shadow. Harmony and I fit the bill.
It appeared that his quest for an Annalise doppelganger had never ceased. Perhaps he had found me lacking.
I chuckled and sipped my drink. âHow long has Harmony been in the limelight?â
âNot even two months! Strange, isnât it? Suddenly shooting to fame!â Ivanna dismissed it with a wave of her hand.
Two months⦠I was already divorced by then, and Atlas had taken over the ATL Empire.
He knew how to make the most of his time. An unexpected rising star must have caught his attention.
This meant he had been spending time with Harmony for the past two months.
Otherwise, why did I often lose track of him, and why had his attitude towards me grown progressively colder?
It all indicated that he had found a new target. Why would he be interested in me? A divorcee two years older, with a child in tow.
Why hadnât he ever told me he loved me? I was foolish to hope for something like that.
I drank a lot that night, and with each sip, I gained perspective. It was high time I faced the facts. I was no different than a naive young girl waiting for a grand love story!
It seemed that I had aimed too high. The whole encounter had just been a product of my imagination.
When I was brought back home, I was surprisingly clearâheaded. I just couldnât walk on my my own.
The next day, my head was pounding, the inevitable aftermath of a night of heavy drinking During breakfast, my father scolded me for always getting drunk, calling it a vile way of coping with my problems. My dad was right.
Before I could finish my breakfast, Ivanna called me. She asked, âFeeling better?â
âYeah, I replied, looking at my father.
âListen, itâs blowing up! Check the trending news!â She then lectured me, âChlo, a peaceful life at home is better. Think about it! All that romantic nonsense is not practical! You should stand firm!â
âStop reminding me of this. If it gets exposed, youâll be swamped with work again. Arenât you busy enough as it is?â
âI couldnât care less! If she falls from grace, itâs her own doing!â Ivanna grumbled. âShe shouldnât have risen in the first place. Mark my words when she falls!â
She rambled on for a bit and then hung up.
I quickly checked my phone and found that the news had made headlines. There were pictures of them and insinuations, and while it was only a back view, it hinted strongly at the lead figure.
After all, one was the CEO of a wellâknown international conglomerate, and the other was a rising star with a significant following.
I turned off my phone. What the eye doesnât see, the heart doesnât grieve over.
Little did I know that avoiding seeing wasnât going to be enough. Someone out there was determined not to let me off so easily, and I was about to become the target of public scrutiny.