Chapter 35 The Secret Lover 67 Finished Lewis had called Nina over during a game of dare, as if to prove how much he cared for her. That thought alone made Nina's heart sweet with joy. She knew she wasn't really supposed to be at this kind of gathering. She didn't even qualify to attend Jerome's birthday party. Still, she longed for the day when she could walk openly beside Lewis, not as some side chick, but as his rightful wife. But the moment Nina walked in, Lewis's face turned dark. Why was she here? He had called Athena. She had agreed to come. Now, instead of Athena, Nina showed up. It hit him fast. Athena had agreed just to fool him. She had sent Nina instead. The thought made his blood boil. He grew frustrated, and his mood darkened. The air around him grew cold. Athena! Someone in the room laughed and teased, "Mrs. Belmont, your husband keeps you well hidden. You've been married for years with a grown son, but none of us have ever seen you. Seems he loves you so much he can't bear to share you with the world." Nina forced an awkward smile. They had never met Athena or her. On paper, Athena was the wife, but Lewis had never brought her out. That was because Athena was never meant to show her face in public. To Lewis, she was nothing more than a maid in his house, someone he used to spite his family. There was no way he'd introduce her to his friends. Keeping her expression calm, Nina slid her hand into Lewis's arm and said playfully, "Lewis, you going to introduce me to your friends? I don't know any of them." aren't Lewis's brow furrowed hard. Watching Nina rush to show herself off made irritation flicker across his face. 1/3 14:41 Sat, Oct 18 Chapter 35 The Secret Lover 467 67 Finished Right now, she looked exactly like those gold diggers who managed to hook a rich man and couldn't wait to show off their new status. There were plenty of women like that in their circle. People usually just laughed at them behind their backs. If it were Athena here, she would never cling to him or try to meet his rich friends. The thought suddenly hit him. His chest tightened with discomfort. He couldn't help but think of Athena again. It was as if she had quietly left her mark on him- on the way he spoke, acted, and even thought. Whenever he pictured her, he knew exactly how she would behave. And he couldn't stop himself from comparing her to Nina. Lewis took a deep breath, forcing the emotion back down. Maybe he was just overthinking. There was no way he had feelings for Athena. He was just angry because Athena had played him. That had to be the only reason he felt awful. The real culprit behind all this was Zaden. If he hadn't started that stupid game, Nina wouldn't even be here tonight. When Athena had agreed to come pick him up earlier, Lewis had been thrilled. But now, his mood had completely crashed. Zaden, on the other hand, sat calmly on the couch, a faint smile tugging at his lips. There was a playful glint in his eyes, as if he were watching an entertaining show unfold right in front of him. Nina stood beside Lewis, waiting for him to say something. But he stayed silent, his face dark and unreadable. Her heart sank. She felt wronged. Lewis had been distracted a lot lately, and this was just another time he seemed far away. She'd spoken up earlier, but he ignored her completely. It was her first time meeting his friends; now she felt utterly humiliated. "Lewis..." she whispered, gently tugging at his sleeve. Lewis frowned and muttered coldly, "You'll meet all of them eventually; everyone here is part of my social circle." 2/3 14:41 Sat, Oct 18 Chapter 25 The Secret Lover Finished He meant it as comfort, but it sounded more like rejection. The silence that followed was painful. Nina's checks burned. It felt like she'd just been slapped in front of everyone. Of course, she wasn't totally clueless about who these people were. Many of the men in this room were famous in high society. Their names showed up in tabloids and online gossip all the time, so it wasn't hard for Nina to recognize them. Take Daniel, for example. The Crofts owned a massive renewable energy empire and were worth a fortune. He was a regular on TV-handsome, rich, and a bit of a playboy. The Crofts was one of the top clite families in Vlephia. And sitting right beside him was Zaden, the heir to the Storms-a man no one dared to underestimate. He hadn't said a word all night, just sat there quietly, calm and composed. But Nina recognized him immediately. Compared to the Storms, the Belmonts were far less powerful. Zaden carried the kind of charm that came naturally to someone born into that kind of legacy-elegant, confident, and dangerously magnetic. If only he weren't so cold and distant, she might've tried to flirt with him. Just then, Zaden's phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen, stood up without a word, and walked out of the room to answer the call. Send Gifts 150 3/3 14:41 Sat, Oct 18 From Betrayal to Brilliance Her Rise to a New Life