"You’ll regret it if I go along with your wishes."Snorting, Athena wrapped her arms around the strong shoulders of the man carrying her. "Everyone keeps talking to me like that! Leon, Crystal, they're just like you!""No, I won’t be like them. You’ll see soon enough."Hearing that response, Athena pursed her lips in a pout, resembling a lost cygnet searching for its mother."This isn’t fair! How are you still so clear-headed while I’m like this?" she grumbled, making the man carrying her smirk slightly."It’s because you’re incredibly weak against alcohol. Why didn’t you ever tell me before?""Tell you? For what? Ugh! Why is my head spinning so much? Did you poison me?"As she weakly hit his chest, Arthur chuckled. He quickened his pace toward the car while trying to shield Athena’s face from prying eyes. He didn’t want anyone to recognize her, especially not in her current drunken state.Living in luxury and constantly under the public eye, who would have thought Athena was this eas
Ring!The sound of an alarm suddenly echoed, waking a woman who had been fast asleep in her bed. One of her hands moved around frantically, trying to locate the source of the noise. Her still-closed eyes widened instantly when she realized she was only wearing a white tank top—the same one she had last paired with her black blazer. "Damn! What the hell happened?" Athena grumbled, hugging herself. Quickly, she glanced around, trying to piece together what had happened the night before. Her head still felt a bit dizzy, but a small sigh of relief escaped her lips when she realized she was in Arthur’s home. That meant the chances of her doing something reckless while drunk were slim, right? At least she hadn’t ended up with a stranger for a one-night stand like in the novels she had read. Unless… Arthur had accepted her offer last night, and…. "Oh God! That’s so embarrassing!" she gasped, immediately sitting up. She ran her hands over her face, scanning her surroundings once mor
Still wondering in her heart, Athena was now transfixed by the breathtaking view before her.A vast, beautifully arranged lake stretched out in front of her. Not only that, from where she stood, she could see several swans gliding gracefully and birds chirping in the distance.The morning air was quite cold. Fortunately, Arthur had reminded her to wear a thick coat, though she had still forgotten to bring her gloves."Are you ready for a little clue?""A clue?"Athena instinctively grabbed Arthur's arm as he was about to lead her somewhere else. Her brow furrowed in confusion while the man let out a quiet sigh."So, you don’t remember?" he asked, his gaze fixed intently on her face.Shaking her head, Athena met his eyes, slightly tilting her chin upward. "If you're doing all this because I called you a coward last night or anything else I said, then you don’t have to worry about it, Arthur. Last night, I was just—""That’s not it!" he quickly interrupted, making her frown deepen."The
"Your phone is ringing, Athena."Arthur smiled as he noticed Athena trying to ignore her ringing phone. Her eyes remained closed before him. The distance between their lips was barely anything until, finally, he gently caressed her beautiful face before kissing her again."Your phone is still ringing. Are you really going to ignore it just for me?" he whispered, making the red lips in front of him pout slightly.Still unwilling to open her eyes, Athena draped her arms around Arthur’s broad shoulders. When he moved slightly away, she instinctively followed, prompting Arthur to wrap his arms around her waist, shifting their seats slightly in the process."I... I feel so embarrassed looking at you now that I know everything, Arthur. I feel like such a fool!""So that's why you're keeping your eyes closed?" Arthur chuckled, his gaze tracing the perfection of her delicate features.Her naturally long lashes—one of his favorite things about her—were rare in this era. Women like Athena, who
Knock! Knock! Knock!The sudden sound of knocking on the door made Crystal scoff in frustration. Without hesitation, she opened the door, her eyes still slightly wet—after all, it had only been a few minutes since she had been left behind by Leon without a word."What do you want to say? If it’s not important or good news, you’d better leave now before I take my anger out on you!" she snapped, making the man in front of her nod immediately."I'm sorry, Miss Crystal. I came to see you to update you on the search for Arthur. I actually wanted to discuss this with Mr. Leon as well, but it seems he—""He’s gone. He’s a mess right now! So I’ll handle this for the time being!"Edward nodded again before handing her several documents he had just gathered. Inside were some photos of people who resembled Arthur, along with details of their last known locations and additional information. Crystal furrowed her brows as she looked through them—until her eyes widened in shock when she found anothe
"Wait!"Just as Athena was about to step out of the car, Arthur quickly grabbed her hand, his usual calm expression shifting in an instant. His eyes darted toward his phone, which had suddenly started ringing. A name flashed across the screen."Reyna?"Exhaling softly, Arthur ran a hand over his face. "I bought this number specifically and left it at home so I could be contacted about any urgent updates regarding Reyna. They never call unless—""We won’t know anything unless you pick it up, right?" Athena squeezed his hand reassuringly, her gaze firm yet gentle. "Hopefully, nothing bad has happened to Reyna." Even though Arthur hadn’t told her yet, she already knew from the house staff that Reyna had another violent outburst the night before. It seemed her condition still hadn’t improved, and despite everything, she still refused to be transferred to the psychiatric hospital that had been treating her."I won’t be able to come home anytime soon," Arthur finally spoke, drawing Athena
"Arthur...."Crystal froze the moment she recognized the man who had suddenly stopped in his tracks. Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her breath hitched slightly, especially when the man’s gaze grew even sharper as he looked at her."You've got the wrong person. But whatever this is, I can't just ignore what happened here. It seems like you’re the one who ordered these thugs to kidnap that lady, aren’t you?"Shaking her head, Crystal quickly glanced at the two hired thugs standing on either side of Athena. Even though she was still convinced that the man in front of her was Arthur, she couldn’t completely dismiss the possibility that he might be someone else—someone far wealthier or with even greater power than her.From the watch on his wrist, Crystal could tell it wasn’t something just anyone could buy. Its price alone was almost equal to that of her car. And on top of that, he was dressed in high-end designer attire, the total cost of which she couldn’t even begin to estimate.
"No! That’s impossible! What if it’s just—""Enough, Crystal! Are you trying to say that all of this is just a trick? You have no idea what I just went through! I just met with the Mayor! He yelled at me, and I also got a call from several board members!"Panting, Crystal turned back to the man beside her. She shook her head again. She simply couldn’t believe Arthur was dead—especially since, just moments ago, she had seen a man who looked exactly like him.She didn’t care about Leon’s complaints; the only thing that mattered to her was her suspicion of Mr. James. She was one hundred percent convinced that all of this was his game. She had to prove it to Leon, even though last night she had been punished most painfully for provoking his anger."Wait! Where are you going? You have to—""I’m going to prove my suspicions about Mr. James, Leon!" she declared, turning back with unwavering determination. "If you don’t want me to bother you, fine. I’ll investigate everything on my own!""You
"Huh!"Arthur stepped out of the shower, running a towel through his damp hair as he walked toward the bedroom. His lips curled into a smirk, thinking about Athena’s flustered expression earlier.He was about to call out to her when he noticed something odd. The room was eerily silent. Athena was nowhere to be seen. His smirk faded."Athena?" he called out in confusion as he looked in several directions. His chest tightened. Something was wrong.Arthur grabbed his phone and quickly dialed Athena’s number. The call connected, but there was no answer. His heart pounded harder as he tried again. This time, he heard it—her ringtone. It was faint, distant… coming from outside the room.That was when he noticed the open window.His blood ran cold.He strode toward it, his sharp gaze scanning the area below. Footpr
Arthur murmured, reaching for the hem of her shirt. His fingertips brushed against her skin, sending another wave of warmth through her."Arthur…" Athena hesitated, her cheeks burning."What is it, baby?" He smiled, tilting his head. "Shy all of a sudden?" His fingers trailed along her waist, teasing. "After all this time, and after everything we’ve done, you still blush like this? Adorable!"Athena bit her lip, trying to find the words to respond, but all she could focus on was the heat pooling in her chest, the way her body was betraying her."Relax," he whispered and let out a soft chuckle before pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. "I won’t push you." He pulled back slightly, reaching for a towel on the rack before gently wrapping it around her shoulders. "Tonight isn’t the right time for this.""W–what?"Arthur
"Turn around and face the mirror. What style name would suit our current appearance?"Giggling, Athena followed the instructions of the man still holding her close. She turned to face the mirror and observed the mess on both herself and Arthur. But that didn't last long, as a smile reflexively spread across her face when she realized just how sweet the scene before her was.Sweet? Yes, that’s how Athena saw it, even though she and Arthur still looked a mess, with traces of dust and paint smudging their bodies. She momentarily pushed aside that thought, as her focus suddenly shifted to the way Arthur was holding her, looking at her, and even kissing her shoulder.Ah… Athena just realized how close she had allowed herself to be with this man. Sure, they had kissed several times before, but somehow, this moment felt different—sweeter. To her, it was almost like they were husband and wife, standing in fron
"Alright, overall, I like it. It just needs a few improvements and after that..."Athena hadn't even finished speaking when she suddenly felt the urge to turn around. She only just realized that Arthur had lagged behind her. Her eyes widened in shock as she noticed something about to fall directly above him.Without a second thought, she rushed toward Arthur. She grabbed his arm as hard as she could, pulling him away. The force made her stumble slightly before she eventually fell."Ahh!"Hearing her pained groan, Arthur's expression grew even more panicked. He wanted to get off Athena and check on her condition, but he couldn't move right away as sand and debris were still falling around them."Sir... Ma'am... Are you both alright?" The site manager hurried over, followed by several other project workers.They quickly helped Athena and Arthur up after ensuring that nothing else was falling. Fortunately, the bricks that had fallen missed them. However, they were both now covered in san
"I want to ensure the insulation meets the specifications we discussed!"Athena adjusted her hard hat as she walked alongside Arthur through the dusty construction site. The sound of hammers and drills filled the air, mixing with the occasional calls of workers coordinating tasks. Despite the commotion, Arthur’s voice was clear and steady as he addressed the site manager."Of course, sir," the site manager nodded. "We've sourced high-density soundproof panels, but if you have additional preferences, we can make adjustments.""What do you think?" Arthur turned to Athena, his sharp gaze scanning the half-built structure. "You were particular about the rehearsal rooms needing optimal sound control."Athena pursed her lips in thought, walking to the nearest unfinished classroom. She tapped the walls lightly before looking back at Arthur."The material is decent, but
"You’re still as stubborn as ever, Athena!""Yeah, you know what I'm like to you now. So don't ever try to seduce me in this silly way again!"For a moment, Leon's smirk faltered. He exchanged sharp glances with Athena. His breathing was ragged along with his annoyance at the woman until suddenly his grin returned along with a nod of his head."Fine, go ahead and leave. But don’t think this is over!""You're the most pathetic man I've ever seen, Leon!" Athena shook her head in disbelief. "If I were you, I wouldn't dare to show my face!""And if I were you, I would definitely forgive the mistakes of the man you once loved so much!"Without giving Athena a chance to respond, Leon immediately walked away. He ignored the garden he had decorated and even disregarded the bouquet he had specially ordered.Looking around once more, Athena let out a quiet sigh. She ran a hand over her face in frustration before finally leaving the place, her emotions in turmoil.Emotions in turmoil? Did that m
Knock! Knock! Knock!"Mrs. Athena?"The next morning as the first light of dawn crept through Athena’s curtains, she stretched lazily. She still feels the warmth of last night’s memories with Arthur lingering in her heart. A soft smile played on her lips as she recalled his teasing messages."Madam, are you awake?"Athena blinked as she suddenly realized someone was knocking on the door while calling her name. Quickly, she wiped her face for a moment before getting out of bed, grabbing a cover-up to drape over her rather thin nightgown."Sorry to disturb you, Ma’am. I just wanted to deliver this bouquet of flowers. Someone sent it early this morning, and your name was on the bouquet of roses."Furrowing her brows, Athena immediately confirmed what her maid had just said. She glanced at a small note tucked inside the bouquet and read it, her curiosity swelling.[For the most special woman on this earth, Athena Rose Waverly.]Her heart pounded even faster as she read those words. Deep d
Leon’s entire body tensed, but before he could say another word, Athena spun on her heel and walked away. She didn’t look back as she entered her bedroom, the soft click of the lock sealing her retreat."Damn it!" He cursed under his breath and slammed his foot against the table leg. The sharp pain did nothing to quell his frustration. Without another thought, he stormed toward his office room, his rage simmering just beneath the surface.The moment he stepped inside, his anger boiled over. He kicked a chair out of his way, then grabbed the nearest object—a framed photo, a vase of flowers, a stack of papers—and hurled them at the wall. Glass shattered, petals scattered, but none of it brought him relief."I take it things didn’t go well?" Edward’s voice was calm but cautious as he stepped into the room, eyes sweeping over the wreckage."She’s slipping away fr
Leon suddenly appeared from behind the stairs. His voice was sharp and full of accusations. His narrowed gaze made Athena scoff as she failed to find a clear reason for him to be standing before her now."What are you doing, waiting for me in the dark like this?""Just answer me, Athena. Who brought you home?" Leon took a step closer, his jaw tightening. Athena, who saw that, only smiled slightly before finally stepping forward to face the man with her head up fearlessly."I don’t see how that’s any of your concern. What's in it for me to answer your question?" she asked coldly, refusing to acknowledge the accusation in his tone."Of course, it’s my concern. You’re still my wife!""Your wife?" Athena laughed bitterly. "That’s rich coming from the man who threw me away first. You made it clear that I meant nothing to you, Leon. So tell me, why do you suddenly care?""Don’t twist things! I’m asking you where you’ve been and who brought you home!"Getting closer to his wife, Leon notice