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?