The next day...
"Atlas!" Charles perked up from the couch in the living room the second he saw his son coming down the stairs. Seeing that Atlas was in a suit, as if he were ready for work, a deep huff escaped Charles.
Standing up from his seat, Charles shoved his hands in his pockets. "Where do you think you’re going?"
"To the company," Atlas replied in his classic, flat tone. "Even if there’s now a new head of the family, I still have to do a proper and formal turnover."
Another faint huff escaped Charles, and he reached out to hold Atlas’s shoulder. "I’m sorry, son."
"It’s alright. You don’t have to apologize." Atlas brushed his father’s hand off his shoulder. "It’s just work, nothing personal. There’s no need for to receive sympathy. I saw this coming. Besides, it only proves I’m better since I get to retire earlier than you did."
Charles’s face twitched. "What did you say?"
"I’m heading out now." Atlas took a step back, not in the mood to entertain his father. He lowered his head slightly before walking off.
anwhile, Charles remained standing in the sa spot, watching his son leave. Even in this situation, Atlas maintained his cool. When Atlas closed the front door behind him, Haines’s voice reached his ears.
"Did Atlas leave?"
"Yes." Charles rocked his head, eyes still on the door. "I don’t know if I am relieved or worried about him."
He paused, casting Haines a defeated look. "He’s going to be fine, right?"
"Atlas?" Haines slowly shifted his eyes back to the shut door. "He is Atlas, so he will be. Anyway, how’s Allison? She left earlier than usual."
"Well..." This ti, Charles massaged his nape, and he appeared more dejected while thinking about last night. Thinking about it, all he could do was shake his head. "If Jessa Cortez ca here, then I guess my wife is really upset with . If she’s not going to divorce , then she’ll let Jessa kill instead."
"Oh."
Haines and Charles looked at each other. Their faces were indescribable at the ntion of Jessa. Even though their relationship with Jessa wasn’t bad, Jessa never lacked reminders that her friend was Allison, not Charles or anyone else.
"Fishing?" Haines suggested. "Just to be on the cautious side."
BAM!
Just then, the front door was kicked open with a bam. Even before Haines and Charles could look, their hearts already thudded nervously. As they slowly turned their heads toward the door, their faces contorted.
There, standing by the door with her shadow stretching long and wide as if she were so sort of giant, was Jessa Cortez.
Haines: "..."
Charles: "Haines, please tell my wife I’d rather die the second ti than have her friend at my funeral."
---
[Global Pri Logistics]
As soon as Atlas reached the company, he spotted Allen pacing back and forth in distress.
"What are you doing here?" Atlas asked, letting his presence be known to Allen. The latter almost jumped in surprise. The mont he saw Atlas, he rushed to him.
"Sir!" Allen breathed out a jagged breath. "What is going on?"
Atlas arched a brow, his mouth falling open to answer. However, before he could say anything, he noticed so of the employees in the lobby were giving him strange looks. Although the employees would still lower their heads at him, their gazes told Atlas the news had probably spread.
"That was fast," he comnted coolly, keeping his pace as he headed to the elevator. "Allen, why are you so worried?"
Both n stopped in front of the elevator, with Atlas keeping his chin high. Allen, on the other hand, couldn’t hide his worry.
"Sir, a rumor is going around that you’ll be stepping down," Allen whispered worriedly. "I already asked soone to find out who spread such rumors, but... I’m still a little worried."
"Why are you worried?"
"Sir, why wouldn’t I be worried? I bumped into Stephen Bennet earlier, and he asked sothing strange."
"What did he ask you?"
"He asked ..." Allen lowered his eyes and pressed his lips together. "...if I’m staying or if I would vacate my office as well."
"Ah."
"Sir, what do you an, ’ah?’"
DING!
Atlas didn’t answer anymore as the short ring from the elevator caressed their ears. He casually stepped in, pressing the button to his floor.
"Sir..." Allen trailed off, snapping back to reality when he realized that the elevator door was closing. Jumping from his spot, he barely made it through the door.
On their way to the CEO’s floor, Allen couldn’t help but glance at his boss. After Atlas arrived at the hospital yesterday, he had sent Allen away for so errand. After all, Allen had prior commitnts as Atlas’s representative, and as soone as loyal as Allen, he didn’t want to add more burden to Atlas.
The chairman had already fallen ill and barely dodged death. The least Allen could do was lessen Atlas’s work. Therefore, he had no idea what had transpired the day before.
"It’s not a strange question since it’s coming from the head of the family."
"Sir, about what you said..." Allen nervously remarked, thinking that Atlas had just ntioned sothing very strange. A topic Atlas wouldn’t joke about. "... it’s a joke, right?"
But then again, Atlas didn’t respond.
"Sir, how can you just call Stephen Bennet the head of the family?" Allen’s tone this ti was firr, getting more nervous at Atlas’s lack of answer.
But alas, even with that, Atlas didn’t answer him.
"You should stay." After Atlas’s long silence, he slowly slid his eyes to his side. "You’ve proven yourself as an asset to this company. I’m sure Stephen Bennet isn’t so shallow and foolish enough to let soone like you out of this place."
"Sir, what are you—"
DING!
Before Allen could even process or make sense of Atlas’s remarks, the elevator chid. Atlas didn’t waste a second, leaving Allen in utter confusion. Allen’s confusion, however, was short-lived when he scrambled his way to follow Atlas, only to find Stephen Bennet waiting for them in the office with a smug look plastered on his face, and Atlas stuffs in a few boxes.
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