"How is he doing, Doc?"
A woman in a white coat with a stethoscope draped around her neck let out a small sigh. She glanced briefly at her patient, who had just been transferred from a small hospital on the outskirts of the city, before turning her gaze back to someone she had never met before, her expression somewhat difficult to interpret.
"It looks like further examination is needed. So far, there are no signs that the patient will regain consciousness. The head injury seems quite serious."
Silent, one of Arthur's subordinates could only sigh softly. He turned his eyes back toward the small window in front of him, his heart aching as he watched his superior lying there, helpless, with several injuries on his body.
"So you can't determine exactly when he'll wake up?"
The doctor, who had also examined Athena before, slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I can't make any further
Arthur’s head throbbed as he slowly opened his eyes, the harsh fluorescent lights above him making him squint. His body ached all over, and every movement felt like a battle against his muscles.He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his ribs, forcing him to clench his jaw. How long had he been out? Where was Athena? The last thing he remembered was chasing after her, determined to find her, and then—darkness."Sir?"A familiar voice broke through his disoriented thoughts. One of his most trusted men rushed to his side, relief evident in his eyes."You’re awake, sir. We were starting to worry and—""Where is she?" Arthur’s voice came out hoarse, barely more than a whisper. He ignored the burning in his throat and tried to swing his legs over the edge of the hospital bed."Sir, please. You’re still too weak.
"Mrs. Athena, is your purpose in holding this press conference to explain that your marriage to Mr. Leon has been fine amidst all the bad news?"Cameras flashed relentlessly as journalists fought to be heard over one another. Athena looked a little nervous. She was clearly unprepared for all this even though she was the one who planned this activity in the first place.Yes, this is indeed her plan. But it's not entirely like this. Initially, she just wanted to stand in front of the many camera flashes alone or at least be accompanied by Arthur. She wanted to explain her collaboration with the man's company. She certainly didn't expect to be accompanied by Leon, who had clearly caused her so much suffering."Is it true that you filed a police report against him, Mrs. Athena? If so, why are you standing here with him today?""Yeah, did he force you to be here? Are you being threatened, Mrs. Athena?"
As soon as the press conference ended, Leon wasted no time in dragging Athena into his car. The moment the doors shut, the charming mask he had worn in front of the cameras shattered."What the hell was that Athena?!" he snapped, his voice filled with barely contained fury. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "You were hesitating! Do you think I didn’t notice? Do you want to ruin everything for me?!"Athena remained silent, her nails digging into her palms. She knew that arguing with Leon would only make things worse. He was furious, and when Leon was angry, he became unpredictable."Answer me!""I did everything you asked," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I said what you wanted me to say.""Not well enough!" he barked and scoffed. Leon turned to her, his dark eyes filled with menace. "You’re lucky I was there to clean
"No! It's—""Let us examine all this evidence first, Mr. Leon. You can testify later!"Leon tried to evade but the odds were stacked against him. With a sharp glance at Arthur and Athena, he clenched his fists tightly again. His brain was trying to think of a quick escape in this situation, otherwise he would end up in prison for a long time."All of this evidence is very sufficient, sir. I hope from today he can be arrested immediately. Moreover, he had previously committed a lot of crimes that harmed many people," Arthur added, occasionally returning Leon's sharp glance with his stern gaze.Athena, who witnessed all this again, could only remain silent with a transfixed gaze. She still couldn't believe it, even though in her heart she felt very happy with Arthur's presence.Didn’t Leon say that the man was unconscious for days after being brutally beaten by hi
"Arthur…"As soon as Arthur stepped into the car, Athena couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. She threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as tears spilled down her cheeks."I’ve got you. You’re safe now," he whispered against her hair. Arthur caught her immediately, wrapping her in a tight embrace. She clung to him, burying her face into his chest."I was so scared!" she admitted between sobs. "I thought I’d never see you again. I thought—""I told you I’d come back for you," he murmured and pulled back just enough to cup her face in his hands. His thumb brushed away her tears. "I’d fight through hell to reach you!"A fresh wave of emotion washed over Athena. She pressed her forehead against his with sobs that had not subsided. Her lips occasionally opened as if she was about to say something, but unfortunat
"Excuse me, Mr. James, Mrs. Athena."Arthur’s fingers hovered over his phone, about to check the multiple missed calls and the message about Reyna. However, before he could reach for it, the door swung open, and a nurse entered, pushing a tray of food."It's time for your meal," the nurse said with a warm smile. "You need proper nutrition to recover quickly.""I suppose there's no escaping this, huh?" Arthur sighed, leaning back against the pillows. Athena, who had been standing beside him, smirked."Not unless you want me to report you to the doctor, sir." The nurse chuckled, making Athena chuckle too. She quickly picked up a tray of food that was handed to Arthur."Don’t worry, nurse. I’ll make sure he eats everything!""Thank you. Don't forget to finish your meal afterward." The nurse gave a knowing smile before setting the tray down on t
"Sir..."Athena immediately shifted her position to sit up. Not only that, but she also quickly moved away from Arthur, unwilling to become the subject of gossip."What's the matter?" Arthur asked briefly, his gaze slightly cold.Yes, the warmth he usually showed Athena was gone. When he was with his subordinates, Arthur was always like this—strict and commanding, earning the respect and obedience of everyone around him."Miss Reyna... Miss Reyna, sir!" The man in the black suit stammered.Arthur’s heart instantly felt like it had stopped beating upon hearing his sister’s name."What about Reyna? She's okay, isn't she?" Athena interjected, her face just as worried."Yes, what’s wrong with my sister? Speak clearly!"Nodding, Arthur’s subordinate stepped closer and showed him several messag
"Damn! The phone is completely unreachable!"Holding back his frustration, Arthur gripped his phone tightly. Athena, still by his side, gently stroked his muscular arm. She gazed at him with a sorrowful expression, though deep inside, she remained extremely curious about the true relationship between Arthur and his stepmother.After receiving news that Reyna had yet to be brought home, Arthur hadn't explained anything to her. He had only been trying to leave the hospital, though she had eventually managed to convince him to stay for further treatment. Yet, he kept trying to call his stepmother repeatedly while instructing his men to search for possible locations where Reyna might be."Reyna...""She'll be okay, trust me!" Athena slowly took the slim device from Arthur’s grasp before gently caressing his handsome face. She wanted to ease his tension, especially when she noticed his brown eyes gl
Athena breathed, as tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, caught between joy and release.They moved together, slowly at first, learning each other’s rhythms like a love song only they could hear. The world faded around them, replaced only by the shared warmth of skin and the silent thunder of feeling too great to be spoken aloud.In that moment, there was no past pain, no burden of secrets or fears. There were only the two of them—raw, real, and whole.Their whispers became promises. Their sighs became prayers."You are everything!" When they reached the height of their union—when time itself seemed to stand still—Arthur cupped her face and looked deep into her eyes.Tears slid down Athena’s cheeks as she kissed him again and again, whispering against his lips, "I love you, prince! I love you, Arthur! I love you, Mr. James! And I love al
The ocean whispered just beyond the sand, and a soft breeze tangled through Athena’s hair as she leaned gently against Arthur’s side. The two of them sat on a blanket near the shore, not far from their villa—barefoot, warm, and wrapped in the glow of a fire pit flickering beside them. The night had draped its velvet cloak over the island, and above, a sea of stars shimmered like scattered diamonds."It feels like the sky is blessing us tonight." Athena looked up, her voice a quiet melody. Arthur followed her gaze, then turned to her with a soft smile."It’s because you’re under it!"She laughed lightly, nudging him with her shoulder. "Stop that, prince. You’re getting too good at the poetic stuff!""You mean the truth?"Athena rested her head on his shoulder then, letting her eyes close for a moment. "I used to pray for peace. For moments
"Imagining someone?"The soft hum of the airport lounge faded into the background the moment Athena looked up and saw him. Her breath hitched. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Not today. Not yet."You’re early," she said, trying to keep her voice steady as she stood from her seat. Her hands clutched the handle of her suitcase just a little too tightly. "You told me you’d fly out tomorrow."Arthur gave her that familiar half-smile, the one that always left her slightly disarmed. "Change of plans," he said casually. "Consider it a surprise.""A surprise?" Athena narrowed her eyes. She echoed, unconvinced. "Or… did something happen with Reyna?"He sighed, and the silence between them told her everything before his words did."You always read me too well, dear," Arthur said at last, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "Yeah... We argue
Leon’s muscles ached, his shirt clung to his skin from sweat, and yet, Crystal was nowhere near done tormenting him."Move the dresser to the left wall!" she said nonchalantly, lounging on her bed as if she weren’t running him ragged."Again?" Leon grunted while wiping some of the sweat from his forehead. "I just moved it ten minutes ago!""Then move it back to the right." Crystal didn’t even glance up from her phone. "I’ve changed my mind.""You’ve changed your mind five times already, Crystal!""And you’ve been whining five times too many, Leon!" she snapped back while looking back sharply. "Now, get moving! Faster!"Grumbling under his breath, Leon dragged the heavy piece of furniture back to its original spot, sweat dripping from his brow. The clock ticked past midnight, but Crystal showed no signs of giving him a break
The dinner table was set with elegance, but the atmosphere simmered with tension. Crystal poked at her food while eyeing her mother and Leon, waiting for someone to say something that would finally make sense of this unexpected reunion."Alright, Mom," she began casually, stirring her drink but watching her mother intently. "Why don’t you tell us what this is really about?"But Caroline simply smiled and began pouring Leon a glass of wine first. "Relax, sweetie. Let the guest eat first.""Of course, the ‘guest’ gets special treatment." Crystal huffed under her breath, clearly annoyed.Hearing her daughter's grumbling, Caroline laughed. But it was only for a moment because she finally told Crystal and Leon to finish their food first before she started talking."Well," she said, dabbing her lips with a napkin. "I freed Leon because someone asked me to. Someone who
Arthur stood still for a moment before finally stopping Athena from stepping back by wrapping his arms around her slender waist. He stared at her even more intently as she tried to move away, then leaned in and gently returned her kiss.As if understanding his intention, Athena finally allowed herself to relax in his embrace again. Truthfully, she wasn’t ready to be apart from him yet. She kissed him back lovingly before one of her hands moved to gently stroke his strong jawline."I’m going to meet Reyna first. It’s her first time at this office, so she might be feeling a little lost right now."Nodding, Arthur gave her red lips another kiss, short but sweet. "Please don’t take her words and rejections too personally. Like you said before, she might still be adjusting."Gazing once more at the face of the woman who had become his strength, Athena smiled softly. This time, her
Both Athena and Reyna sat frozen in disbelief at Arthur’s sudden declaration.Athena’s lips parted slightly, her breath catching in her throat. Marriage? Next month? He had never said anything so certain, so definite. Her heart raced, not just because of the surprise, but because the weight of those words hit harder than she expected.Reyna, on the other hand, looked utterly stunned—her eyes wide, her posture stiff. "What did you just say?" she asked, her voice tight with disbelief. "You’re marrying her… next month?""Yes!" Arthur said didn’t flinch. "I’ve made up my mind!"Reyna shot up from her seat, her fists clenched at her sides. "You can’t be serious, Arthur! You’re going to marry her in the middle of all this... while I’ve made it clear I don’t agree?! Have you even thought this through?!""I have," he repl
Trying to take a deep breath, Athena finally couldn’t resist the urge to stand again. Slowly, she pulled away from Arthur’s embrace before stepping back and sitting down in her chair, leaning back as she tried to process everything—everything that suddenly felt so tense and overwhelming.After just seeing a woman who looked like Crystal, Arthur now told her that Leon had been released—bailed out by someone.Who had done all of this? Was the person who freed them the same individual? Her entire body shivered with fear. Her eyes trembled. She was terrified that something big was lurking in the shadows—especially because she was sure that Leon and Crystal wouldn’t let her off easily after she had sent them to prison."I’m sorry for finding all this out so late," Arthur said with deep regret, now kneeling in front of her and holding both of her hands. "But I’m sure none of this
Athena hesitated for a moment as her phone continued to ring, Arthur's name glowing on the screen. After reading his message she couldn't bring herself to ignore him any longer. With a deep breath, she finally accepted the call.["Finally, you answered my call, dear. Where are you right now? I’ve been so worried about you. Why have you been ignoring my messages?"]"I... I’m on my way to the office," she replied hesitantly, gripping her phone tightly. "Sorry, I haven’t had the chance to reply to your messages. Lately, I’ve been…"Screech!Before Athena could finish her sentence, the car she was in suddenly came to a screeching halt. Her body lurched forward, and her head hit the seat in front of her with a painful thud."Ahh…," she winced, clutching her forehead.["Dear? What just happened?"] Arthur’s worried voice c