Chapter 128: Christmas Dinner II
Ewan inhaled softly, attempting to calm the rising palpitations of his heart as Athena stepped closer to him, after shutting the door behind her.
What is she doing? He wondered, taking in the cold glint in her eyes that only intensified his growing unease. His gaze darted to the door for a second, and he could almost hear the hushed whispers of his friends inside, their curiosity spilling into the hallway like an uninvited guest.
For an hour, he had stood outside, torn between wanting to be part of the merriment and feeling like an outsider.
With every burst of laughter that floated through the door, his heart constricted tighter and his head pounded harder. Each chuckle from inside felt like a stab to his gut, a reminder of what he was missing.
It was only when the ache threatened to overwhelm him that he had decided to knock, seeking answers—answers he feared might only lead to more questions.
*How could his friends trust this woman despite all the proof he had shown them?
Earlier that day, he had even contacted a hacker to dig up more information on Athena’s shady dealings. The hacker had delivered more incriminating evidence than he had anticipated, articles detailing her suspected ties to the Russian mafia.
How could he let such a woman train his children?
Yet, beneath the swirling anger was a nagging desire to understand her—to reason with her about the missteps she had taken on her dark path to fame.