Beyond the Divorce

Atlas remained composed as he set down my phone and said, “Let's eat the pasta before it gets cold.”

“Atlas, are you... hiding something from me? Well, maybe I shouldn't know too much,” I said cautiously.

He explained, “It’s not that I'm afraid you'll know too much. My family’s just complicated. I'll tell you about them gradually, not because I’m hiding anything from you. You'll need to know a few things first before you can accept more details.”

Atlas’s reasonable explanation eased my mind. I looked at him and asked, “Don’t you hate me for investigating you? I honestly didn’t mean to.”

“No, I don’t. On the contrary, you did well in your investigation. It shows you're actively trying to understand me, which is a good thing. It means you love me,” Atlas spoke frankly with a hint of teasing.

I blushed as I ate a mouthful of pasta to hide my embarrassment. I muttered, “I knew you'd tease me.”

He smirked and said, “Do you even have a good reason to argue? If you didn't like me, why would you investigate me?

Okay, okay, let’s eat.”

After a while, I asked him, “So, you already knew the current Stella isn’t the real one?”

“Mhm."

continue to be Stella?” That was

that time,” Atlas said casually, showing

Stella. She died in a sudden accident. It was difficult to explain to the world, the Pierce family, and the old ministers at the time. So they had the current Stella replace the real one,”

one don't look alike. How could they pass her off as the real one?” I still

cliff, but whether or not she died was a mystery. The attendants who saw

cliff fall.” Atlas’s explanation was complicated, but I finally understood it. I stared at him, somewhat stunned. “So, they made it seem like Annalise hadn't died but only

that's correct.” Atlas

real Stella, has already passed

can put it that way.” Atlas nodded

food. We can chat into

but

You don't even

was amiss and asked, "Why did you say ‘ back then?’ Have you