Chapter 38 Stay for the Night "Teri, time to sleep. I'll stay right here with you." A 67 Finished Athena was good with kids. She lay beside Teri, gently patting her back and softly coaxing her to sleep. Zaden stood by the door, leaning against the frame. Watching them quietly, he felt something warm stir inside him. Teri slowly closed her eyes. After a while, she finally drifted off. Athena pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, making sure she was tucked in, then stood up and turned to leave. She froze when she saw Zaden still standing at the door. Had he been watching the whole time? Athena motioned for him to go downstairs so they wouldn't wake Teri. The two of them walked quietly down together. Once they reached the living room, Zaden looked at her. "Thank you for helping tonight." "It's nothing. Really," Athena said, then hesitated before adding, "You should pay more attention to Teri's emotions. Kids her age are pretty sensitive." "I know," he said with a small nod. Athena glanced at the clock. It was almost two in the morning. She was about to say she should head home when Zaden suddenly spoke. "Ms. Hall, it's very late, and the drive back is long. Would you mind staying here for the night?" "What?" Athena's eyes widened in surprise. Had she heard him right? Zaden quickly explained, polite and serious. "I just don't feel comfortable leaving Teri alone right now, so I can't take you home. It's also not safe for you to go by yourself." When Athena first arrived, she'd already noticed how quiet the place was. It seemed like only Zaden and Teri lived here. Still, she didn't think he needed to drive her. 1/3 14:42 Sat, Oct 18 Chapter 38 Stay for the Night #Finished She waved her hands quickly. "Oh, no, I'll be fine! You should stay with Teri. I can get home on my own." Zaden met her eyes, his tone calm but sincere. "Please don't misunderstand. I just worry that Teri might wake up and cry if she doesn't see you in the morning. Please, Ms. Hall, do me this favor." Athena hesitated. Is this a good idea? Athena hesitated. She couldn't forget the image of Teri earlier that night. She squatted all alone outside her house, looking so small and helpless. If the little girl got upset again and ran away in the middle of the night, it would be too dangerous. Teri was such a gentle, well-behaved child, and there was something about her that made Athena's heart ache. She simply couldn't bring herself to turn her down. Zaden spoke in his usual calm, gentlemanly tone. "There are plenty of guest rooms here, Ms. Hall. You can choose whichever one you like. I know this request is sudden and a little unreasonable, but I really don't have another option. Teri doesn't trust many people, but she feels safe with you." He paused, his voice soft but sincere. "I hope you can say yes." In that moment, there was none of the pride or distance that usually came with his last name. Instead, he looked like any father-exhausted and worried sick about his little girl. The sight made it hard for Athena to refuse. After a brief hesitation, she nodded. "All right." It was just for one night anyway. What could go wrong? Zaden led her upstairs and helped her choose a guest room. A few minutes later, he brought her a new set of pajamas and some toiletries. He was polite and respectful the entire time-no awkwardness, no inappropriate behavior, and no crossing of boundaries. When everything was ready, he wished her good night and quietly returned to his room. Athena finally began to relax. She still couldn't quite believe how strange the day had been. Everything had spiraled so unexpectedly. She walked over to the window to close the curtains before going to bed but froze the moment she looked outside. Two familiar figures were stepping out of a car. 2/3 14:42 Sat, Oct 18 Chapter 38 Stay for the Night (67 Finished Lewis and Nina. She suddenly remembered-Lewis and Nina lived nearby. The two of them were glued together like a couple who couldn't stand to be apart. From where Athena stood, she couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could see everything. Lewis leaned in, cupped the back of Nina's head, and kissed her with desperate passion. Even from a distance, Athena could clearly see his hand sliding inside her collar, shamelessly touching her. They acted like they were the only two people in the world, completely ignoring their surroundings. A wave of disgust hit Athena so hard that she had to step back. Lewis was rotten-utterly disgusting from head to toe. Next week! Next week I'll tell him it's over. Once and for all. She yanked the curtains shut, blocking the sickening scene from view. Then she took a quick shower and lay down to sleep. But it wasn't easy. The bed felt strange, the room unfamiliar. She tossed and turned all night, unable to find rest. It was almost dawn when she finally drifted off. The next morning, Athena woke early. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw a tiny figure sitting quietly beside her bed. Teri's face lit up with a bright, sunny smile the moment she saw Athena awake. Send Gifts 名 150 (i) 1 3/3 14:42 Sat, Oct 18 From Betrayal to Brilliance. Her Rise to a New Life