"Based on the statements from several reporters, they learned about Mrs. Athena’s presence in this office from someone, Sir. They received the information via a text message from an unknown number."Hearing Edward's explanation, Leon’s head throbbed even more. He hadn’t finished dealing with the issue of Athena, who now had one of the pieces of evidence of her deceit, and he still didn’t know who had exposed Athena’s presence here, causing the chaos earlier this morning."Could it be the Mayor? Isn’t he one of the most enthusiastic supporters of Athena joining this project?" Crystal finally chimed in, her curiosity piqued."I don’t know yet, Miss Crystal. I’ve already checked the phone number that sent the information about Mrs. Athena’s location here. It was a disposable number, so I can’t track or contact it."Letting out a long sigh, Leon leaned back in his large chair. This all still felt like a mystery to him, especially since there was a possibility that the person behind this wa
"Mr. Arthur?"The echoes of voices calling out shattered the suffocating silence. Arthur’s grip on Athena tightened for a moment before he carefully leaned her unconscious form against the elevator wall."Can’t we just exit through the elevator doors?" Arthur asked his voice calm but edged with impatience. He spared a fleeting glance at Athena’s pale, exhausted face."Apologies, sir. The elevator is stuck mid-floor. It’s impossible to align it with any of the nearby doors."Arthur’s jaw clenched. He glanced at the dark confines of the elevator before nodding curtly. Steeling himself, he crouched beside Athena, gently shaking her awake."Athena, we need to move.""Arthur... my hands," she whispered, her voice trembling. Her eyelids fluttered open, and panic flashed across her face. "I’m afraid I can’t hold myself up. What if I fall?""You won’t," Arthur assured her firmly. "My team will guide you, and I’ll be right here to catch you if anything happens."For a moment, Athena hesitated,
Athena frowned, her gaze wandering across the lavishly decorated room. The high ceilings were adorned with intricate chandeliers that cast a warm glow on the polished wooden floors. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed a breathtaking view of the city skyline, and the furniture was nothing short of opulent. Soft, cream-colored sofas paired with golden accents exuded an air of understated elegance."You were in bad shape last night, Athena." Arthur hesitated for a fraction of a second before answering. "After the elevator incident, I thought it would be safer to bring you here to recover. This place is... private and secure.""This is private?" Athena whispered, her tone filled with disbelief as she took it all in. "Arthur, this is not just private. This is... extravagant! Whose place is this?""It’s just a temporary arrangement. A safe house I had rented for emergencies.""Rented?" Narrowed her eyes, Athena's skepticism evident. "Arthur, this looks more like a billionaire’s penthouse than s
Leon’s eyes darted across the hastily scribbled words. His jaw clenched so tightly it felt as if his teeth might crack. The letter trembled in his hands, his rage threatening to boil over. "What does it say?" Crystal hovered nearby, her face pale as she attempted to read his expression.Without answering, Leon crumpled the note and shoved it into his pocket. His eyes scanned the room, filled with evacuation officers and reporters lingering near the building entrance. He felt the stares—some curious, others suspicious."I don’t have time for this circus!""What?!"Ignoring Crystal’s protests, he turned on his heel and stormed away. His fists were clenched at his sides as he headed to his private office within the building. Once inside, he slammed the door shut and immediately summoned the head of security."You called for me, sir?" Moments later, a burly man in a tailored uniform entered, his expression stoic."Who accessed the elevator shaft last night? Who helped Athena escape?""So
"What is this?"Athena’s fingers trembled as she picked up a photo. Her heart pounded as she stared at a candid shot of her walking out of her stage with Leon’s shadow not far behind. Another depicted Crystal in a heated discussion with someone unfamiliar, her face a mask of frustration. But it was the last that made her blood run cold: it was of herself, sitting alone on a park bench, taken from a distance.She remembered that day vividly. She had thought she was alone. How did this photo end up in Arthur's possession?"You shouldn’t be here!"The sound of the door clicking shut behind her made Athena whirl around. She clutched the photo tightly, stepping back instinctively. Arthur stood there, his dark eyes unreadable. His voice was low but firm."What is all this, Arthur? Why do you have these pictures? How long have you been spying on us?"Arthur’s expression hardened, and he took a deliberate step closer. "Put the photo down and go back to your room, Athena.""Not until you expla
"Okay, make the most of your time!"At midnight, Athena slipped into the hospital, dressed in a nurse's uniform Arthur had provided. Her heart pounded as she moved through the quiet corridors. Her breath caught, when she finally reached her mother’s room."Mom?" she whispered, her voice trembling.Her mother lay peacefully in bed under the soft glow of the bedside lamp. The steady beeping of the monitors was the only sound in the room. She stepped closer, sitting down beside the bed and gently taking her mother’s warm but frail hand."I’ve missed you so much," she choked out, her cries heart-wrenching."I don’t even know where to start, Mom. Everything’s such a mess. Leon... he’s not who I thought he was. He’s destroyed everything!"Athena leaned closer, letting her tears fall freely. This was the only peace she could find. Her mother didn’t stir, but just being near her brought a small measure of comfort. "There’s a man guiding me through all of this, Mom. I don’t know if I can trus
Arthur froze, his usual composure shattered by the unexpected kiss. His grip on her waist faltered for a brief second before he regained control, pulling back slightly but keeping her within the embrace of their dance."It's too far, Athena.""Too far?" Athena smirked, unfazed by his rebuke. "You’ve already brought me into the lion’s den, Arthur. I’d say we’re far beyond ‘too far.’ You don’t scare me!"Leaning in closer, Athena's lips brushed his ear. Arthur held his breath when he felt all that. He couldn't resist pulling Athena's slender waist closer, but unfortunately just as he was about to bend down to kiss her in return, Athena slightly moved away by restraining his movement."I saw your sister," she said suddenly making Arthur stop staring at her even more."You don’t know what you’re talking about, Athena.""Don’t I?" Athena countered, her tone sharp. "She’s the reason you’re doing all of this, isn’t she? You’re not just after revenge, you’re trying to save her. Why hide it fr
"Leon! Did you think I didn’t see how much you enjoyed dancing with that woman?!"The sudden sound of a door opening made Athena and Arthur quickly turn their heads. From the door's opening, Crystal’s voice was unmistakably clear and filled with anger. She entered the room, followed closely by Leon, who wore an expression of frustration.Before they could turn around, Arthur quickly pulled Athena toward the wooden wardrobe in the corner of the room. Without a second thought, he decided to hide there. He deliberately left the wardrobe door slightly ajar so they could keep an eye on everything happening outside."Why do I have to run into them again? Honestly, I’m so sick of this!" Athena muttered quietly, causing Arthur, who was cramped beside her, to smirk slightly."Seems like you’ve forgotten that the man you’re so sick of is still your husband.""Yes, and very soon, I’ll gladly give up that title! Honestly, I still can’t believe I ever loved someone like him!" she hissed, full of c
Tingg!A sudden notification sound rang just as the initial meeting for her collaboration with Caroline's company concluded. Realizing that it was Arthur who had messaged her, Athena quickly glanced around to make sure no one was watching her at that moment.[I'm sorry, but I have to go abroad for a while due to an urgent matter. I didn't have the chance to inform you in person because everything happened so quickly.]Letting out a quiet sigh, Athena leaned back in her chair. Once again, a tightness gripped her chest. She felt that sense of loss creeping in again, so she quickly shifted her focus to her employees, who were preparing to leave the meeting room, and to Caroline, who seemed busy with her phone—to push away that feeling.[I'm sorry once again, dear. I never wanted to leave you, but I have no choice.]Staring blankly at her phone screen, Athena straightened her p
"E–enemy?"Athena stammered as both of her ears caught Caroline’s last word. Her eyes widened in tension, especially when the woman nodded in response, meeting her gaze without hesitation."Caroline... I think we've gone too far with this conversation. We should—""Don't be so tense, Athena. I haven't explained what I meant yet," Caroline said calmly once again, though her ever-changing gaze made her intentions difficult to read."Ah, I just...""What I mean is, we could become enemies if you were to take the man who has been a savior in my life. I absolutely despise it when something that should belong to me is taken or even disturbed by someone else. But surely, you wouldn’t do that to me, right?" Caroline chuckled again as if trying to lighten the mood, leaving Athena oblivious to the true meaning behind her words.Athena forced a s
Once he left, Athena sat still for a moment, staring at the empty space beside her. A strange feeling crept into her chest, was it disappointment? Worry? Or something else entirely?Shaking it off, she decided she couldn’t dwell on it. She needed to get back to her own life.Arriving at her office, she immediately instructed the security team to be cautious about accepting packages with no clear sender information. The last thing she needed was an unexpected threat slipping through the cracks like yesterday."Athena!""Caroline?"Athena waved her hand toward a woman who had just stepped out of a luxury car. Without hesitation, she gave her a warm hug as the woman in dark sunglasses approached, then slightly furrowed her brows when the woman handed her a rather large handbag with the label of a well-known brand."What is this?" she asked, still unsure.
Athena let out a soft sigh, staring at the ceiling.As she lay there, wrapped in the thick blanket Arthur had secured around her, she let out a small sigh. The lingering heat of their moment still clung to her skin, making her body tingle with anticipation. Yet, Arthur was gone now—at least for the moment.She waited. And waited. But Arthur never returned. Her fingers absently traced the fabric of Arthur’s bedsheets. She had expected him to return quickly, but the minutes stretched on, turning into an hour… and then another."Geez, why am I being like this?" she muttered worriedly to herself.She turned onto her side, curling up slightly as a strange sense of unease settled in her chest. He wouldn’t have just left without a word—not after what had happened between them tonight.At first, she thought he might have gotten caught up in something minor,
"Holding back?"Arthur couldn’t help but smile when he heard that. Deep down, he had to admit it was true. He had been holding back all this time—restraining himself from touching every inch of Athena’s smooth skin, even as his heart and body yearned for her more with each passing day.Tonight, after such a long wait, it was finally happening. This wasn’t just a fleeting desire; it was a dream he had held onto for so long, a hope for the future. He hoped to remain in this moment, in this intimacy, until the day he married her and spent the rest of his life by her side—until death did them part."Hmm... Why did you stop?" Athena’s soft voice broke the silence, laced with a hint of hesitation. "Isn’t this the best distraction from all the troubles drowning us?"Arthur nodded, then pressed a lingering kiss to the delicate skin beside him, his signature smirk ret
"Thank you! I'll confirm the arrival of both of us with the Mayor!"Before getting up from the lap of the man who always managed to capture her heart, Athena gave him a quick kiss on the corner of his lips. She smiled upon noticing his surprised expression. To her, Arthur always looked incredibly cute when he was like that, making it impossible for her to hold back a chuckle as she pulled away."The maid said you've already had dinner, right? In that case, get some rest. I’ve eaten too, so I just need to go back to my room to freshen up before resting."Smiling again, Athena adjusted Arthur’s blanket and bed before finally preparing to leave. She made sure he was completely comfortable before her eyes suddenly widened in shock—she was abruptly pulled back onto the bed.Who else could it be but Arthur? As if unwilling to let her go just yet, he pulled her back toward him before captu
Crystal’s growing curiosity as the mysterious woman walked away. A chill ran down her spine, her mind still spinning. She tapped her fingers against the cold, hard surface of her cell’s metal bed.The first letter of their names was the same? That meant her name started with C. But who? Charlotte? Cassandra?No. None of them matched the woman she had just seen. That poised smile, that air of confidence, it didn’t fit anyone she knew."Damn it!" she muttered under her breath. Her fingers curled into fists. "Who the hell was she?!"The woman’s words echoed in her mind, especially when she talks about Athena’s downfall. Something about this was different. This wasn’t just idle gossip or petty revenge. The woman had a plan, and she could feel it."Great!" she muttered bitterly. "Yet another person obsessed with that woman!"Cry
Athena’s fingers hovered over her phone screen, her mind racing. She needed—no, she wanted—to tell Arthur about this. Her heart was still pounding from the shock of what she had just seen.A blood-stained knife. A chilling note. A clear warning. Arthur needed to know. He always knew what to do. He would protect her. He would...."No, don’t do it!" Athena inhaled sharply and shook her head.Arthur was already drowning in problems. Reyna was still missing. He was barely sleeping, barely eating, spending every waking moment trying to track her down. If she called him now, she would only add to his burden."He doesn’t need another problem!" she muttered to herself, biting her lower lip. "I can handle this on my own!"With a sigh, she locked her phone and set it aside. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the intercom."Come
Smiling even wider, Athena quickly reached for her phone in the small drawer beside her bed. She looked incredibly excited, so much so that she didn’t even notice how messy her hair was."Come here!" Arthur, unable to hold back his laughter at the sight of her, took it upon himself to fix her hair. As he gently tucked the stray strands back in place, he pulled Athena into his embrace once again."Look at this! The Mayor invited us to his charity event," Athena said, unfazed by Arthur’s hands still tidying her hair.How could she feel comfortable? Arthur’s touch was so gentle that she barely felt anything at all.Tilting her head up with a small smile, Athena took a moment to enjoy this. Even though she was eager to share the good news, she chose to wait until Arthur was finished with what he was doing."There, all done!"Without hesitation, Athena leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his lips as a thank-you. Arthur caught off guard, widened his eyes for a second before swiftly p