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Athena had frequently pondered whether she’d encounter Emmett again, but she never anticipated it happening this soon.
They found themselves standing in the long, antiseptic hallway of the hospital, caught in a wordless moment. Their gazes locked across the space, and for what seemed like forever, they remained motionless and silent.
Three years had elapsed, yet the quiet between them felt more oppressive than ever, a gulf of unspoken thoughts that neither knew how to traverse..
The determination in Athena’s eyes, keen and unwavering, stood in stark contrast to the quiet melancholy in Emmett’s look, a tacit farewell that had persisted over the past three years, a period marked by remorse and hardship. He knew he deserved this anguish, but it didn’t lessen the pain.
“Mommy… who’s that man? He looks frightening…
Eira’s naive query broke the thick silence, jolting Athena back to reality.
Swiftly regaining her composure, Athena whispered softly, “Mommy doesn’t recognize this gentleman.
Emmett, still processing the shock, barely registered the statement. This little girl… was Athena’s child!
But she appeared so young, no older than three, precisely the age when Athena had vanished. Emmett’s pulse quickened with anticipation. Could it be that the miscarriage report was merely
a ruse?
What if Athena had never lost the baby, and this young girl was their daughter?
“Athena,” he uttered, his voice quivering with excitement, “you vanished for three years to have our baby!”
He failed to notice the perplexed expression in Athena’s eyes before he rushed forward, enveloping her in his arms with an almost desperate urgency. “I knew it; I knew you couldn’t stay away. You loved me too much to leave, didn’t you? You understood how much I missed you, and now you’ve returned!”
“No… Emmett, please, release me…
Athena struggled, but her efforts were futile.
Emmett’s desperation only intensified, his grip tightening as if he could hold onto her
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indefinitely. No matter how Athena pushed or resisted, she couldn’t break free from the intensity of his embrace.
Eira, wedged between them, turned red from being squeezed too tightly. Meanwhile, Athena, overwhelmed by the force of Emmett’s hold, felt anger rising within her. She could only curse him silently in her thoughts.
Athena couldn’t comprehend what had come over him. Three years ago, he had treated her as if she were insignificant, using her as a mere tool in his pursuit of happiness with Aliana, shattering her heart without hesitation. Yet here he was now, his eager gaze betraying an excitement he could hardly contain.
But regardless of the circumstances, there was one thing she couldn’t allow to stand: a misunderstanding that needed to be cleared up.
Eira is not your daughter.”
With a quick movement, Athena grabbed Eira and stepped back, evading his embrace. She stated firmly, “She has no connection to you. Please don’t misunderstand.”
“How can that be?!” Emmett’s voice broke with disbelief. He couldn’t fathom the idea that Athena could have a child with someone else. “When you were young, your hair was just like hers. She resembles you so much!”
Athena, bewildered by how he could see any similarity between them, took a deep breath before responding, her patience tested but steadfast. “If you don’t believe me, we can conduct a paternity test.”
She would rather endure a DNA test than allow the notion of any father–daughter connection between them to take root. Her words were unequivocal; this child was most likely not his.
Emmett gazed at Athena in shock, and suddenly, his eyes welled up with tears.
“How could you have a child with someone else?”
“It seems the one who betrayed first was you.”
The words hit Athena like a blow, and before she could even process his pain, her mind flashed back to three years ago.
With a sarcastic edge in her voice, she couldn’t restrain herself, “What about Aliana? Didn’t she bear your child? That kid must be around three now, so why are you still trying to claim mine?” “No!” Emmett’s panic surged, his voice trembling. “Aliana wasn’t pregnant. She deceived me!”
Athena’s heart leaped. She had never even considered the possibility that Aliana had never been expecting.
