CHAPTER 2

5 YEARS LATER....

Athena's POV

Alot of 23 year olds like me don't know what to do with their lives and I think that's okay, 23 is still very young. My parents though, seem to judge me on it which is why immediately after I graduated from college and after my masters over a year ago I ran away to Europe.

On the pretense working with my aunt on various charitable and NGOs she works with, I did work a little but also spent most of my time traveling. My Aunt Iris is my Father's step sister.

But now I'm back. On the request of my father.

"Athena," he said my name sternly when I received his call almost 2 months ago. "When are you coming back home? Haven't you spent enough time gallivanting around Europe and spending my money." It's his money when I'm doing something he doesn't approve but if it's something he approves it's our money, 'my legacy' he calls it. Also I got a huge sizable trust from grandfather which i won't be able to access till I turn 25 which I can't wait to access so I can stop here how I'm spending his money.

I try to think I'm independent but honestly I grew up rich and sheltered so I don't think society would consider me independent. I graduated early from college, raised to be an overachiever and all. I have a bachelors degree in economics and a masters degree in economics, so it's not wrong for him to ask me to join him and dad in the family company. I worked with the U.S department of commerce's economic development administration right out of college for few months before I went back for my masters degree. Then after my masters I got a job with an up and coming tech company but father had other plans for me. Joining him in the family company and guess what he did. He bought the company so I had to work with him and me being the rebellious daughter I quit and left for Europe with my aunt.

"Athena you're a Castellanos and you should always act like one and honestly Iris is a bad influence on you." He adds sounding disappointed at me as always.

"Daddy, you know I have been working with Aunt Iris, getting funds for various charities." I had tried to explain but he stopped me before I even finished.

"Oh please Athena, you and Iris had spent the year throwing parties for the rich and famous. But now it's time to come back home, I didn't spend all that money on you for you to just party all around the world." My father said harshly, his words hitting me hard.

"But daddy we are making a difference with the funds we've been raising." I start to say again but he had stopped me.

"Come home Athena, you're my only daughter and I need you here with me. Working with me, this company and everything I have it's your legacy. Come home." He said and I had sighed listening to him.

"It's almost the end of the year, I was thinking of coming home by Christmas anyway." I said trying to give myself more time away, since it was only August.

"No Athena, come home right away." He said sternly and I closed my eyes pacing around, already feeling suffocated.

"What is it going to take princess?" He had asked and I felt myself already agreeing with him. He hasn't called me his princess in a while, because I have kind of been his disappointment since I graduated college.

"Ask me for anything you want." He said choosing to bribe me. "I'll even give a huge donation to any charity of your choice, just come home." He added, which by the way I'm not even surprised. My father thinks he can just throw money at anything and solve it, most of all he bribes me.

"Daddy please." I started to say but he cuts me off again.

"Princess think of all the help you can do for charities with my very huge donation." He had said and I paused to think. I mean he is right there are so many children I can help with his donation so like every other time I accept his offer.

"Fine, I'll come back next week." I said to him.

"No, not next week. Tomorrow morning, I have sent a plane to you already." He said pointedly, everything already planned.

"But I have to pack, say goodbye to my friends." I said already suffocated thinking about how much more suffocated I'll be back home.

"No Athena, I need you in the board meeting on Thursday. It's your legacy princess you need to start taking it seriously." He added and I said yes.

"Good, see you then." He said and ended his call almost immediately.

That was two months ago, I've been back home for two months and I've been dealing with my over bearing parents for 2 months and I feel like I already need therapy.

As much as I didn't want to be here, one good thing happened I went out with friends from high school and Nicholas Covington happened to show up.

My childhood love or at least I thought he was, I have liked him before I even what it felt to like a boy. I had wanted him for so long but everything changed on my 18th birthday, Nicholas was someone else and I had met a stranger. The stranger I haven't been able to forget for the last 5 years, someone I had to compare with every man I've been with. Which honestly it has been exhausting, thinking about him every single time.

A group of us had met up in a bar in Manhattan, I haven't seen most of them from high school. We all went to different colleges in different states but we were always a tight knit group of friends so a couple of us in New York made plans to go out for drinks and guess what Nicky showed up.

My first real heart break Nicky, or atleast I thought he was but that's beside the point.

Nicky was there and immediately he saw me, his whole face lit up.

"Athena." He said smiling before reaching in for a hug.

"Nicky." I say his name back hugging him back, feeling nostalgic about my high school self about how I was so convinced I was in love with him.

"Nicky?" AJ a friend of ours says with a laugh.

"Hey Hey Hey it's Nicholas, she's the only person allowed to call me Nicky." Nicky said to AJ and I smiled.

I feel his eyes on me checking me out, it has been 5 years and I've grown up. I've got boobs now, I mean I also had them at 18 but they are bigger now.

Nicky had also grown up, he was always gorgeous but even more so he looks absolutely beautiful.

"How long has it been like?" Nick asked. "Like 4 years?" He added asking.

"Almost 5 years." I say with a smile.

"Wow what happened? You really just ghosted me." Nicky said smiling.

"Did I?" I ask feigning innocence.

"Yeah you did." Nicky said still smiling. "I'd never been ghosted before you. That hurt." He added and now I felt bad.

"You had a girlfriend, and I didn't want to be just your friend." I explained. I'd wanted him so much back then. That want lingered into the want I had for him now.

His face grew somber. "I really was into you, Athena and she wasn't my girlfriend we just had a thing."

"Didn't know that." I say feeling his words inside me.

"Well it's all in the past now, maybe we can try again?" He asked his eyes pinning mine.

I take a little while to answer, debating with myself. There are so many things to consider, I have always had a crush on him but right now I don't know what I felt for him. Also my father wouldn't approve, he hated the whole Covington family. The whole family feud started 2 generations ago I don't even know the whole reason behind it. Honestly one of the main reason that Nick always appealed to me is my family wouldn't approve.

This is Nick though. My Nicky I've always wanted him so why am I debating with myself.

"What about our family though?" I asked even though i didn't really care.

"Didn't think you cared? And honestly been looking reason to piss off my father." Nick says with a grin and my own grin falters, I mean I was kind of doing the same thing wanting to piss off my father but hearing Nick say he wanted to date me so he could piss his father off stung a little.

I debated for a bit on what to actually say but I find myself saying yes.

"Yeah of course." I finally said and Nick's face brightened up.

"Okay then, I'm leaving town in a few days, when I'm back what do you say? I take you out on our first official date." He asked and I smiled.

"We've been on a date before." I said and he nodded.

"Yes, in high school. That doesn't count though let me take you out on a real date." Nick said and I smiled again.

"Okay agreed, I'm kind of excited to see what a real date with Nicholas Covington is." I say and he laughs.

"God I've missed you." He said and I smiled, really smiled because I missed him too.

"Athena!" Jess my friend almost shouts my name from the other end of bar. "Nick! Come over here." She shouts again immediately after.

"Enough catching up, now come join us." She says motioning to the group.

Both Nick and I join her and our friends, a lot of drinking is done and also a lot of dancing.

For the first time since I got back, It feels great to be home.