Chapter 258
Beyond the Divorce
Avaâs Birthday My hands trembled, and I remembered Atlas asking why I didnât understand his intentions. My emotions were a mess. If not for the people around me, I wouldâve left to seek confirmation from Atlas.
If that was the case, I had misunderstood his intentions. I forcefully regained composure. After all, I still struggled to adapt to Atlasâs distant and cold attitude. I decided not to make excuses for myself and chose to let go.
No matter the circumstances, the path with him would never be easy, The following day, Ryan, Grayson, and I discussed our upcoming meeting with Atticus. I feared our actions might appear opportunistic. Ryan shook his head, stating we should protect our interests. It wouldnât mean we were abandoning our principles.
He said, âThe reason Atticus didnât approach anyone else isnât because he had no other options or didnât want to share the profits. Itâs because weâre the most suitable for this deal. Of course, we donât see all the reasons for this suitability yet.
âStill, one thing is clear. Atticus is most interested in making a deal with us. Otherwise, he wouldnât have promised to adhere to our conditions. Do you think he couldnât find a trustworthy partner after all these years?â
I agreed with Ryanâs analysis. I thought similarly then, but he explained it more clearly. The day after that, Ryan and I met with Atticus. True to our expectations, he was calm and straightforward in our discussion.
Ryan got straight to the point. Atticus was also generous and agreed to split the costs evenly. However, he insisted we handle all the paperwork with the other party. Ryan was cautious and requested that Atticus sign an authorization agreement just in case.
After some thought, we smoothly reached an agreement.
When Atticus shook my hand, his tone showed a hint of teasing, âMs. Chloe, this is the beginning of our cooperation. I hope it will be a pleasant one.â
Soon after, we had lunch at the clubhouse and left in high spirits. When we entered the car, Ryan said, Anicus is a shrewd businessman. His hidden assets arenât limited to Echelon Group.â
dered Ryanâs words, indeed, it was a loss that Matthew hadnât allied himself with Atticus. Still, the nt qualified. While he was somewhat intelligent, he lacked foresight.
wasnt wrong, but he should have aligned himself more closely with might not have bean interested in someone who had risen to power Next, we finalized all the paperwork, which we signed under Hartz Constructionâs name. Tanum Corporation remained calm on the surface, and I was relieved. Hartz Construction had been registered in Solaris and had been kept well hidden.
That reminded me of Atlas. The registration of Hartz Construction was primarily thanks to him.
With Atticusâs unexpected contract as a foundation, Hartz Construction continued to grow. I passed most of the external affairs to Ryan, which allowed for more efficient development. That included negotiations with ATL Empire.
I gradually withdrew from the forefront and focused more on my family. I had great confidence in Ryan and gave him ample room to operate.
Soon, it was Avaâs birthday. She was excited, having grown one year older and displaying more independence. Our friends and family were cooperative, as always. They had already chosen a restaurant and ordered a birthday cake two days before the celebration.
Before the workday ended, I arrived at her kindergarten early to pick her up. I knew her too well. It must have felt like an eternity for her.
When I went inside to pick her up, she was already waiting by the door. As soon as she saw me, she exclaimed joyfully and ran toward me.
I I informed her teacher that we would be leaving early and was surprised when the teacher handed me a small gift. Looking at my daughterâs beaming face, I felt relieved. Every year at this time, Matthew had been the one organizing everything.
This year was different. From now on, Avaâs life was missing her father. I didnât know if Matthew would remember today.
We walked hand in hand out of the classroom toward the exit. Ava chirped away, telling me her friends had wished her a happy birthday. They even sang a birthday song at noon. She was overjoyed.
She stopped as we left the gate and tightened her grip on my hand.