Athena jolted awake from a nightmare.
She lay quietly, gazing at the ceiling with calm eyes, neither crying not making a fuss.
But beneath her unnaturally calm eyes, a storm seemed to be brewing.
Trina entered quietly and saw Athena staring blankly at the ceiling. She tiptoed closer.
“Athena? Athena?” she called softly, twice.
Athena didn’t respond. Alarmed, Trina reached toward her nose to check if she was breathing, only for Athena to grab her hand.
Athena’s hand was bone–chilling cold, and her eyes were as sharp as winter icicles.
Just meeting her gaze sent chills down Trina’s spine.
“I’m fine,” Athena finally said, only to realize how raw and hoarse her voice was.
Trina’s eyes welled up as she looked at Athena. “Athena, if you’re hurting, please cry. Don’t bottle it up,” she said, gently helping Athena sit up.
Athena’s gaze fell upon the table, which was empty.
“Athena, are you perhaps hungry?” Trina asked cautiously.
After being unconscious all night and yesterday’s ordeal, she must be starving,‘ Trina thought.
Athena nodded curtly. “Bring me some food,” she said.
A hint of relief appeared on Trina’s face. “Okay. I’ll get it immediately.”
Soon, the table was covered with food.
Athena sat at the table and began to eat.
In no time, she finished a plate of pasta.
Without pausing, Athena said, “More.”
Trina, surprised, quickly served her another plate of pasta.
Athena usually ate very little, but she finished a second helping today.
She didn’t look like she was eating, more like heading to battle.
After finishing her meal, Athena stood up.
She stormed toward the front yard, radiating hostility, and Trina hurried after her.
But when Athena reached the courtyard gate, she found it tightly shut.
每
Trina looked troubled. “Athena, Lord Nicolas says your mind is unsettled and you should stay in the courtyard to reflect.”
Athena stared at the locked gate and let out a cold laugh. ‘Reflect? Huh, how thoughtful.‘
She turned and went back inside. Moments later, Trina watched in shock as Athena grabbed an axe and strode back out.
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montassen, abhor began hacking at the final day,
Tað prent indtast heard the commotion and was about to intervene. But then, he saw the blade of an axe protrude through a splintered gath
hibe crack, she saw Albens’s eyes, tolder than lee.
The nation screamed and stumbled backward in terror.
She thought Athena was so terrifying
The lot wasn’t hard to break. Athena smashed it open in just five swings.
She kicked the door open and strede out of the courtyard.
Walking by the matron, Athena said coldly, “Go inform Nicolas. Tell him I’m out.”
The matron hesitated, waving her hands in fear. “I–I dare not…”
“Go! Now!” Athena snapped, tightening her grip on the ax. The matron let out a shriek and fled.
Trina followed closely behind Athena, her heart pounding with fear. She didn’t dare ask what Athena was planning.
Judging by Athena’s demeanor, it feels like she is ready to risk everything,’ she thought.
Trina glanced around, then grabbed a locust wood stick from the firewood pile.
Seeing the sharp thorns on it, she felt a little more secure.
Athena marched toward the woodshed in the backyard, an axe in hand. The old matron on guard spotted her from afar and quickly shrank to the side.
“It’s not worth risking my life for that little money,‘ the matron thought.
Athena strode up and held out her hand to the matron. “Give me the key,” she demanded.
Trembling, the matron handed over the key. Athena unlocked the door and stepped inside.
Inside the woodshed, disheveled Aliza crouched over a plate of scraps.
When she saw Athena suddenly appear, she was so startled that the plate slipped from her hands and crashed to the floor.
Her eyes wide with terror, Aliza shrank into the corner and screamed, “Athena, please don’t kill me. I know I was wrong.”
Every day in confinement, Aliza was filled with regret.
It was my greed that had ruined me,‘ she thought.
Athena’s eyes were devoid of warmth as she looked calmly at Aliza. “The child you’re carrying is just a bargaining chip for them. Once it’s born, you’ll be
useless to them.”
She tilted her head toward the door, as if showing Aliza the way out. “The gate’s right there. Aren’t you going to run?”
The woodshed adjoined the backyard, separated from the outside world by just a wall.
After two months of confinement, Aliza felt trapped in a living hell.
She survived on cold leftovers and slept on piles of firewood.
Every night, rats would scurry over her body.
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Chapter 146
Sometimes, when she couldn’t bring herself to eat the scrap, rats would eat than instead, leaving her hungry.
Alzs looked between Athena and the bright daylight outside. Then, without a second thought, she turned and ran
Athena gave a cold chuckle before turning away
The matrons guarding the backyard saw Aliza dash out and were about to stop her, but Athena’s voice cut through the air. “Let her go.”
The two matrons hesitated, but Athena brandished her axe menacingly.
Terrified, the matrons squeezed their eyes shut and turned away.
Aliza shot Athena a grateful look before fleeing the scene.
After finishing everything, Athena finally made her way to the front courtyard.
By the time she arrived, everyone was already assembled inside.
There were Henry, whose face flushed with rage, Nicolas, features dark as a thundercloud, Matthew, who looked visibly guilty, and the ever hypocritical Eloise.
Next to Eloise, Willow was still sniveling theatrically
The mother and daughter clung to each other like tragic protagonists in a cheap melodrama.
Athena’s eyes glinted with derision as she strode in and fixed her game on Willoses. “No one’s forcing you to die,” she sneered. “Who’s this daily melodramatic act for?
As Athena stepped inside, the guards battly rastand the aise from her grang
Now weaponless, she seemed to pose the physical was to them,
However, Willow trembled dramatically, sheeping ante Elena’s arm as she looked at Athena with exaggerated timidity, like a helpless lamb
Tears streamed down her cheeks in coetumunus miNĀMS
Nicolas’s expression darkened as the cenched his fists and weapped, “theme, what soxactly are you trying to do?”
He’d already heard from the seats the ring on anything than had done, the smashing through the gate, storming out of the courtyard in a frenzy, and even betting Alita ancapa
Eloise’s heart churned with me he conditing saft the meat Achame’s gada.
She is too calm, eerily calm, Elise thaught. If Athena had raged or fashed out, I would have known how to respond.
thut Athena bottled up all that that, anger, and resentment, ie a boiling pot of of wanting for a single drop of water, and no one could predict when that drop would fall
Hey looked utterly exhausted, he had slept awk at my because of Acivena.
The Mcgee taendly was demanding that the the fittest for the guards, ferris would have barged in already, he thought.
He had to admit, Matthew and Willow were at fat when it came to Macy’s deatie
But then, he thought, “She was just a lowly mand. So what she’s dead? Why is Athena treating us like mortal enemies? Does Athena expect Matthew to pay with his life for some worthless servanty
Sy grimed Rush, muscle etching at the corner of thes eye.
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Chapter 146
Yet for the household’s stability, he decided to placate Athena first. “Athena, name your demands. I know you were close to that maid. But no matter how deep your bend, it can’t compare to family ties, don’t you agree?
“Do this for my sake, Let Matthew pay for a proper coffin for the maid, and let’s put this matter to rest.”
Eloise also forced a strained smile. “That’s right, Athena…”
Athena’s lips curled into a fleeting, mirthless smile.
Then, she snatched the cup from the table and smashed it onto the floor with all her might.
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