Chapter 3 Lewis's Stomach Pain Returns Lewis took Nina to one of his villas. The moment Nina stepped inside, her face lit up with joy. She looked around at the polished décor and furniture, gasping. "Lewis, this place is beautiful!" Lewis slid one hand into his pocket, a faint smile curving on his lips. "From now on, this will be our home." Nina ran over and kissed him on the cheek. Feeling the warmth of her lips, Lewis suddenly thought of Athena. She had always been calm and distant, never the type to take the initiative, let alone kiss him with such girlish sweetness. Realizing he was thinking of her, Lewis smirked at himself. Why would she even cross my mind now? "Lewis! What are you zoning out? Did you even hear what I just said?" "What?" "I said to celebrate our move, I want Cajun boil for dinner tonight!" Lewis hesitated. Athena had always banned him and Dion from eating spicy food. She always said it would hurt his stomach and made him drink herbal soups instead. He thought it was annoying, but he drank them anyway. His stomach problems hadn't come back in years. Now that he thought about it, maybe Athena had exaggerated on purpose-just to look like a caring wife and control him. He looked at Nina and smiled affectionately. "Whatever you want to eat, we'll eat." Dion, standing nearby, quickly chimed in. "I want it too! If Nina likes spicy food, then I want to learn to eat it too!" Nina laughed at the sight of the man and boy both spoiling her. "Alright, but don't you cry later when it burns your tongue." "I won't! I'm a man!" Dion declared proudly. ... Meanwhile, Kit drove Athena to the apartment under her name. It had been left to her by her father. The place wasn't large, but the location was good. After marrying Lewis, Athena moved out, leaving the house empty. She never rented it out because it held too many memories of her parents. It was the only property they left behind. Sitting behind the wheel, Kit glanced at Athena as she prepared to get out. Grinning, he teased, "Ms. Athena, are you feeling down about the divorce? How about I take you out for dinner?" Athena paused, then corrected him, "You've got it wrong. I'm in a great mood. Walking away from a jerk liberated me. But I do need your help with cleaning." The two of them went upstairs together. It was an old five-story building with no elevator. Years ago, Athena had replaced the door lock with a fingerprint system, so even after the explosion, she could still come back here. The apartment was thick with dust. Just as she was deciding where to start, her phone rang in her pocket. She pulled it from her pocket. A strange number. Who could it be? Suspicious, Athena swiped to answer but stayed silent. A man's deep, magnetic voice came through. "Athena?" "You are ... ?" His voice was low and magnetic, carrying a strange sense of familiarity. For a moment, Athena couldn't recall where she had heard it before. He asked, "Where are you?" "You're Zaden!" Only then did she recognize who it was. Her brows knit slightly as she asked, "What do you want?" How did he even get my number? On the other end of the line came a soft sigh, followed by a polite voice. "Teri had another attack. The family doctor couldn't help this time. You treated her before-could you take a look again? Since your leg's not well, we'll come to you." Earlier that day, Zaden had noticed Athena's injured leg. Instead of asking her to come over, he offered to bring Teri to her. That left Athena with a good impression. She thought of the fragile little girl she'd seen earlier, and her heart softened. Maybe because she once lost her daughter before she even came into the world, she felt an extra tenderness toward Zaden's child. She couldn't turn him down. "Alright," she said. "Come over." After giving him her address, she hung up the phone. Then she turned to Kit. "Sorry, dinner's off tonight. Someone's coming to see me. You should head home." "Ms. Athena, is this your new guy? Zaden ... that name sounds familiar." Athena flicked his forehead. "Don't be ridiculous. He's my patient." Half an hour later, Zaden showed up with his daughter. Athena had already made up a bed. Teri lay there weak and sweating, letting out faint groans. Seeing her like this, Athena was reminded of Dion. Back then, every time Dion got sick, he looked the same. She had nursed him back to health little by little, though every dose of medicine and every treatment came with tears and tantrums. And right beside her, Lewis grew restless and anxious. He kept blaming her for making everything so complicated, accusing her of tormenting Dion on purpose. It was that or keep pestering her, asking when the boy would finally get better. Zaden stood at the bedside, tall with long legs, broad shoulders, and a lean waist. His tall frame made the small room feel cramped. "She felt sick after dinner tonight," he explained. "The family doctor already checked her. It's the same old problem." His tone carried a hint of helplessness. Over the years, he had sought out top doctors without success. Athena was the first who had managed to bring relief in such a short time. "Alright, let me take a look." Athena soothed Teri, then began her treatment. Ten minutes later, the girl's symptoms eased. Soon after, she was completely calm. Teri blinked up at Athena with wide, curious eyes as the silver needles were removed. She didn't cry or fuss. Her dark eyes were clear and shiny, making her look especially sweet. "Your name's Teri, right? Don't be scared-it's all better now." Teri nodded at her words. Athena picked up the crutch beside her and slowly stood. Looking at Zaden, she said, "Normally, after one episode, it wouldn't flare up again so soon. Maybe she ate something that triggered an allergic reaction." Zaden's face turned dark. He pulled out his phone and made a quick call. "Check tonight's dinner." When he hung up, silence filled the room. "Mr. Storm, you can leave now-" Athena started, but then her stomach growled. Growl! Her cheeks flushed hot, and she wished the floor would swallow her whole. Of all times for that to happen! How embarrassing! She had spent the day cooking, waiting for Lewis and Dion to come home. But before she could eat a bite, everything went wrong. Then came the long ordeal at the hospital. No wonder she was starving by now. Zaden suddenly chuckled. His voice softened. "Ms. Hall, sorry for taking so much of your time tonight." "It's fine." If they left soon, she could still quickly whip herself up some pasta. But Athena was too hopeful. Zaden showed no sign of leaving. Her hunger made her dizzy. She finally gave in. "Mr. Storm, I haven't eaten all night. I'm afraid I can't entertain you any longer-" "I already ordered food." He sat down on the sofa, crossing his long legs, and looked up at her. "Hope you don't mind me taking the liberty." Athena had no words. He'd already done it. What could I say? ... Meanwhile, Lewis, Nina, and Dion enjoyed a Cajun seafood boil in their new villa. Dion, eager to impress Nina, stuffed his mouth until his face turned red and lips went numb. Despite that, the boy still insisted he wasn't bothered by the spice. With Nina cheering him on, Lewis ate a good amount too. After dinner, Lewis slumped against the sofa, eyes shut. A sharp pain twisted in his stomach, the world around him going black. His stomach pain was back.