38 38#38
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Athena’s lips curled into a melancholic smile as tears began to form in her eyes, unbidden.
“The evening I lost the baby, I tried to reach you eighteen times. It wasn’t until the nineteenth attempt that you answered. Do you recall what you said?”
She paused, her eyes turning cold as they settled on Aliana. “You told me not to bother you because you were occupied.”
Athena’s voice lowered to a scathing whisper, her words dripping with anguish. “I suppose you were preoccupied with Aliana’s prenatal appointment, weren’t you?”
“You’re quite the Casanova, managing two pregnant women simultaneously. Are you pleased with yourself, Emmett?”
For a moment, an eerie silence enveloped the hillside, as if time had come to a standstill.
At last, Azrael stumbled backward, releasing a pained sigh. The tension dissipated, and everyone snapped back to the present.
“Grandfather!” Emmett lunged forward, steadying the elderly man, his eyes filled with panic. He rounded on Athena, his voice a mixture of rage and fear. “Athena, how could you say something so alarming? Are you trying to end Grandpa’s life?”
“Rascal, hold your tongue!” Azrael’s voice cracked as he regained his balance, his tears flowing freely like those of a child.
After what felt like an eternity, Azrael spoke through his sobs, his voice heavy with remorse. “Athena, we’re entirely to blame. The Davidson family is indebted to you. Please, allow us to make amends.
Athena’s heart clenched, her voice quavering as she uttered the words that tormented her. “But my child can never be returned:
Before Athena could say more, Emmett’s voice pierced the silence.
“We’ll conceive another child. I understand I’ve caused you’pain, and I’m truly remorseful for everything. I vow never to repeat my mistakes. Please, grant us another opportunity.”
“I acknowledge my wrongdoing, and I can’t bear to see what we’ve become. Just consider it, Athena. I’ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes.”
It was the first time Emmett had ever displayed such vulnerability to Athena, and for a moment, she was at a loss for how to respond.
Noticing her hesitation, he persisted.
38.38#38
“You once pledged to help me fulfill all my desires. My wish now is simple: I want your forgiveness and for us to be together. Please, make it a reality, as we promised.”
The vow they’d made at the beginning lingered between them, and Emmett’s words tugged at Athena’s heartstrings. But this time, things would be different. She had made her decision.
With a resigned smile, Athena met his gaze. “You’ve deceived me too many times, Emmett. Now, allow me to deceive you.
“There’s no future for us. Not anymore.”
She spoke with quiet conviction, her words cutting through the weight of their shared history. She hadn’t returned to the country for Emmett or to rekindle their love. If they hadn’t insisted on finding her, she would have kept her past, the agony of her lost child, buried forever. JAthena turned away without a backward glance, each step a silent declaration that there was no hope left for Emmett. The past decade, once filled with so many shared memories, now felt as though it had never existed.
As she neared the gate to board the plane, a sudden thought struck her: Emmett had once promised to show her the world. But those promises had been empty, broken long before they had even begun. In the end, it was Aliana, not her, who held his heart.
Just as she was about to board, Athena’s phone vibrated. Her new number had somehow reached Emmett’s hands, and after a brief hesitation, she answered the call.
Emmett’s voice was unsteady, soaked in alcohol, his words slurred. When he heard the call connect, there was a moment of disbelief in his tone.
“Your call finally went through…”
He wept, his voice breaking. “Can you love me again?”
Athena remained silent, allowing him to plead in vain, the weight of his words hanging in the air.
Only when the final boarding call sounded did she speak, her voice firm and resolute.
“There’s no future for us anymore.
She ended the call abruptly, her heart a quiet echo of the past she was leaving behind.
