Beyond the Divorce by Third Blossom novel Chapter 645

Atlas, seeing me suddenly lose control, grew concerned. He quickly pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly.

"Don't be upset, Chlo... Look, fate has finally smiled upon us, letting me find you in this vast sea of people. It must be the spirit of Hailey watching over us from above, guiding us.

"I won't let her get away with it, absolutely not," he promised, determination in his eyes. "I will make her repay us a hundredfold, bit by bit, and bring comfort to those departed souls."

His words gradually calmed me down. I listened to his strong heartbeat, feeling unprecedented security and reassurance.

Atlas continued to kiss me gently, patting my back. "Everything is in the past now, isn't it?"

"How did you find that orphanage?" I asked him, now that I was calmer.

He looked at me seriously, waiting until I had completely relaxed before recounting that undoubtedly harsh history.

"Ian accidentally overheard Celine instructing her subordinates to get rid of me quietly. Taking a risk, Ian had his 17-year-old son sneak me out. He told me that Stella had been sent to an orphanage in Northbank. So, Ian's son and I escaped from the Pierce family that night."

I felt a suffocating pain, and my hands grabbed his shirt tightly.

"We headed toward Northbank, and Ian's son, Cody, took a significant risk in helping me escape. He told me that we needed to get to Northbank before those people caught up, all because I wanted to reach Northbank and find my Stella before they caught us.

"Northbank is vast but desolate. We inquired everywhere about orphanages, but after checking several, we found nothing. I was anxious, so I took your photo and asked everywhere.

"Fortune favors the determined. Someone mentioned there was a little girl around here, adopted by a family. We hurriedly went to check."

As Atlas spoke, there was a gleam of joy in his eyes. I could imagine how excited he must have been at that moment.

"Ian's son took me away with a hardened heart. But that little girl cried her heart out, reminding me of how you looked when you were taken. So I took the money, ran back, and swapped her with me. Little did I know, she would become your substitute and save you from a dire situation."

I closed my eyes, not wanting anyone to sacrifice themselves for me. Not that little girl, not Kennedy, not even Harmony.

"Later, I kept thinking, if I had been a bit more heartless that day, maybe she wouldn't have died. But how could I leave her in the lion's den? Staying in the orphanage wasn't the best option either. She would have died at their hands sooner or later. Honestly, even now, I don't know if saving her was right or wrong."

I asked numbly, "Is she Annalise?"

"No," Atlas shook his head.

I was surprised. "No? Wasn't she the Annalise you brought there?"