Athena walked into my bedroom quietly, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. She dropped my bag gently on the bed and placed the drug sachet carefully on the bedside cabinet. Her eyes scanned the room slowly, pausing on the family photos on the wall, the soft curtains, the little toys near the edge of the bed.She took a deep breath and folded her arms across her chest, her mind racing.“Where do I start from?” she whispered under her breath, her eyes still darting from corner to corner. “What exactly am I looking for? Right... I need to find out if that little girl is really her child or not.”Her voice trembled with urgency.“If I can find a birth certificate... that’s it. That’s the only proof I need.”She looked around again, then hurried to the wooden dresser at the side of the room. She pulled out the first drawer and shuffled through it — just clothes. She opened the next one. Papers, envelopes, but nothing with a baby’s name. She searched more, her hands moving quick
Athena drove me straight to the clinic. The ride was quiet, except for the sound of the tires humming on the road and my soft groans of pain. I leaned my head against the window, breathing slowly, trying not to cry. My ankle was on fire, and every bump in the road made it worse.She finally pulled into the clinic compound and parked the car gently. Then she got out quickly and rushed over to my side. I saw her open the door, and for a second, I wanted to tell her I could manage on my own. But the pain shut that thought down immediately.“Easy,” she said softly, helping me out of the car. Her hand went around my waist as I limped slowly beside her. My entire body felt weak and sore.Inside, Athena spoke to the nurse, explained everything, and got me to see the doctor immediately.I sat on the hospital bed, my hands clenched tight. I couldn’t stop thinking about what had just happened. Something didn’t sit right with me. That puddle... her timing... it all felt too strange.But I pushed
I slowed down, letting my feet drop gently off the treadmill. My shirt clung to my back, soaked with sweat, and my breath came in short, warm puffs. My heart was pounding from the run. I reached into my bag for my water bottle and took a few sips, letting the cold liquid cool the heat burning in my chest.Just as I pulled the bottle away from my lips, I noticed something odd. Athena had stepped off her treadmill too.She reached out to grab her water bottle the same way I did. Same timing. Same movement. Her eyes avoided mine, but I could feel her watching me.Why was she acting like that?Something about her presence made me uneasy. It didn’t sit right. There was this weird energy between us. This gym wasn’t anywhere near her house, so what exactly was she doing here?I capped the bottle and slid it back into my bag. Then I lowered myself onto the bench, pretending to adjust my shoelaces. But I wasn’t thinking about my shoes, I was watching her.Athena twisted her body and stretched
I jumped a little and stopped the treadmill. My heart skipped a beat.I turned around quickly.Athena was standing right in front of me with a wide smile on her face.My eyes widened in shock.“Athena?” I said, breathless.She gave me a soft laugh. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you.”I stepped back a little, still catching my breath. “You... you scared me.”“I didn’t know you’d be here,” she said, still smiling as she dropped her gym bag on the floor next to mine.“Neither did I,” I replied, trying to hide how weird it felt seeing her here. “You work out here too?”She nodded casually. “Sometimes. It’s a new spot for me, but I like it. It’s quiet. Peaceful.”I stared at her for a moment. Something felt off. The timing. The way she touched me. The way she smiled too much.But I pushed the thoughts aside.“Yeah,” I said, wiping sweat from my forehead. “I like the peace too.”Athena leaned closer and gave me a quick once-over. “You look great, by the way. All sporty and strong.”I gav
After a long, exhausting night, my body begged for just a few more minutes of sleep. But the sunlight slipping through the curtains pulled me out of my dream. I blinked my eyes open and let out a deep sigh. My arms felt heavy, and my back ached a little from all the running around yesterday. The event was finally over, but it had drained every bit of my energy.I pushed off the covers slowly and sat up on the bed. My limbs felt stiff. I stretched both arms above my head and yawned loudly, rolling my neck side to side to ease the tension. My muscles needed some serious stretching, but at least I felt a little more refreshed than I did last night.Then, I heard a soft knock at the door.I blinked and glanced toward the sound. Who could that be this early?I reached for my night robe hanging by the side of the bed and threw it over my nightdress. My feet dragged across the cold floor as I walked to the door. I unlocked it and pulled it open, not expecting much.Donald stood there with a
Jayden stood still, watching from a distance as Monalisa, and Donald surrounded little Joshua. Their faces were lit up with smiles. Laughter filled the air. Donald tickled him, and Joshua giggled, his tiny hands reaching out for Monalisa, who pulled him into her arms and kissed his chubby cheek.Jayden’s chest tightened. He watched as Monalisa, the woman he once thought meant nothing to him, was now loved in a way he never gave. Monalisa looked happy. Too happy without him. His hands slowly dropped to his sides.He blinked, looked away, and clenched his jaw.He couldn’t stand there any longer.“Athena,” he called without emotion.“Yes sir?” she asked gently from beside him.“Let’s go,” he said flatly, without meeting her gaze.Athena looked at him, concerned. She had seen the tension in his eyes, the way his chest rose and fell too fast, the way his face hardened like he was trying not to break.She opened her mouth, hesitated, then spoke anyway. “Sir… are you okay?”Jayden stopped w