FIVE

Once again, the flashlights from the visitors' cameras at the jewelry gallery, which was about to launch in a few days, illuminated Athena as she looked around the gallery. Occasionally, she smiled warmly at them.

“The first gallery in the luxury jewelry business hasn't officially launched yet, but people are already excited to be the first buyers of the million-dollar diamond necklaces in that showcase,” Ruby said, proudly watching the line of women filling out pre-order forms near the cashier's counter.

“The Cardelion company management intends to collaborate with us,” Ruby said.

Athena furrowed her brow slightly. “Collaboration?”

“Yes, they want to do business together with us.”

Athena shook her head. “I disagree,” she firmly rejected. “I won't start a business with anyone. I will acquire them, so they will be under my control.”

Ruby was surprised. “Well, well, well... are you my biological daughter? Ah, I see my husband in you. I thought you would only focus on the tobacco business.”

“Mother, I've been trampled on before, and now my task is to make them my footstool, so they're always dirty every day.”

Ruby clapped her hands lightly. “Mother supports you, do what you want.”

Athena's phone rang, a short message from one of her secretaries forced her to bid farewell to her parents and some important people who came to the jewelry gallery.

“Prilly, I have to go to the headquarters in Lyon. Some shareholders want to have a meeting tomorrow, and I have to prepare the files now,” Athena told her assistant.

Prilly, the petite and young girl, nodded in understanding. “I heard that one of the Cardelion directors will also attend the meeting tomorrow.”

Athena fell silent for a moment, once again her heart cheered. One rat had already fallen into her trap. If Ruby said that Cardelion, Inc was intending to collaborate, then Athena wanted to dominate them.

“Miss, have you heard the latest news?” Prilly asked. “There is news saying that Sarah Willow's death was caused by her own daughter?”

Athena spontaneously turned. “You mean Giselle?”

Prilly nodded. “And that woman tried to commit suicide.”

A thin smile appeared on Athena's lips. “Is God on my side? I haven't done anything to them yet. The collapse of their family will pave my way to dominate everything, including their company.”

***

A message from an unknown number disturbed Glenn once again.

+34**9: What's the surprise today?

“SHIT!” Glenn cursed harshly, making Merrya turn towards him.

“What's wrong?”

Glenn shook his head; ridiculous terror like this didn’t seem necessary to share with his parents. “I have to go for a while.”

“Where are you going? Are you going to burden your wife on me?” Merrya felt lazy about taking care of Giselle in the hospital.

Glenn didn’t care, he still went to take care of more important matters. Kurt informed him that tomorrow one of the Cardelion directors would be a guest at the Havallary Inc's shareholder meeting. This made Glenn flustered; he feared that his family's company might do something irrational without his knowledge.

“Athena, I'm sure you're not stupid. Why did you invite a company that once destroyed you?” Glenn said. He turned the car into Giselle's garage; as he arrived in the living room, he was surprised to hear a woman's sigh coming from Ferdinand's room.

Glenn felt angry; this wasn't the first time he caught his father-in-law bringing another woman when his wife wasn't at home. The man had a history of cheating, but Glenn didn't have the energy to deal with his father-in-law's behavior.

Glenn continued to his office, opened his laptop, and several company performance documents.

He brushed his hair back. “My mother-in-law's death has had a tremendous impact on the business in this city. My father-in-law acts as if he doesn't care and even cheats despite his wife's grave not yet drying.”

“Good evening, Sir,” Kurt greeted; the man arrived after Glenn asked him to come.

“Kurt, is there any latest news?” Glenn asked.

“Sir, it seems Cardelion is planning to sell some of their shares to Havallary Inc.”

“WHAT?!” Glenn was shocked.

“Yes, Sir. One of the largest shareholders in the company gave up because they believe Willowspot won't last long after Mrs. Sarah's death. Business executives are waiting for the appearance and influence of Mrs. Giselle, but they heard rumors that she was the cause of her own mother's death and even attempted suicide.”

Glenn jerked, his chest thundering. “I asked you to suppress news about today's incident! But how did they find out?!”

“I'm sorry, Sir. But it seems they learned it from the media today,” Kurt said, showing the hot topic news on his phone screen.

CRASH! Glenn grabbed the phone and smashed it in half. “BASTARD!” he cursed angrily. “CARDELION MUST NOT SUBMIT TO HAVALLARY INC!”

“Prepare a ticket to Lyon tonight. I will come to meet Athena,” Glenn said, holding back his emotions that were about to explode again.

“Are you sure, Sir?” Kurt cautioned.

“Of course, Kurt, Willowspot is under Cardelion's control. Therefore, I must meet Athena so she doesn't buy the shares offered by my family. That way... I don't have to submit to that vile woman.”

***

The clock had struck eleven at night, but Athena was reluctant to leave her work chair. She was excited when she received an email from the Cardelion company regarding the stock sale agreement they would discuss tomorrow.

"Aren't you sleepy, Athena?" Sargas asked.

Athena shook her head, then patted her shoulder with one hand, signaling her cousin from the foster family to massage her shoulders. Sargas happily complied, touching her shoulder skin was addictive to him.

"You seem eager for tomorrow," Sargas remarked again.

"Of course. I will get what I want. The stock sale project is just an excuse; I will offer something more beneficial to them later," Athena replied.

Sargas stopped his movements, then sat beside his mistress. "What's your plan?"

"Meeting Glenn," Athena replied. "I have devised a great plan to shatter him and the Willow family into pieces."

"Do you need help? I will do anything for you. Besides, I'm also worried you might be tempted by the sweet words of your ex-lover," Sargas said.

Athena chuckled softly. "I will be the one tempting him—"

"Really?" Sargas was surprised.

"Yes, and discarding him until he has nothing left."

Sargas let out a relieved breath. "Is there a big plan after you destroy them?"

"There is, and I need your help later."

Sargas frowned, Athena looked at him while biting her lower lip sensually. She shifted her sitting position and climbed onto Sargas's lap.

Then in a sweet voice, she whispered, "From now on, practice being more affectionate with me. I want you to get used to touching me more than we usually do."

Sargas swore, his heartbeats seemed to want to explode right now. He lowered his head to hide his blushing face.

"I don't mean anything by it, but you know... only you and your father are the men I can trust now," Athena whispered, then directed Sargas's palm to touch her flat stomach covered only by thin sleepwear.

"Do whatever you want with me tonight. Pretend I'm not your family, and I won't consider you my cousin either. Fantasize as you like; let's have fun because I'm excited to ruin Glenn and Giselle's lives tomorrow."

***

Glenn hurriedly put on his tie; he overslept due to staying up all night at the hospital. He waited for Giselle to wake up, but his wife was still lying pale and weak in the hospital bed.

"Are you going to the office?" Merrya asked.

"Yes. I need your help; take care of Giselle. Once my issues are sorted out, I will come to the hospital immediately," Glenn said.

Merrya sighed, folding her hands in front of her chest. "I know everything from Kurt."

Glenn stopped, staying silent for a moment, waiting for his mother to continue the conversation.

"You want to stop our company from attending the Gilgareth Corp's shareholder meeting, right?" Sarah guessed correctly.

The middle-aged woman then patted her son's shoulders while smiling broadly. "You should make good use of this opportunity, Son."

Glenn furrowed his brow. "What do you mean, Mom?"

"Relax a bit, lower your ego a little," Merrya took her phone and showed a surprising text from an unexpected sender.

"Athena contacted me last night," Merrya said.

Glenn grabbed his mother's phone, reading the message sent by the woman they had hurt. "She wants to meet you?"

Merrya nodded, still smiling proudly. "I think she still loves you." The woman invited Glenn to sit on the sofa. "I hope you can be patient for a while, Son. Let Athena do what she wants. If she still loves you, isn't this very beneficial?"

Glenn sighed a little frustrated. "Are you willing to surrender if we end up under Athena's feet, Mom?"

"Why do you think that way? Didn't you read this message carefully? She wants to meet me; this is a good sign, isn't it? You can divorce Giselle, and then go back to Athena."

There was a feeling Glenn couldn’t explain when Sarah said that.

Love? Really? Had he never stopped hating after being betrayed?

"Athena is a good woman, even though she rebels, she still loves you," Merrya said.

Glenn didn't respond to his mother's words.

"I will take care of your divorce with Giselle, and you... meet Athena tomorrow, apologize, and ask about their son's whereabouts."

CRASH!

The door opened harshly, unexpectedly someone overheard their conversation while bringing a knife along.

***