Dark Revenge Of An Unwanted Wife: The Twins Are Not Yours! - Chapter 267

Chapter 267: Pained II
Athena’s heart raced painfully as a whirlwind of emotions swirled within her.

Betrayal clung to her like a heavy fog, thickening the air around her. Aiden, the one person she thought she could trust more than anyone else, had kept such a monumental truth from her. She had always confided in him, shared her deepest fears and insecurities. To an extent, he was supposed to be her closest confidant—closer than even Gianna.

How could he have kept something so significant from her? The thought of it gnawed at her core, making her stomach turn, making her nauseous.

She felt small, foolish even, for thinking that their bond was unbreakable no matter what. For the very foundations of their friendship felt like they were crumbling beneath her.

How could he do this to her, after all they have been through? Was he among those that had made this decision? Did he kill Scarlet too?

As the silence hung thick between them, Aiden shifted on the bed, trying to gather his thoughts, yet they kept escaping him as the second ticked by, as he watched Athena erect the walls he had conquered before.

His brow furrowed, and his mouth opened as if he were about to speak, but the words never left his lips. But the way he hesitated only further fueled Athena’s anger.

She cussed and looked away from him. She couldn’t let him see how deeply this hurt her. With a fierce determination, swallowing painfully, she backed away from him, rising abruptly from the bed.

“I can’t… I can’t do this right now,” She said, her voice shaking slightly, betraying the tempest of emotions inside.

“Athena, wait!” Aiden called after her as she turned away, his voice tinged with urgency.

She ignored him, moving away from the bed and crossing to the other side of the room, trying to put distance between them. Her heart pounded as her mind raced. He had known the entire time, yet he had smiled with her like he didn’t. Had he been part of the plan?

The anger in her chest flared hotter at the thought. Did he betray her just like everyone else?

“Athena!” Aiden’s voice grew louder, filled with desperation. “I can explain! I swear I didn’t mean to betray you! Please…”

She turned, but all she could feel was the sharp sting of betrayal laced with disillusionment. “It’s too late for explanations now,” She replied, her back turned to him once again. “Just leave me alone.” The resolve in her voice was strong, but deep down, she felt a flicker of sorrow battling against the fiery anger.

“Athena!” Aiden continued, undeterred. He rose from the bed, taking a step toward her, ignoring her protests. “I found out later. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid of how you would take it. It was why I even quit. I thought giving you time would be—”

“Time?!” She spun around, her expression one of disbelief mixed with fury. “You thought giving me time was the answer? You’re treating me like I’m fragile, like I can’t handle the truth! I deserved to know! I deserved to hear it from you, not as some back-alley news!”

“Athena, please…” Aiden reached for her, but she took a step back, shaking her head violently.

“I can’t do this,” She said, her voice breaking. “First it was, Master Shen. then the president… As a matter of fact, there have been others just like this…” A heavy pause. “Just.Get.Out. Just get out of my room. Out of this mansion!”

Her heart raced as she issued the command, feeling a mix of righteousness and fear coursing through her veins.

“But Athena, it’s late! Can we at least talk about this?” Aiden’s tone shifted to pleading, desperation evident in his voice.

“No!” Athena shouted. “I don’t want to see you again. Just go!”

Aiden opened his mouth to protest, but the chilling look in her eyes told him everything. He finally relented, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “Alright. But I didn’t mean to hurt you,” He said quietly before he turned and walked toward the door, his footsteps heavy with disappointment.

“I’m sorry.” He muttered, standing by the door post.

Athena’s response was a snide chuckle. “It’s already too late for that, old man. I can see why Gloria left you.”

She smiled evilly as she noted him tense up, right before he walked out of the room, without another word.

Yet once the door closed behind him, a numbness enveloped her. The silent room felt colder without him, and she felt lost, unmoored.

Before she could catch herself, her legs gave way, and she sank to the ground, collapsing in on herself. Tears streamed down her face—silent, hot, and full of anguish.

She cried until there were no more tears left, for her dead friend, and for a lost friendship. Once emptied, she slowly wiped her face and collected her thoughts. Her mind raced, ideas tumbling over each other.

Picking up her phone with trembling hands, she opened her contacts list, scrolling until she found the numbers she needed.

“Did you know about the involvement of the agency in mission 709?” She asked, immediately the Boss picked up.

The hesitation she got from the other end of the line was all the answer she needed. Before the Boss could say anything, she ended the call and blocked his number.

She then called Shawn and Eric.

The calls were short, filled with quick exchanges. Her heart sank deeper with each conversation, as her former partners confirmed that they had known about the CIA’s involvement. Each revelation struck her like a blow.

“Of course we didn’t tell you, Athena. We didn’t want to add to your stress,” Eric said gently.

“Didn’t want to add to my stress?” Athena echoed back incredulously. “Is that why everyone decided to keep secrets from me? How could you think that’s protecting me?”

“Listen, we were trying to keep you safe!” Eric insisted. “You had enough on your plate—”

“But I didn’t have the truth!” Athena shouted, cutting him off, her anger boiling over. “I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to be a part of this any longer.”

After a few more agonizing exchanges, she ended the calls, her heart feeling like it was being squeezed in a vice.

The weight of their decisions crushed her, and she didn’t want to be associated with any of them. So, with a resolve set in pain, she decided to block their numbers.

With the glow of the phone fading from her fingertips, silence engulfed her once again. She was left alone with her thoughts, the darkness of the room creeping in. The pain felt unbearable, and all she could do was weep.

Another knock on her door broke through the heavy atmosphere of despair. She quickly wiped her eyes, gathered her composure, and attempted to tidy her appearance. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to see her so vulnerable, so broken.

When she opened the door, her two children stood there, their expressions a mixture of concern and confusion. What now? Had her cries been that loud?

“Mama, what’s wrong?” Her daughter, Kathleen, asked, her small hands clenching the hem of her pajamas.

“Yeah, are you okay?” Nathaniel echoed, stepping slightly forward, his eyes wide with worry. “We thought we heard you crying…”

Athena forced a smile, though she felt it tremble on her lips. “I’m fine, sweethearts. Just feeling a little under the weather,” She tried to reassure them, but even she could hear the shakiness in her voice.

“C’mon, Mama,” Kathleen said, her little brow furrowing. “You don’t look fine. You look sad. Did someone say something mean? Is it Mr. Ewan?”

Athena sighed deeply, the mention of Ewan stirring a new wave of emotions. “No, sweetheart, it’s nothing like that. I just had a long day, and I need some rest,” She said, her resolve wavering as she crouched down to meet their eye level. “Why don’t you two come in? We can snuggle up for a bit.”

The children exchanged glances, then all at once, Kate nodded. “Okay!” She stepped into the room, followed closely by Nate, both of them climbing onto the bed, making themselves comfortable.

Athena climbed in beside them, wrapping an arm around each child. She took a deep breath, trying to gather her scattered thoughts. “Let’s do something special,” She said, attempting to keep her voice calm and gentle.

“Like what?” Nathaniel asked, still not satisfied with his mother’s responses. She was hiding something from them.

“Like a lullaby,” Athena suggested, her heart swelling with affection for her children.

“Yeah!” Kate cheered, her eyes sparkling, while Nate attempted a weak laugh.

With a tender smile, Athena began to hum softly, her voice melting into a soothing melody. The room filled with warmth as she sang an old lullaby, one that had been passed down from her late mother.

It was a simple tune, but the harmonies wrapped around them like a protective blanket. She watched as her children slowly relaxed against her, their eyelids growing heavy.

As the song wove its way through the air, Athena felt the weight of her own heartache begin to dissipate, if only for a moment. The lullaby had a beautiful quality, pulling her into its embrace, lulling her fears along with her children.

Before long, the rhythm of her voice blended with the quiet of the night, and as she finished the last line, she looked down to find them both asleep, nestled against her side. The sight filled her with a bittersweet sense of peace, mingled with the sadness still echoing in her heart.

She gently tightened her grip around them, and with a heavy sigh, let herself sink into the comfort of their presence.

The world outside could wait; right now, her greatest treasures were safe with her.

In their slumber, she found solace against the chaos of her life and finally allowed herself to drift off, surrendering to the comforting embrace of sleep.