Beyond the Divorce by Third Blossom

"The police are pretty certain she's still in the country and hasn't surfaced yet," Atticus said when I inquired about Liora.

"But didn't they say someone else took her? Could they still be in Foswood? Why haven't they been caught after all this time?" I asked skeptically. "Her follow-up case hasn't been closed yet, and they're still investigating. It's tough." Atticus gestured to the food. "Let's talk while we eat."

I picked up the cutlery and asked, "You mean the prison situation?"

"The kid belongs to Felix. How could he run away with his brother? Franklin has been in court for many years, and Liora has given him plenty of opportunities. Their relationship has become an important chain, so how could they escape?" Atticus scoffed. "I'll make sure my people find something on them. Besides, they have a deep bond, so there's definitely something fishy going on between them."

"Have you done your research?" I asked.

He smirked. "I won't let anyone who offended me off the hook."

I gave him a thumbs up, teasingly saying, "Nicely done."

My words brought a relaxed chuckle from Atticus. His laughter was truly infectious.

"I didn't expect you to be so mischievous," he complimented.

I nodded with a smile. Atticus was definitely capable of enduring any hardships. The fact that he had known the results in advance and hidden it for so many years showed his depth of thought. "You knew about their relationship all along?" I asked, referring to Felix and Liora's child.

"We're only married on paper, so how could we have a child?" Atticus said truthfully. "And besides, how do you think I collected the evidence?"

I was speechless for a moment, forgetting to eat. Finally, I blurted out a few words, "You're a really cunning man."

"The Thompson family treated me like a fool from the start and even dragged my family into it. How could I just let it go?" Atticus asked indifferently.

I was surprised by this revelation and nearly choked on my food. "She really takes people for granted."

"It's not that she takes people for granted. It's that I refuse to yield," Atticus said bluntly. "I'm responsible for my actions, but I have no regrets. It would be better not to catch her. As long as she's outside, she'll suffer every day."

"This is her own fault. Since Melvern ditched her, it's really safer for her to just be in prison," I said.

"Melvern doesn't dare interfere anymore, or he'll be caught too."

"Are you saying everything is within your control?" I stopped eating.

"Plenty of people want to kill Liora, including those who were affected by her actions years ago and have been released from prison," Atticus explained. "She's getting attacked from both sides?" I asked.

"Definitely. But their karma is reflecting on the kid."

"How so?" I inquired.

"He's been studying abroad, but apparently he hasn't been behaving well." Atticus's expression showed a touch of helplessness.

"Well, he's still innocent. After all, he didn't have a choice," I said. "It's unfortunate that he has parents like that. You shouldn't hold a grudge against him."

"I won't. I'm not going to lay a finger on someone without the ability to fight back. That's not my style," Atticus said firmly. "But I'm helpless too After he was born, they sent him away."

"It seems like they've been wary of you since then."

"You always have to be cautious when you're suspicious. Her family always thought I was a fool for è bringing their schemes to my family. I won't let them do that to me without getting back at them!"

Atticus said confidently.

"Now that everything's settled, why don't you find someone you like and settle down?" I comforted him before changing the subject. "When will construction for phase two begin?"