Chapter 15 Mistaken Impressions. Zaden stayed quiet for a moment, then gave a faint smile. (68) Finished His dark eyes rested on Athena as he said, low and steady, "Ms. Hall, you don't need to be so nervous. I don't bite." Athena fell quiet. Who said she was tense? Athena's face turned a little awkward. She only wanted to keep a clear boundary, afraid Zaden might think she had some hidden agenda. After all, running into him again and again felt far too coincidental. And that excuse she gave about sending the wrong message-who would ever believe such a crappy excuse? In the end, Zaden didn't leave. He stayed and took her to get checked in for the appointment. Athena only had to sit and wait. For some reason, she suddenly found Zaden trustworthy and reliable. The exam was quick. Nothing serious showed up. Her leg was still in a cast. Because she had to use other muscles to move, she'd strained them a bit. The doctor, an older man with years of experience, spoke with authority, warning Athena to be careful and not delay her recovery, or she could make things worse. Toward the end, he added with a sigh, "You two are young. No need to rush. You'll have plenty of time to stick together later." What was that supposed to mean? The longer she listened, the more wrong it sounded. Athena realized the doctor had completely misunderstood the situation. But she had no chance to explain. A nurse called him away, leaving her sitting there speechless, hand to her forehead in frustration. "I'll take you home," Zaden said, helping her to her feet. "Thank you." 14:36 Sat, Oct 18 Chapter 15 Mistaken Impressions : 68 Finished At this point, she couldn't refuse him. He'd already done so much-stayed with her, made sure she got checked out. To push him away now would only feel rude. "Let's go." Zaden said naturally as he steadied her. Meanwhile, Lewis stepped out of the hospital room into the hallway. Nina had fainted earlier. The doctors hadn't found the cause yet, so they admitted her for a full checkup to find out the real cause behind it. Lewis felt restless and walked out to get some air. That was when he saw Athena-walking with another man. The man wasn't the same smooth-talking type Lewis had seen before. No, this one carried himself with elegance and quiet authority, the kind that spoke of wealth and high status. Who is he? Lewis's brow furrowed tight, his expression so dark it seemed a storm was brewing. Later, once they were in the car, Zaden's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, then slid his finger across to answer. Athena sat in the passenger seat, close enough to hear a woman's voice on the phone, "Mr. Storm, it's already past pickup time for Teri. Are you busy? Should I just take her home?" Zaden lifted his wrist and glanced at his steel watch. "Sorry, I got tied up. I'll be there soon." He hung up and turned to speak with Athena. Athena felt awkward. Because of her, Zaden was running late. She said sincerely, "Mr. Storm, I've already taken enough of your time. Why don't I grab a cab? You don't have to drive me." Athena hadn't expected him to personally pick up his daughter from school. That was something Lewis would never do. He had never once gone to daycare to pick up Dion. It was always her-or, when she was too busy, the maid. 2/3 14:36 Sat, Oct 18 Chapter 15 Mistaken impressions 68 Finished Zaden thought for a moment, then said, "Ms. Hall, do you mind if I pick up Teri before taking you home?" Clearly, he lived by his principles. Zaden had promised he'd take her home, so he wasn't about to go back on his word-even with other things on his plate. Athena nodded. "It's fine. Go pick her up." "Alright." He started the car, merging into traffic as they pulled out of the hospital. Meanwhile, Lewis was already storming down from the hospital room. He had tried calling Athena earlier, but she had hung up on him. His number was blocked, so he'd gone as far as getting a new one-just to reach her. That phone held only her contact. This whole ordeal was ridiculous. He'd never admit he cared about her. No, he only wanted her back to look after Dion. That was all. Frustrated, Lewis headed into the parking garage, scanning every corner for her. For a while, he had believed she was keeping some college kid as a secret fling. But now he suspected there was more than one man. Was she really making a fool out of him like this? She'd better not forget-she was still his wife. Face darkening, he circled the garage, but she was nowhere to be found. Neither was the man she had been with. His jaw clenched in rage. Then, out of the corner of his eye, Lewis spotted a luxury car pulling out of the lot. Send Gifts 150 14:37 Sat, Oct 18