Beyond the Divorce

She flipped through the next photo and an unusually gentle smile appeared on her face.

I proceeded to tell her why I had separated from Matthew. When I reached the crucial part, she trembled angrily, her eyes red. I sensed her anger brewing and quickly comforted her. "It's all better now. I have Atlas who loves me. I don't have to suffer anymore. Whenever things seem bad, it's a sign that good luck is on the way."

Surprisingly, she hugged me, reminiscent of how she had protected me during our school days.

My nose tingled, and I told Lauren, "Back then, Beatrice used to protect me like this and make sure I wasn't being bullied."

Lauren, who was a very sensitive person, wiped a tear away and looked at Beatrice. "From now on, Beatrice, we won't let you suffer even a bit! Chlo's Mr. Atlas is out for revenge for you."

Beatrice was surprised when she heard Lauren's words. She looked at me and asked, "... Mr. Atlas, is he... really your husband?"

"Yes, it's exactly as you see. He's my husband, and he loves me. He also cares for everyone and everything I care about. He was the one who planned to save you," I explained.

"Tell me about Mr. Atlas," she requested.

I started from the very beginning, recounting every detail to Beatrice. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to grow tired or sleepy. We talked until late into the night.

She looked at me in disbelief, her emotions complex.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

I held her hand and said, "Everyone goes through all kinds of difficulties, but we can overcome them. You will too, trust me. We'll definitely reclaim everything for you. We'll avenge your mother, grandfather, and grandmother." She nodded silently, and Lauren said, "It's getting late. Let's go to sleep! Beatrice needs rest."

Beatrice nodded, complying with Lauren's suggestion. I summoned the security detail, and we both returned to our rooms.

Atlas was still working. When he saw me return, he closed his laptop and looked at me. "How's the situation? Is she stable?"

"Everything's fine." I walked over to him, sitting on his lap. "But I can't shake the feeling that she has something on her mind."

"I suspect she's holding back some crucial information. That's why Byron didn't take drastic action initially. I believe there's a secret between him and her. Byron wanted to get whatever she had." Atlas held me in his arms, contemplating. "Why do you say that?" I asked him.

"I was thinking about the day Byron

saw the pictures of Beatrice being tortured. He was shocked, but he didn't display the emotions of a

concerned and compassionate.net

father Instead, he asked to talk to

her, not just to see her. It says a lot," he explained.

As I listened to Atlas's analysis, I pondered over Byron's behavior that day and agreed with Atlas's interpretation.

If he were a normal father and had been genuinely distressed by his daughter's suffering, seeing her subjected to such cruelty wouldn't have led to mere cursing. It would have broken his heart.

Even I had been shocked and moved to tears repeatedly when I saw Beatrice in that horrific state. Byron's indifference made him seem too detached.

"If Beatrice really has something against Byron, why hasn't she revealed it by now? It doesn't make sense, right? I'm sure she trusts me," I questioned Atlas skeptically.

"There's only one explanation. She still cares about Byron as her father, her only family in this world." Atlas analyzed. That reasoning left me speechless, but I found it convincing.

"So, what do we do?" I asked Atlas.

"If Beatrice doesn't say anything, we might not be able to bring him down anytime soon. We won't be able retrieve what belongs to her either. I can sense Beatrice is conflicted.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be so lost in

thought. That suggests that she's struggling."

I shared Beatrice's recent behavior with Atlas.

He lifted me, returning to the bed, and we got into bed together.

He told me, "Let her recover first. Don't rush it. I have a way to make her make up her mind and speak up."

"People like Byron are irredeemable.

There's no room for leniency. Now that he's been pushed to the edge, he's capable of anything. He won't spare anyone, not even his daughter," I blurted out, startling even myself. Suddenly, I understood Atlas's implication. I looked at him urgently and asked, "Are you saying that Byron might..."