MainNovelChapter 5 ~ Shattered
ATHENA
Have you ever been through hell?
People have different versions of it. Mine is staring right atwith cold eyes and disgust that he could vomit
me.
And that's the most pathetic thing about me. Knowing all this and still holding onto that sliver of hope. That
maybe....
"I knew it! sneaky little bitch aren't you?" Ariana taunts.
"She is her mother's daughter indeed!" Gia adds.
Leah stands there. Like a damn wet cat and that is annoying as hell. Seeing her pretend to be a damsel in
distress pissesoff.
Because I've seen her eyes when she looks at me.
Trust me, | know a bitch when | see one. And Leah Woods, sure is on the top of the mean table.
Alex's voice slices through the tension like a blade. Like everyone else is just noise he is trying to tune out.
"The guests have started arriving." His tone is calm and controlled-like he didn't just throwto the wolves.
"Let's not make a scene. We can discuss this later." He stands and grabs Leah by the hand and walks away.
My mouth opens and closes but no words cout. Someone should slap me.
| need a reality check.
Ariana looks ready to argue, her jaw tightening, but she holds back. Barely. | see the way her fingers twitch at
her side like she's fighting the urge to follow them and tear Leah apart right here and now.
She knows how to bide her tthough. She always does.
She's the most feared lawyer in Velmoria City, after all.
"Fix your son before | fix him!" She hisses to her husband.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
"Athena, don't worry sweetheart. We know how to deal with a vixen like her! We won't let history repeat itself,
especially in my family!"
Right.
History.
Another factor is why I'm in this damn mess in the first place.
So, apparently, Leah's mother, Julian, was Mr. Wood's mistress who was married
to an expecting wife. But after discovering her husband's extracurricular activities, she had a heart attack and
died with the baby.
Peter, was shamelessly able to marry the cause of his wife's death but thank God society is unforgiving and has
shunned away the woods.
Everyone rises to greet the arriving guests, slipping into their masks of wealth and power. Smiling. Laughing.
Pretending like there wasn't nearly a war at this very table.
I do the same.
Except, to the public I'm not Alex's wife.
I'm just a fortunate orphan who received a scholarship from the Kings Foundation and happens to be at every
event.
Whispers would go on but Alex would squeeze my hand, and whisper, "Focus on me. What they think doesn't
matter."
And it madefall for him even harder.
How he changed overnight baffles me. Yes, the deal was to divorce after three years but | thought that....
Noah steps closer, his voice low. Pullingout of my thoughts.
"Are you okay?"
I force a small nod. "Of course."
"You don't have to lie to me, Athena. You know that." His voice is soft, almost sympathetic and | hate it.
| turn and force a smile, "Seriously, | am good."
But my mind is elsewhere.
Searching.
For the one person | can't see.
Alexander King...
"Excuse me." | give him a small smile as | weave through the crowd, the hall is effortlessly captivating and it has
more people than | usually see at the events they host.
Shouldn't Alex have pulledaside to talk?
| don't even know what I'm expecting.
An apology?
An explanation?
Maybe to talk things over?
The wind hits my face and | pause to compose myself. | wrap my hands around
myself as | walk toward the pool area and freeze.
Not because of the cold but because of what | see.
My breath catches.
Leah is in his arms.
Her slim fingers clutch his jacket, her body trembling as she buries her face in his
chest. Her shoulders shake-crying.
Of course, she's crying. | did call her bullshit out after all.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Alex is holding her.
His back is to me, From my angle it looks like he's shielding her from the rest of the world.
From me.
My heart shatters as the scene slaps me. In the face when Leah notices me... She lifts her head, just enough to
look at me.
Tears glisten in her eyes, her lips trembling as she sobs into Alex's jacket. But then-
Then, she smiles.
A slow, cunning smile.
A deliberate, taunting, victorious smile.
| feel my heart shatter all over again.
Alex's arms around her. Leah's tears soaked into his jacket. The way he doesn't
push her away.
| take a step back. Then another.
The walls feel like they're closing in.
I need air.
| need to get out.
But before | can disappear before | can pull myself together—
Leah's voice drifts through the air, soft and breathless.
"Alex," she whispers, just loud enough forto hear.
"Hmmm?" He responds.
"| love you."
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
