ONE

The long sigh was followed by the cessation of the creaking bed. Glenn withdrew from Athena's body and picked up his scattered clothes from the floor.

"Take this." He threw a thick brown envelope at Athena. "You have to go to the hospital tomorrow, right? Take that money and pay your sister's first treatment installment."

Athena took the envelope while pulling up the blanket. The 22-year-old woman lowered her head, unable to meet Glenn's gaze every time she made such a big mistake.

Pain.

For almost two months, Athena had been Glenn's lust slave. She did it out of necessity to pay for her sister Aellea's brain cancer treatment. Athena Willow wasn't a poor girl; she was the first daughter of a famous business family in Los Angeles. Still, her life had been continuously pressured since her stepmother and step-sisters, Sarah and Giselle Willow, entered the scene.

These two women dominated the house, influencing Ferdinand Gibson Willow—her father—to neglect Athena, seen as a talentless parasite in the family.

Athena remembered; she and her sister were ignored and ostracized until Aellea fell seriously ill and needed intensive care. Meanwhile, Glenn Cardelion, a 25-year-old heir to Cardelion, Inc., and Athena's former lover, betrayed her and became engaged to Giselle.

"Athena, your body hasn't changed, but my love has. I love Giselle and don't want to lose her. So please keep this secret; I don't want Giselle to know about what we've done."

***

On a weekend morning, after a week of avoiding Glenn and caring for her unconscious sister Aellea at the hospital, Athena felt nauseous and decided to check on her own condition with a doctor.

"You're pregnant," said the man in the white coat, handing Athena a paper with the test results.

Athena couldn't say anything; her lips sealed tight as tears began to fall down her cheeks. Athena hadn't expected it; her heart screamed in denial of the pregnancy.

"I want to meet you," Athena said to Glenn over the phone.

Glenn chuckled. "As I suspected, you must miss our crazy games together. I knew you wouldn't last long without me. You need money—"

"This time it's not about money. I'm serious."

"Fine, wait for me at home. My family and I will come for dinner at your place, and we'll talk there."

Athena couldn't refuse, even though it was risky. Athena had to tell Glenn about her pregnancy directly.

The awaited evening arrived; Athena didn't join dinner because Giselle forbade it. Her step-sister disliked seeing Athena's closeness with Glenn's parents because they had known each other for a long time.

"I'll excuse myself to the restroom for a moment," Glenn said.

"Darling, do you want me to come with you?" Giselle asked.

Glenn shook his head with an almost invisible smile. He got up from the dining table, heading towards the hallway to the bathroom but turned toward Athena's room on the second floor.

He opened the door, grinning as Athena looked surprised by his arrival.

"Tell me, how much money do you need tonight?!" Glenn said, whispering sensually and kissing Athena's neck repeatedly.

Athena closed her eyes, resisting the ticklish feeling spreading through her body from Glenn's touch, which always made it hard for her to refuse.

"Tell me, do I need to pay you 10 million dollars tonight? Are you ready to meet the conditions I've set?" Glenn pushed, Athena shook her head, pushing Glenn away. She stood tall, her face showing a hint of fear, her body trembling intensely, but her mouth finally moved.

"I'm pregnant," Athena said.

Glenn fell silent.

"I'm pregnant with your child, Glenn," Athena repeated.

Glenn remained silent, trying to absorb Athena's words without any expression. Shortly after, a sly smile appeared on his thick lips.

"Do you think you can fool me, Athena? Many cheap women have said that to me just because they slept with me—"

"We've done it several times for two months, Glenn. You and I screamed demands for satisfaction repeatedly, regardless of our status. You even asked me to forget about Giselle every time we were together."

"I've complied with all your wishes, and I got what I wanted. Now, I'm telling you that I'm carrying your child," Athena said, her voice trembling but very brave.

Glenn loosened his tie, took a deep breath, and looked at the examination paper with the word "POSITIVE" typed in thick black ink.

"Abort it," Glenn said bluntly.

Athena was shocked. "Abo-abort?"

"Are you deaf? I won't say it twice; just do what I say, and the problem will be solved. You and I can live normally, without any issues," Glenn said.

His words sounded painful; Athena held her suddenly cramping stomach. "I don't want to do that, Glenn."

"Then, do you want me to take responsibility?"

Athena nodded, angering Glenn. He approached, then roughly grabbed Athena's black hair.

"You seduced me, you bitch! You begged me and asked for payment. You should be ashamed to ask me to take responsibility!"

Glenn spat on Athena's face before pushing her onto the bed. "I have to marry Giselle, because she is far better than you."

"You should learn from her, how to be a perfect heiress so that your position is not taken by others. Giselle is talented, beautiful, and of course, brings many benefits to me."

"I don't want to lose her because of the presence of that damned child," Glenn said.

Athena's tears flowed, she turned to look at Glenn. "You used to love me, but you chose Giselle because of the arranged marriage. You should have refused; you could have married me—"

"Do you realize what you're saying, Athena?! I've said it before, Giselle is far better than you!" Glenn said.

He spoke honestly. The arranged marriage was indeed there, but Athena's biological father chose Giselle, his stepdaughter who married Glenn, despite knowing that Glenn was Athena's lover.

"I should have met Giselle sooner so that I didn't have to have a relationship with you first. Ah, your body is not even more delightful and warm than Giselle's. She is truly talented in every way," Glenn insulted.

Athena cried bitterly, falling to the ground in front of Glenn, kneeling and hugging one of his legs. "I beg you... please don't be like this. I can't abort this innocent fetus. I beg you, Glenn," Athena pleaded.

Glenn took a deep breath and kicked Athena's body with his foot. "Stay away from me, you cheap woman! You're like trash!"

Athena didn’t give up; she hugged Glenn's legs again. "I beg you, I beg you. I just want this child to have a father. Let him be born, then you and Giselle can take him from me. Make him your child—"

BAM!

The door swung open, and Giselle appeared with an extremely angry face. She grabbed Athena's hair roughly and slapped Athena's face repeatedly.

"CRAZY WOMAN, DAMNED WHORE. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY GLENN?!" Giselle continued to scream insults at Athena, her hands not stopping slapping Athena's fair cheeks until they were scratched by the rings on her fingers.

Athena screamed for help from Glenn, also begging for forgiveness as her entire body now felt very painful. However, Giselle, consumed by immense anger, continued to beat Athena. The pregnant woman's body was beaten with objects in the room, her head was injured and bleeding from being hit by a glass perfume bottle.

Her pregnant belly was struck repeatedly until Athena's body was completely powerless. Glenn just watched the torture without any intention of helping at all, showing no mercy as he watched Athena's condition, already battered.

"GISELLE, ATHENA, WHAT IS THIS?!" Ferdinand shouted at the door, along with the parents who were shocked to see the altercation between the two Willow sisters.

"Dad, Athena is pregnant and accuses Glenn of impregnating her," Giselle said.

Ferdinand was shocked, his face briefly turned calm, but his hands loosened his belt and raised it high.

SLAP!

***