“What are you doing here?” Stephen asked.He had just arrived at his house in country P when he noticed that all the lights inside his house were turned on, and when Stephen opened the door, he saw Andrew sitting on the couch comfortably. He was watching the news while eating food at the center table. Stephen looked around and noticed Andrew had been living at his house for a while as his things were not in the same place where he left them. He made an exasperated sigh and brought his luggage inside the house.“How long have you been staying here? And why didn’t you tell me you’d be invading my space?” He asked.Andrew Morgan clicked his tongue before turning off the tv and faced Stephen. He used his little finger to clean his nose and flicked the dirt in the air. And as if he wasn’t disgusting enough, he scratched his bald head and scattered dandruff everywhere. He looked older than before. His skin looked wrinkled, and he was more tan. But even though he lost some weight, he still
“You can wait for me here,” Athena said when the car stopped at the entrance of the hotel Stephen, specified in his instructions.“Are you sure? I can accompany you inside.” Ethan offered, but Athena shook her head and smiled at him reassuringly.“No, it’s okay. I know Stephen. He won’t do anything bad or something that could hurt me, right? Besides, we’re just talking… So, don’t worry.” Ethan took a deep breath.“I just have a bad feeling. Why does it have to be at a hotel? Why can’t you meet at a restaurant or our house?” Ethan frowned in irritation. He didn’t want Athena to meet Stephen in a private place where they could be alone.“Don’t worry. I will call you once I enter the room, so you can hear our conversation. And if something comes up, you know the room number, and you can find me. Besides, I can protect myself.” “Alright… Just promise you’ll keep your line open, okay?” Athena nodded. “I’ll wait for you here. I won’t go anywhere.” Ethan replied as she was about to get out
"You'll pay for this." Ethan grabbed Stephen by his collar and punched his face. He started beating Stephen until he became weak and his eyes were beaten shut.Athena woke up to the sound of Ethan beating Stephen Up.“P-please, Ethan… D-don’t kill him.” She struggled as she tried to stand up to stop him from punching the half-conscious doctor to a pulp. Ethan stopped what he was doing and assisted Athena.“Let’s bring him with us.” She instructed Ethan.“Why? He almost raped you.” Ethan said with a frown. He was fuming mad that Athena was still concerned about Stephen.“I want him to ask why he did this to me. He wasn’t like this when we met… He doesn’t seem like the Stephen that I know.” Worriedly, Athena pleaded, which made Ethan mad.“Because the Stephen you knew was not real! He was just pretending. This is the real him.” Ethan pointed at the unconscious Stephen.Athena frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?” She asked as she continued massaging her head.Ethan sighed and called
Stephen was terrified by what Ethan had said. He didn’t want to get killed by anyone.“I don’t want to die. Please help me. I will do everything I can to make amends with you. Please… just don’t kill me or send me back to Uncle Andrew.” Stephen pleaded.“How can I make it up to you, Athena? Please forgive me. I didn’t intend to lie to you.” He looked at Athena, hoping that he would be forgiven. But he lost all hope when Athena turned away.“Use him to track Andrew Morgan. After that, do whatever you want with him.” She ordered Ethan in a cold tone before leaving the room. This made Ethan smirk in satisfaction.“You heard it clearly, right? You have to cooperate with us. We need to know Andrew’s plan but don’t worry, I will not kill you if you stay away from Athena from this day on.”“I will… Just let me live.” Stephen agreed.“I will let you free, but one of my men will monitor you from afar. Also, you’ll need to use these.” Ethan gave him a recording stick, a phone, and a tracking de
Ethan arrived at the office, and Greg, his secretary, welcomed him with paperwork to be signed. “After this, call the accounting and marketing managers for a meeting. Tell them to meet me in the conference room. When is my out-of-town business trip?” Ethan asked.“It won't be until the end of the month, Sir. You have a trip to Japan for a week. And next month, you’re meeting with the new investors at Country Z for 2 days.”“Reschedule the meetings and inform the investors I will meet with here in our office. Let’s arrange a video conference call for my business meeting in Japan. I won’t be going out of the country for the next few months.” He informed his secretary.Ethan finished signing the documents, and as the meeting started, one of the utility personnel brought coffee for everyone. After the meeting, Ethan felt a bit dizzy, and everything in front of him became blurry. He heard his secretary telling him Athena was looking for him.“Let her in,” Ethan said as he massaged his temp
“Are you okay?” Ethan asked worriedly.Athena was in the kitchen preparing lunch when she felt dizzy and almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Ethan, who entered the kitchen to get some water, caught her.“Y-yeah. I just tripped from my own feet.” Ethan frowned.‘She’s clearly lying, and we both know it. She was just standing there when she almost fell over. And now her face looks white as a sheet.’“You are not okay,” He stated. “Look at you… You’re pale and sweating bullets. You look sick… I will bring you to the hospital. You need a check-up.” Ethan was about to pick her up when Athena stepped backward and raised her hand to stop him.“No need.” Ethan got confused by Athena’s reaction.“But you’re not alright, Athena. Come, let me bring you to your room,” He said, but Athena kept resisting. “I can manage by myself,” she said sternly.“What is going on, Athena? Why do you keep on resisting? I’m just concerned that you might fall flat on your face.”“I’m fine, really.” Ethan sighed
“Will you marry me? But this time… let’s do it for real and because of love.” Athena chuckled at what Ethan said.“Hmmm… Let me think.” She even placed her index finger on her chin to tease Ethan.“Come on, my knee hurts. I need your answer. Is it yes or no? Is that a hard decision for you to think about?” Athena gasps and her eyes widen. She was surprised that this man proposing in front of her is too demanding, and needs an answer right away.“Hey, it’s the decision of a lifetime, and it won’t be easy. What if you hurt me again?”“I won’t,” He answered immediately.“But what if your enemies find out about us?”“I will protect you and our children. No matter what happens, I won’t let anyone lay a finger on our family,” Ethan said seriously.“What if you get hurt?”“As long as you’re not, I am okay,” He answered right away.“What if there comes a time that you will not love me anymore? That you’re fed up with me and find me boring?” She asked again.“That won’t happen. I won’t let it
“Goddammit!” Ethan cursed. “How is it possible for this old man to escape right away?!” He punched the glass window of the car owned by Andrew Morgan. Blood was dripping from his fist, but he didn’t mind the pain it caused.“Search the area! And make sure you find the old guy! Don’t come back without bringing Andrew Morgan to me, or else I will kill you all!” His voice roared as he commanded his men. They spread out immediately and searched, afraid of getting scolded.“M-master,” Ethan glared as his new driver called his attention. His knees were wobbling as he knew about Ethan and his temper, but he still managed to speak up. “Y-your hand… It needs to be treated.” Ethan looked at his hand, dripping with blood.“I don’t need that now,” he said in a bitter tone. “Let’s get Stephen Lee,” he ordered and went straight to his car, with the driver following behind him.Earlier, his men tracked Andrew down and informed him about the old man’s whereabouts. They found out that Andrew’s car was
Everyone is busy preparing for the big event. It’s just a simple gathering, where they invited only the closest family members.They set the beach for the most awaited day. The wedding is finally happening. There were Chiavari chairs on both sides of the aisle, lined with pink roses placed on tall vases, requested specifically by the bride. In the center, curtains framed the altar pulled over to both sides to give the illusion that one was looking out a window into the pristine beach beyond.The guests wore pastel colors as the theme for the event. Albert and Austin wore a champagne-colored suit with white long-sleeves, while Maxime wore a halter turquoise-colored infinity dress and her son, Lucas, was wearing a suit that matched his father’s outfit.Maxime and Austin would stand as the best man and maid of honor, while their son Lucas would be the ring bearer. For their preparation, Ethan occupied the house they bought from the Scotts, while Athena checked in the hotel nearby. They
Athena’s Point of ViewI thought that… I would never feel the love and freedom that I longed for. I never thought this day would come. When I was young, all I had were the books my mom brought me to learn how to read and write. I remembered the moment I asked her… why I couldn’t live like a normal child… couldn’t do normal things like going to school, making friends with other kids, playing with them on the playground, and going to the mall? She just answered that Dad wanted to protect us from the people outside who wanted nothing to do but hurt us. And I believed in what she said.Even though I felt like I was in a cage, and I even saw Andrew hurt my mom… I felt horrified. And when mom died, he became more terrifying. He locked me inside our house. He didn’t even allow me to go to the garden… much less roam around the house. Instead, he locked me in my room. I could only sneak out when he was not there. But my luck vanished when he found out about my escapades and killed my closest
It was a late night. Athena and Ethan just finished preparing for bed. They had fun, enjoying their festive dinner with their families inside their compound and talking about the wedding that was about to happen. It was the wedding they’d all been waiting for. After their dinner, they invited everyone to stay over. Albert, Austin, and his family were happy to stay for the night just to be with Athena, whom they missed the most.“Hey, aren’t you getting sleepy? Wear this, or you might get cold.” Ethan placed a shawl on her shoulders, which Athena gladly received. He hugged her from behind while staring at the stars in the sky. They were both standing on the balcony of their room, appreciating the beauty of the night. They had the full moon giving light to their surroundings and the sound of the icy wind that touched the leaves of the trees, making the trees dance to the rhythm of their natural music.Athena shook her head. “I can’t sleep,” she said, which made Ethan frown.“Why? Is th
“What if I leave the underground world? Will you be happy and choose to stay with me?” Athena turned her head and looked at Ethan while slowly walking towards her, reaching for her hand.“I love you so much, Athena. And if you want me to quit the Mafia, I’ll do it for you. I will never hesitate to leave my organization if that will make you feel safe and happy. I will do it because I can’t live without you. So, please… please be with me.” His eyes pleaded as he looked Athena directly in the eye. He was full of hope that Athena would come back to him. “But the Mafia is like a family to you. Are you really abandoning them? How can you say that? Besides, you are popular in the underground world. Everyone knows you are their king.” Athena stated.Ethan walked closer, making her step backward until he cornered her on the wall. “I have my second in command. He will stay and guide the Mafia. I know he won’t leave the troops.” Ethan reached for her hand and pinned it to the wall.“Now, I wil
Ethan and Austin landed safely at the hotel they were checking in. Luckily, they had a helipad where he could land his chopper. Only both of them came without any troops as they knew the place was safe. Before Ethan and Austin came to the island, where Athena was hiding, Ethan called the couple, Marcia and Theodore, who saved her to inform them that they were coming to bring Athena back to the city. When they met, the couple was hesitant, because Athena asked them not to tell anyone she was hiding. But they also understood that her family was worried about her, so thecouple welcomed them and led the way to the resort.It was a private resort that only the people who owned properties were allowed to enter. From the highway, there was a narrow road that permitted one car to enter at a time. This area was hidden and surrounded by coconut trees. The entrance to their property had a bright red gate that was so huge you could not see what was inside. Plants and flowers dotted the path lea
EthanEthan was drinking whiskey while sitting in the kitchen. He was about to drink his next glass when Austin appeared and took the drink from him.“It’s not the time to drink, Ethan.” He said sternly.“What do you want me to do, then? Athena is still missing, and I don’t have any idea where the fuck they brought my pregnant wife--” Ethan couldn't finish what he was about to say when Austin stopped him from talking.“She called,” Austin said.“What?”“Athena called. She said that she’s fine and safe.”“Where is she?” Ethan grabbed Austin’s collar and pulled him closer. “When did she call? Why didn’t you call me? What did she say?” Austin shook his head as he looked at Ethan in his drunken state.Austin knew how hard it was for Ethan to lose her, and even when he was badly injured, he never stopped worrying and looking for Athena. Every single day that she was missing, Austin witnessed how Ethan used his connections to find her. But now that Athena called them and said she didn’t wan
AthenaAthena woke up hearing unfamiliar voices quarreling near her. When she opened her eyes, she immediately covered her body with the quilt, protecting her belly from the strangers in front of her. She looked at them and figured they were a couple whose ages ranged in their late 50s. Then she looked around and noticed that she was in an unfamiliar place. The house was made of wood, bamboo, and nipa leaves. It was a small and quaint house, but it was cozy. She was sitting in a bed that was very comfortable. It felt like her own bed at home. She looked at herself and noticed she was wearing different clothes.“Who are you? Where am I?” she asked.The lady’s eyes softened while looking at her pitifully. She shook her hand. “Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you. You are in our house because we found your unconscious body on the shore. At first, we thought you were dead, but thankfully, you were alive. So, we decided to bring you here to treat the wound on your head,” she explained.“How long
Ina bit her lower lip as she looked at Ethan seductively. “Sure… Anything for you, my love.”“Master!” One of his men called out. He just came out of Max’s cell. “The subject is dead,” He added in a whisper. His voice was so low that only Ethan could hear him. Ina frowned in confusion. He nodded and said he should go ahead and would follow behind him. “I’ll be back,” Ethan said to Ina before leaving and going back to Max’s cell.Ina glared at the person who called at Ethan. ‘Tss... Damn this guy! What did he have to call Ethan for?! He just wasted my opportunity to escape from this stinky cell… I hope Ethan will come back,’ she thought.Ina waited patiently until she heard her cell door open again. It was Ethan and a bunch of his troops who entered. Ethan ordered them to remove the chain from Ina’s cell, making her smile victoriously.Then they laid down a case that was filled with various tools. Ina frowned. There were pliers, needles, small knives, scissors, a container with a whit
“Give me good news. Have you found Athena?” Ethan asked the private investigator and his men about the progress of finding Athena.“Sir, we traced her using the tracking device you put on her engagement ring and found the location.” One of his men answered.“And where is it?” Ethan asked. The private investigator gave him the engagement ring.“We found it on the same island where they kept Athena, she must have dropped it. We’ve also searched the area and only saw these torn clothing.” The investigator gave him pieces of torn fragments they thought came from Athena’s gown.“We found this in the trash bin. According to the pattern, I think they chopped it on purpose.” One of his men said.“Maybe she was thrown to the sea–” The investigator was about to deliver his conclusion when a wine glass flew above his head. It was supposed to hit him, but luckily he had fast reflexes and bowed down just in time to evade the flying glass.“GET OUT OF MY OFFICE NOW!” Ethan’s voice roared, which mad