Chapter 646
Atlas’s face darkened. “I think that was a trap set by Celine.”
“How so?” I asked, wiping my eyes. I didn’t understand
“Because later, after the Cross family rescued me, I found out that once she realized I had escaped, she quickly discovered that lan’s son had also disappeared. You can imagine what happened to lan. She could easily speculate that I was probably going to find Stella. Wherever she sent Stella, she must have planned it well. The facts proved that her approach was correct.”
Atlas’s reasoning was convincing.
“After the incident, she began to search for me like a madwoman. She might not have known whether ‘Annalise’ was real or fake, but she was certain that I had been there.” Atlas’s tone left no room for doubt. I muttered to myself, “So that’s why there’s a photo of Stella and ‘Annalise’ from that time. When we first saw the photo that Grayson found, I couldn’t understand why Stella was also in that orphanage. Now it makes sense.”
“That photo you had him investigate was taken during that time. I connected the dots through that photo and realized that the fake Stella had a story,” Atlas said confidently, a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes. “You found that photo too?” I looked at Atlas inquiringly.
“I was the one who discovered the photo. I instructed Grayson to gradually feed you with information,” Atlas said with a sly smile.
I had no reason to blame him. He had put a lot of thought into it.
“That photo was what fueled my determination to investigate Stella more thoroughly,” Atlas said, looking at me. “It’s also why she could maneuver so freely around me later.”
“You wanted to find clues about the organization in Jitador from her?” I speculated.
Atlas nodded. “Exactly. When she showed you that photo, she meant to confuse you with misinformation. That’s why I’ve been telling you to trust me.”
I now understood more about how Atlas had developed his icy demeanor over the years.
the
“At that time, as the real Stella, I knew that my name had been changed to Annalise.’ So when the imposte Stella told me that your true love was someone named Annalise, and you denied it, I was confused. I couldn’t understand why you would say such a thing.”
As Atlas explained, and I realized there was much more to this story, a chain of events that unraveled the mysteries within.
“That’s why I verified your identity and hesitated to tell you everything after I found you. You had amnesia and didn’t know anything. If I revealed too much too soon, it might have led you astray,” Atlas said, making complete sense.
“Now I understand why. ‘Annalise’
was another fabricated identity created by Celine for the real Stella She probably didn’t anticipate that the death of this ‘Annalise’ would involve such bizarre circumstances. It’s unbelievable, and I feel sorry for that little girl.”
Thinking about the little girl made me sad. I turned to Atlas and asked, “So, how did I lose my memory?”
Atlas’s face was filled with regret. “When Annalise died, it gave Celine an excuse to make her move, but she also sensed my presence and intensified her search. The three of us were on the run, and when they closed in, you were discovered. Their car deliberately crashed into ours, and when our car overturned, you were thrown out. Cody sacrificed himself to cushion my fall. In the end, he couldn’t escape the car before it exploded… and he died.”
“He… died?” I stared at Atlas in shock, my voice barely audible.
Atlas remained silent for a long time, his eyes filled with remorse. He said hoarsely, “I didn’t just lose you. I also lost Cody, lan… and many others who risked their lives to protect me. I remember every debt, and I will settle them with her one by one.”
“Were you injured when you fell into the sea?” I asked cautiously. It was a thing of the past, but I couldn’t help but feel nervous at the thought.