Athena Prescott never saw it coming. One day, the man she loved was gone, leaving only a letter after he proposed to her. The next day, she heard the news that he married the billionaire's daughter. The pain of his betrayal was unbearable—and the unanswered questions, even worse. A year later, he returns—now a widowed billionaire, full of regret, begging for a second chance. He claims he made a mistake, that he wants her back. Soon, Athena knows the truth behind his sudden departure—the reason he left her. And that truth cuts deeper than any betrayal. Now, she must decide: Will she forgive him, or make him regret leaving her forever?
Lihat lebih banyakI stepped in before Athena could finish. “Athena,” I said firmly, giving her a look that warned her to stop.She hesitated for a second before forcing a small smile. “Nothing, Ryan. I just wanted to say that Callum and I are working things out.”Ryan’s expression softened, relief washing over his face. “That’s great. I knew you two just needed time.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “You’re lucky to have my sister, bro. Don’t mess it up.”I gave a tight nod, feeling Athena’s gaze burning into me. I had no choice but to play along, keeping my expression neutral.Ryan smiled, satisfied, before excusing himself. The moment he was out of sight, Athena turned to me, her eyes flashing with anger.I saw the way Athena hesitated before speaking, and I knew exactly where this was going. I couldn’t let her say it—not in front of Ryan.“Athena,” I interrupted, my voice firm but calm. “Can we talk? Outside.”She arched a brow, clearly annoyed, but after a brief pause, she nodded. “Fine.”Ryan glanc
CALLUM’S POVDaniel’s gaze remained steady as I stepped further into the room, my presence commanding the space between him and Athena.“Athena,” I said, my voice firm yet controlled. “I want to talk to Daniel.”Athena hesitated, her fingers twitching against the desk. She glanced at Daniel, then at me, concern flickering in her eyes. I could see the silent plea there—whatever she was worried about, she didn’t want this conversation to happen. But after a moment, she gave in, nodding slowly.“Daniel,” she said softly.To my surprise, Daniel agreed immediately. “Fine,” he said, straightening his posture. There wasn’t an ounce of hesitation in his voice, as if he had been expecting this moment. But Athena… Athena looked worried.That only fueled my irritation.I turned on my heel, leading the way out of the office, Daniel following closely behind. The moment we stepped outside, he broke the silence.“Let’s have a drink,” he offered, but I shook my head, rejecting the attempt at civility
I frowned and told him that I didn't know him, so why would he say that? And then he uttered the words that made my stomach sink. "It’s an order from Mr. Callum Stone."I hated it.Why would Callum do this? I was perfectly capable of handling myself. I didn't need someone babysitting me, especially not at his command. My jaw tightened as I crossed my arms, glaring at the man. He seemed unaffected by my irritation, standing there with a quiet resolve."I don’t need a driver," I said, my tone firm. "I can get home on my own."The man exhaled, shifting slightly. "Ma’am, I don’t mean to intrude, but if I don’t follow this order, I’ll lose my job. I have a family to feed."Was he trying to make me pity him?I clenched my teeth, my mind spinning. This wasn’t about him—it was about Callum’s need for control. The way he making decisions without consulting me. He had no right."Look," I said, my voice tight, "I understand your situation, but this is my life. I never agreed to have a driver, an
The next morning, I walked into my office feeling sick to my stomach. A gnawing unease weighed on me as I settled behind my desk. The faint headache lingering at the base of my skull only added to the discomfort, and my mind refused to stop racing.The past few days had left me drained, but today felt different. Maybe it was the unresolved tension with Callum or the fact that my brother Ryan was still in the hospital. Either way, I had no energy to face anything.I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my eyes, hoping the fog would lift. It didn’t. My mind kept drifting to Callum. Why had he been so cold lately? Why did it feel like he was pulling away just when I needed him most? And yet, despite everything, I still thought about him—about the way he made me feel.My phone buzzed. Callum.I sighed, knowing what that meant. Even when he wasn’t around, he loomed over me. I didn’t want to answer, but as his employee, I had no choice.“Hello?” I said, keeping my voice neutral."You’re late,"
As I continued to stare at Daniel, my mind reeled. His words hung in the air, surprising me more than I expected. I had never considered Callum’s actions from this perspective—never thought of him as someone who might actually feel threatened by Daniel. Callum had always been cold, distant, and professional, but hearing Daniel's take on it, I started to wonder if there was more behind his sudden interest. I’m being confused again.“Are you serious?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Daniel; it was just that the idea of Callum being jealous seemed so... out of place. Callum never seemed like someone who cared about anything beyond his work now. Yet, here was Daniel, suggesting that my former boss might actually be threatened by us.Daniel didn’t answer immediately. He simply gave me a knowing look, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, and then he shifted the car into gear, pulling out onto the road. His expression, despite the underlying amus
I stared at the phone, its vibrations buzzing relentlessly in my hand. For a moment, I debated not answering, but deep down I knew it wouldn’t matter. Callum never let me ignore him. No matter how hard I tried, he always seemed to have a way of pushing through my defenses.Reluctantly, I swiped the screen. His voice came through immediately, sharp and insistent, unmistakably demanding.“Where are you? Can I talk to Ryan? How is he?”I rolled my eyes, irritation bubbling up from the pit of my stomach. Why did he have to do this? Why was he so relentless?“I’m not in the hospital where Ryan is, sir,” I said, my voice clipped. “Why do you care so much, anyway?”“I just need to talk to him,” he replied, his tone tight. “I want to hear it from him. I want to know how he’s doing. Not from you.”His words twisted in a strange way inside me. Wasn't it strange that he wanted to talk to Ryan now, when she treated me so cold inside the company lately?The whole time I’m working under him, he nev
My blood boiled at Callum’s audacity. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I fought to keep my composure. The nerve of this man—walking into my office unannounced, knocking over my food, and then acting as if he’d done me a favor?I straightened my shoulders, refusing to let him see how much he was getting under my skin.“Right. Because eating lunch at my desk while still working is such a distraction,” I shot back, my tone laced with sarcasm.Callum tilted his head, his cold gaze never wavering. “You’re here to work, not to entertain personal guests or indulge in distractions.”I let out a humorless laugh. “So, I suppose basic human needs like eating are now considered distractions?”He didn’t even blink. “If they interfere with productivity, yes.”Unbelievable.I exhaled sharply and shook my head. “You know what? Forget it. I don’t have the time or energy to argue with you.” I turned on my heel, ready to walk away before I said something I’d regret.But Callum wasn
As the meeting concluded, I gathered my things, preparing to return to my desk. Just as I stepped into the hallway, hushed voices caught my attention. A group of colleagues huddled near the break room, their whispers unmistakably about me."Did you see how Daniel West keeps showing up during work hours?" one of them murmured."Yeah, it's so unprofessional," another snickered. "Flirting right in the office? Doesn’t she know there are limits?"A third voice joined in. "I bet she gets special treatment because of him. Must be nice to have someone wrapped around your finger."My blood boiled. My fists clenched at my sides as their words echoed in my head. Without hesitation, I stepped forward, making my presence known."Is there a problem?" My voice was cold, my arms crossing as I met their startled gazes.They stiffened, eyes widening. A tense silence stretched between us before one of them scoffed."We were just talking," she said, feigning innocence.I let out a sharp laugh, shaking my
“I think so,” I admitted.Daniel studied me for a second before nodding, as if satisfied with my answer. Then, without warning, he lay down on the grass, stretching his arms behind his head.I raised a brow. “What are you doing?”“Looking at the stars.” He patted the empty space beside him. “You should try it.”I hesitated for a moment before finally giving in, lowering myself onto the grass. The ground was cool beneath me, and as I stared up, I realized he was right—the stars were breathtaking from here.Daniel turned his head slightly toward me. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this relaxed.”I smiled, closing my eyes briefly. “It’s been a while since I let myself be.”“Well, I’m glad you did tonight.”I turned to face him, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. There was something unspoken lingering be
ATHENA’S POVMy heart races, a mixture of excitement and nerves. The champagne I sipped earlier still tingles on my tongue, and the soft clink of silverware and the distant hum of conversations fade into the background. But none of that matters right now. All my attention is on Callum.He sits across from me, his expression tender but serious, as though he’s about to say something monumental. The soft candlelight flickers, creating shadows that seem to move in his eyes, and I feel a deep sense of peace wash over me.Everything feels so right in this moment."Are you nervous?" he asks, his voice soft, teasing even, as his fingers brush lightly over mine.A subtle touch, but it sends a wave of warmth through my chest.I smile, a little out of breath from how quickly my heart is beating so fast."No," I whisper, even though I can feel the excitement building inside me."I’m just... happy."He grins, his familiar smile spreading across his face. His eyes light up, though there’s an inten...
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