Chapter 29 A Reluctant Goodbye Even after Ned drove away, Dion still didn't catch a glimpse of Athena. 67 Finished A while later, a sleek luxury car pulled up quietly. The door opened, and Zaden stepped out. He wore a tailored suit that showed off his tall frame and long legs. His good looks drew every eye. At the entrance, a group of older ladies sat gossiping as usual. The moment they spotted Zaden heading upstairs, they lowered their voices and leaned in close. "Did you hear? A pretty woman just moved onto the fifth floor. Many men have come looking for her. They're all handsome. Wonder which one's her husband?" "This one looks like it. They really match." "No way. I think the one from last time looked more like her man." Zaden had no idea he had already become the talk of Athena's neighborhood. He went straight upstairs and rang the doorbell. Teri opened the door. The second she saw him, her face lit up. "Daddy, you're here!" Zaden took her hand. Athena appeared at the doorway too. She was able to walk slowly on her own now, with no crutches. In just a few more days, the cast could come off. Thanks to Kate's skilled care, she had recovered quickly. "Ms. Hall," Zaden said politely, "thank you for looking after Teri all day. I'll make sure to repay you." Athena shook her head softly; she didn't think much of it. "It's no trouble." Zaden explained, "Weekends get busy at work. I usually ask someone I trust to help with Teri. I didn't expect Harriet to bring her here. I hope she didn't give you any problems." To Athena, spending the day with Teri wasn't hard at all. Compared to Dion-who was like an imp-Teri was easy to handle. She wasn't picky about food, either. No matter what Athena cooked, Teri ate happily and even offered sweet compliments. 1/3 14:40 Sat, Oct 18 Chapter 29 A Reluctant Goodbye 67 Finished "Teri's been wonderful," Athena said with a smile. Teri's eyes curved like crescent moons at the praise. Zaden looked at her. "Come on, let's go home." "Okay, Daddy," She answered quickly, but her eyes stayed on Athena, full of reluctance, as if she didn't want to leave. Athena looked into Teri's pitiful eyes. Her heart almost melted. Before she could even think, she heard herself say, "Why don't you stay for dinner before you go?" Teri's eyes lit up at once. "Really?" Athena nearly bit her tongue. What did I just say? A single dad and a single woman sharing a meal-it feel way too suggestive. But Zaden simply nodded, his deep voice steady. "Then we'll have to trouble you a little longer, Ms. Hall." You made this mess; you deal with it. Athena didn't think too much about it and let them in. Because of her injury, Harriet had stocked her pantry well. She had enough groceries to last several days without leaving the house. Opening the fridge, Athena glanced toward the father and daughter sitting on the couch. "Any food you don't eat?" "As long as Athena cooks it, I'll love it!" Teri chimed in first, eager to please. Zaden lifted his gaze slightly. "I'm not picky." Athena thought to herself. Well, these two are easy enough to feed. She gathered a few ingredients and carried the bags into the kitchen. Zaden noticed her still- unsteady leg. His eyes darkened with thought. Turning to his daughter, he said, "Play here for a bit. Daddy's going to help." "Daddy," Teri suddenly spoke up. "Athena's son came earlier. They argued. She looked kind of sad after." 2/3 14:40 Sat, Oct 18 Chapter 29 A Reluctant Goodbye Zaden's brow lifted in surprise. He gave a slow nod. 67 Finished In the kitchen, Athena was chopping vegetables when a tall shadow fell over her. She turned instinctively and met Zaden's eyes. In that moment, his presence wrapped around her. It felt like if she just stood on tiptoe, her lips. could brush his cheek. The space between them was far too close for strangers. Her heart tightened, her hand trembled, and the kitchen knife slipped. The blade cut her finger, and blood welled out fast. "Ouch!" Athena quickly set down the kitchen knife. Zaden hadn't expected to startle her. Seeing the blood, his brows knit sharply as he reached for her hand. "Where's the first aid kit?" "On the cabinet outside." He stepped out, grabbed the kit, and opened it to tend her wound. "I can do it myself," Athena hurried to say. "Doctors don't treat themselves," Zaden replied coolly. "You think you can bandage that with one hand?" Truth was, she could. But Athena didn't argue. The last thing she wanted was for Zaden to think she was difficult or overly defensive. Send Gifts 150 U 3/3 14:41 Sat, Oct 18 From Betrayal to Brilliance Her Rise to a New Life