Chapter 1596: Atlas cries?

Meanwhile...

Zoren and Atlas met at one of the construction sites slated to become one of the country’s biggest shopping centers. A project under Pierson Development Corporation. After spending the entire morning inspecting the site and discussing business with their partners, Zoren excused himself briefly.

But when he returned, he found Atlas standing in the empty lot next to the unfinished building.

"First Brother?" he called out, his steps slowing as he heard the loud, harsh whirring of a chainsaw.

Atlas pulled the cord as if testing the machine.

"..." Zoren’s confusion deepened, and he slowed even more.

He looked around the empty lot. No one else was there. Their bodyguards were already waiting outside the site, and the builders were working up in the structure.

"First Brother, I think that’s dangerous," he warned, just as Atlas yanked the cord again.

This time, the chainsaw roared to life.

A glint flickered in Atlas’s eyes as he straightened up, gripping the chainsaw firmly so he wouldn’t drop it.

"Zoren." His voice was quiet and cold, yet it reached Zoren’s ears clearly.

"Yes?"

"Didn’t you mention not long ago that I barely reach past your shoulder?" Atlas’s gaze slowly dropped to the chainsaw.

Zoren froze. His breath hitched, and his shoulders tensed. His eyes were glued to the running chainsaw, a bead of sweat snaking down his neck.

Slowly, Atlas turned to face him, as though he had just decided to amputate the man. Maybe that would teach Zoren never to bring up height again.

But by the time Atlas turned around, Zoren was gone.

"Hah." Atlas scoffed, staring at the empty space. "Guess that warning is enough."

---

SLAM!

Angel flinched as the car door slammed shut. He glanced over his shoulder, brows furrowing at the sight of Zoren’s pale face, paler than usual.

"Sir, are you alright?" he asked with concern. "Did you see someone? Was there a threat at the site?"

Panic crept into Angel’s chest as he glanced out Zoren’s window, only to see Atlas casually walking away.

"Let’s go," Zoren said blankly, his voice tight. "And remind me never to talk about height again. Ever."

"..." Angel’s expression twisted in confusion, but he signaled the driver, who started the car at Zoren’s command.

"Sir, did you... say something about Sir Atlas’s height?"

Zoren didn’t answer—but he didn’t need to.

Angel might not be close to Atlas and rarely spoke to him, but after spending years with Penny, he was well aware of Atlas’s quirks—and what could possibly set him off.

"Sir, I’m here to protect you, but please... stay safe," Angel muttered sincerely. "Otherwise, I’ll have to ask Penny if shielding you from Sir Atlas is part of my job description."

Zoren sighed and leaned against the door. "I’m getting too comfortable with him. I wonder if those rumors about our love affair bother him or not."

"They do," Angel said quickly, meeting Zoren’s eyes. "Anyway, Sir Benjamin left a message. He said Sir Finn stopped by your office."

"Ah." Zoren nodded. "I’ll give him a call later."

Angel nodded back, shifting his focus to the road. Even if he wasn’t the one driving, as Zoren’s bodyguard, he needed to remain alert. Just in case.

Zoren, meanwhile, focused on calming down. It had been a while since he’d mentioned Atlas’s height—he had almost forgotten about it. Who would’ve thought Atlas still held a grudge?

But then again... Atlas always held a grudge.

He was going to cut off my legs, for sure.

Once he recomposed himself, Zoren pulled out his phone and called Finn. He figured it was about Penny’s proposal and that Finn would try to persuade him to rein the ladies in.

What Zoren didn’t anticipate was that Finn had a different concern—beyond simply putting Nina in danger. It was the level of danger, the kind Penny had once faced.

However, Zoren had no idea what his wife had been through.

---

[Back to the Correctional Facility]

When the gates opened, Hugo raised a brow, taking one look at Kiara’s face. As expected, her eyes were swollen. She looked like she’d just cried her heart out.

Pitiful—that was the word for it.

"Still no progress?" he asked as she approached, lightly tapping her shoulder. "That’s fine. People can be stubborn."

Kiara lifted her eyes to meet his and gently brushed his hand off her shoulder.

"She agreed."

"Huh?" He scrunched his nose. "Then why do you look like the world just ended?"

Kiara sniffed and wiped her lingering tears with the back of her hand. She tried to explain, but the moment she opened her mouth, emotion swelled in her heart again.

"I just feel bad for her," she finally said, voice shaking. She looked at him again, lips twitching into a sad smile. "She’s like a sister to me. I just want to hug her... let her know I’m not giving up on her—even if the world does."

His brows slowly rose as he listened. Despite her tear-streaked face and trembling voice, she didn’t seem weak. On the contrary, Hugo realized that strength wasn’t just about brawn or victories.

Strength could also be standing by your beliefs, even when the world turns its back.

Kiara blinked when he casually spread his arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Offering you a hug," he said. "I always offer my First Brother a hug when he cries."

"Atlas cries?"

"Never," he replied. "But I hug him in my dreams—that’s the only place I can do that without getting killed."

"..." Kiara was speechless for a moment—then a weak laugh broke through. "Pfft—"

Shaking her head, she wiped away the last of her tears and glanced at him. "Want to eat?"

Confusion washed over his face, tilting his head to the side. He was sure he was offering something else and not asking her to eat, but then again —

Hugo smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. "You’re the best!"

Her eyes were still swollen, but the contradicting, subtle, yet genuine smile on her face gave it a different light. Perhaps that was what she needed — a momentary distraction to remind her it wasn’t all that bad.

That in moments of crisis, there were still some things to laugh about; some things to look forward to, and hope to cling to.

Maybe that was why Hugo was suddenly in her life.