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Beneath the Golden Mask

Penulis: Allura.Shaletta
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-01-07 16:25:48

"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
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  • The Piano of Vengeance   Entwined Fates

    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

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-08
  • The Piano of Vengeance   Beyond the Plan

    "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

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-09
  • The Piano of Vengeance   Racing Against Time

    "I'll be there soon!"Athena held her breath as she noticed the change in Arthur's expression. When he first heard about the previous news, the man appeared calm, as if he could handle everything. But now? Panic was written on his face, even though he seemed to be trying hard to hide it."Tell me, Arthur. Who called you? It wasn’t one of your men at the hospital, was it? It’s not—""It was my man over there!""What?"Athena's breathing grew more erratic upon hearing that statement. Her eyes widened as her thoughts became a chaotic mess, especially when Arthur suddenly drove so fast that he cut through several cars in front of him."Arthur, what’s happening with my mother? She... She can still be saved, right?" she asked, her voice trembling and barely audible.Without turning to her, Arthur pressed the gas pedal harder. It was as though he was racing against time, and soon Athena frowned slightly as she realized the direction they were heading."Are you taking me back home?" she asked

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-10
  • The Piano of Vengeance   The Weight of the Past

    Beep!A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the dark, causing Athena to duck instinctively. Her forehead nearly collided with the seat in front of her as she tightened her grip on the unconscious woman in her lap. Rain hammered against the taxi, the rhythmic pounding a stark reminder of the danger closing in."Ma’am," the driver said, his voice edged with urgency. "There’s a car following us. Do you recognize it?"Athena’s heart sank as she turned to look. The unmistakable shape of Leon’s car loomed behind them. Her pulse quickened, and she turned back to face the driver. "No, I don’t know them. Please, don’t let them find out where we’re going.""Yes, Ma'am. Do you need me to call the police?""No, just… just make sure they don’t follow us. And please, don’t let anyone know about the woman in this car. She’s my… she’s family!"Nodded, the driver pressed harder on the gas, weaving through traffic with calculated precision. He turned abruptly at a busy intersection, the sudden maneuv

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-11
  • The Piano of Vengeance   Shattered Reflections

    "What are you trying to say, Athena? You don’t—""This is one of the pieces of evidence I accidentally found while hiding with you. To me, it’s enough to prove that I’m the one truly at fault here."Shaking his head, Arthur then guided the woman beside him toward his room. He didn’t take the paper Athena was holding out to him. One of his hands moved quickly to open the door before stepping inside and standing there."Take off your clothes!" Athena’s eyes widened before the man continued, "Change into dry, warmer clothes. Night rain can make you more susceptible to illness.""But—""I’ll turn around and won’t leave until I’ve treated your wounds. You’re overthinking things, Athena, to the point where you haven’t noticed the cut on your neck from the glass shards."Athena froze, only now noticing the red stain on her neck. She winced slightly as she accidentally touched the wound. But before she could speak again, Arthur had already turned to face the wall, as if proving his words."I’

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-12
  • The Piano of Vengeance   Shadows of Guilt

    "Ouch!"Athena clutched her head, which had suddenly begun to ache severely. Her brow furrowed slightly as she took in her surroundings. It seemed she was no longer in the bathroom. Everything had changed without her noticing, including the time, which now appeared to be midday."What happened?" Athena murmured as she tried to recall the events that had led her there.As far as she remembered, she had been about to change her clothes last night after battling with her thoughts. She vaguely recalled feeling dizzy. Everything had spun for her, and then suddenly..."Oh my gosh, I fainted?" Her eyes widened as she realized another surprising fact.Her clothes—her clothes had completely changed. Not only that, but she felt cleaner all over, even though she couldn’t remember cleaning herself."Arthur... Was it him who did all this?" she said breathlessly, realizing a man was sleeping beside her.Not exactly beside her—Arthur was sleeping in a small chair next to the bed with one hand restin

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-13
  • The Piano of Vengeance   Between Love and Vengeance

    Athena's breath hitched as the man before she moved even closer. His sharp, mysterious gaze was no longer focused on her eyes but had shifted downward. She shook her head briefly, trying to dispel the fleeting thoughts invading her mind. But instead of stepping back, the man smiled faintly."What's wrong, Athena? I won't understand anything if you just shake your head," he whispered which made Athena turn her gaze in another direction to catch her breath."You're too close, Arthur. You... We... We shouldn't—""We shouldn't what, hmm? I still don't understand unless you say it clearly."Athena's breath grew uneven as she tried to speak. No words came out. She felt trapped—not by Arthur, but by the conflicting emotions warring within her.Her body jolted as if electrified when she felt him gently stroke her face. The masculine scent he exuded sent strange shivers through her body, especially as his touch moved from her cheek downward toward her lips."Tell me to stop, Athena. At least p

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-14
  • The Piano of Vengeance   The New Me!

    "I still don’t like this idea. You’re taking too big a risk going alone!" Arthur's lips thinned into a tight line. His displeasure is apparent. He certainly did not want to take any further risks, especially since he would not be able to watch Athena closely."I will come with various evidence that can secure me, Arthur. I won’t be alone. I'm sure he won't be able to fight me directly anymore, even if he keeps trying to get rid of me.""And what if Leon retaliates? He's ruthless, Athena.""I’ll make him pay for everything he’s done to me and your sister first. That way, he won't be able to do anything to me more," she assured, which made Arthur rub his face for a moment."You're too confident.""At least that's one of the things I learned from you. I can't just stay here waiting for your help because I don't want him to take over everything I have."Silent, Arthur finally cast his gaze in another direction. Athena immediately grabbed his hand again. She grasped it expectantly until s

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-16

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  • The Piano of Vengeance   The Weight of Happiness

    Time passed by without her realizing it. One day after another went by. The series of divorce trials between Athena and Leon had begun running smoothly without obstacles. Slowly, the negative gossip about her life started to fade away. The project to build a free music school with the Mayor was nearing its final stages, and her company’s collaboration with Caroline’s business was also progressing well.Everything was starting to fall into place for Athena, yet there was still an emptiness in her heart. To her, all these achievements still felt incomplete because the person who had been her source of strength—the one who kept her going—was not by her side.Arthur. Yes, his departure had left a void in Athena’s heart. Even though Arthur had told her beforehand that he would be too busy to return to his sister anytime soon, she couldn’t help but feel restless. That feeling only deepened with time, pulling her

  • The Piano of Vengeance   Beyond the Chains

    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

  • The Piano of Vengeance   Forgive Me Again

    "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

  • The Piano of Vengeance   A Poisoned Friendship

    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.

  • The Piano of Vengeance   Between Duty and Desire

    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,

  • The Piano of Vengeance   Until the Morning Comes

    "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

  • The Piano of Vengeance   No More Holding Back

    "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

  • The Piano of Vengeance   A Web of Secrets

    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

  • The Piano of Vengeance   Unseen Enemy

    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

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