 Prev  All Chapter Next   Options Chapter 6 Degrading Herself Sorry, Ive got something else going on. Ill catch your story another time. Athena didnt bother saying more to the man and walked away without a word. Hey, hold on! I dont even know your name! He snapped out of his daze and rushed after her. Suddenly, a bunch of suited bodyguards came running from behind. When they saw the man safe, they all breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over. Chambers, the partys already started. Your parents are looking everywhere for you! He panicked, looking in the direction Athena had gone, ready to chase after her. Hold on, Im actually looking for… Before he could even finish, the bodyguards exchanged glances and grabbed his arms, dragging him away! When Athena appeared on the main floor of the party, she didnt have to do anything. She stood there, with her tall, slim body and beautiful dress looking like an angel, and instantly wwwwww you Whos she? Never seen her before. Maybe shes some new star trying to climb the social ladder and snag a rich dude! Just look at all those guys ogling her. If they could strip her with their eyes, shed be naked! Maybe shes even into that sort of thing. The wealthy ladies whispered and giggled amongst themselves, covering their mouths, their eyes filled with jealousy and spite. Athena grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. She didnt pay attention to the people around her, focused solely on finding Brad. Tonight was the 20th birthday party of the young master of a famous luxury jewelry brand. All the important people in Mailand were invited and it was a highly anticipated event. Gideons parents were away on a project abroad and couldnt make it back. So, Gideon was there to represent his family at the party, his parents being abroad and unable to attend Byron… youve never brought Athena to a fancy event like this before, Gideon said, sitting on a couch with his legs crossed. He glanced over at Ruby, who was taking pictures nearby. Ruby might look more like Miss Bates, but she doesnt compare to Athena when it comes to charm. Byron didnt spare a second glance at her. Youve mentioned Athena a lot lately. Have you taken a liking to her? Would you mind? Gideons eyes opened wider. He stared at Byron and asked. Byron looked at Gideon and warned coldly, Careful. Alright! Alright! Gideon raised his hands and chuckled awkwardly. Byron had been like this since he was a child. Once he was tired of his toys and didnt want them anymore, he would rather destroy them than give them to others. He seemed to have that same attitude towards women. Byron! Ruby yelled and ran to Byron in a panic. Gideon caught a trace of disgust on Byrons face. She said anxiously, I saw Athena! Shes here! Byron finally glanced up at her, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. Whats she doing here? They all turned their heads and noticed her immediately. She stood out in the crowd, like a swan among ugly ducklings. Just as Byron caught sight of her, he noticed a middle-aged man with a large belly blocking her path and attempting to hand her a business card. She immediately engaged in enthusiastic conversation with him, a subtle smile gracing her beautiful face. He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to contain his inner rage. Seeing his expression, Ruby hurriedly put on an exaggerated and anxious look and said, Byron, Mr. Hale, I just heard that… Athena is only here to hook up with wealthy men. She stomped her feet like a child and added, Byron, even if you broke up with her, you gave her so much money over the years. Youve set her up for life. How could she hook up with other men and humiliate you like this?! Byron has already moved on and started a new relationship. So why cant Athena look for a new boyfriend too? Gideon argued as slipped one hand into his pocket and casually swung his glass with the other. He glanced at Ruby with a faint smile. Although his tone and gesture seemed gentle, she sensed a hint of coldness in his words. I just cant help but feel sorry for Byron, she said, leaning closer to the president. Dont worry about it. Just enjoy the party, Byron replied curtly, avoiding Rubys hand. She paused for a moment, a bit hurt. Alright then. Before she left, she stole another glance at Athena. To her, Athena seemed plain in comparison to everyone else at the company. Ruby had seen her old photos, too. Normally, she didnt wear much makeup and dressed casually. But tonight was different. She looked elegant and charming, her dress accentuating her curvaceous figure. It was like she was a totally different person! Ruby knew that her own pretty and soft appearance couldnt compete with Athenas stunning looks and sexy figure. Luckily, Byron wasnt into women who wore heavy makeup! She looked away, trying to distract herself. The more she thought of it, the angrier she grew. How could Athena look so amazing tonight?! An idea suddenly popped into her head, and she held back an excited giggle. She immediately went downstairs. ww Just as Ruby left, Gideon and Byron noticed Athena accepting a business card from the middle-aged man and tucking it into her handbag. The man left with a satisfied expression on his face. Byron was a bit far from Athena; he didnt see the sigh of relief she secretly let out. Athena scanned the surroundings and finally spotted her target for the night. Gideon shifted his gaze to Byron and remarked, Youve been hogging this beauty hidden to yourself all these years! Athena was a good-looking woman, but before, Gideon always thought her to be quite dull. Most of the time, she seemed like a lifeless robot doing whatever Byron ordered her to do. And no matter how unreasonable he acted, she never refused or lost her temper. Gideon vividly remembered a time during Freyas winter birthday when Byron suddenly craved a cake from a renowned bakery. Unfortunately, that bakery already closed down years before. Gideon had no idea what Athena did, but she managed to buy the cake Byron wanted and brought it to his house at three in the morning. When she arrived, Byron refused to eat it and even called it ugly, throwing it away. Gideon happened to be present at Byrons house that day. Athenas hair was soaked from the melted snow, her slim. figure shivering uncontrollably from the cold. Her hands were red from how cold it was. He thought Byron had gone too far that day. But he didnt anticipate Athenas reaction. She remained calm, showing no signs of anger or resentment. She simply put the cake in a garbage bag and left. This kind of thing happened many times in the past few years. However, tonight, Athena appeared, looking like a supermodel. Gideon felt like things were about to get interesting… Byron only stored coldly of his former lover Shes degrading herself he send Write your comment Chapter 7 No Invitation Gideon smirked. Byron might be putting on a tough front, but his angry eyes gave him away! But… Was Athena really here to find a man? Gideon watched Athena as she moved through the crowd, clearly heading towards a specific destination. He followed her gaze to the end of the deck, where a classical band was playing. Isnt that Brad, the owner of Maxwell Electronics? Gideon asked. Byron glanced over, seemingly unsurprised. Gideon widened his eyes. Oh!! You said you wouldnt come to this party, and yet here you are! You knew Brad would be here! Youre here to talk to him for Athenas project, right? Byron stared at him, his gaze as icy as a winter breeze, sending a chill down Gideons spine on this summer evening. You think she deserves my efforts? Shes just a substitute I dumped. wwwwwwme Gideon was speechless. I came here because Ruby wanted to come, Byron added. Gideon smiled awkwardly. Byron was usually not much of a talker. The more he tried to explain, the more guilty he seemed. Obviously, Byron also became aware of this. His face was filled with annoyance. *** Spotting Brad was easy, but approaching him proved to be difficult. As Athena walked towards Brad, a bodyguard stopped her. Miss, that area is off-limits, the guard said. Excuse me. I want to see Mr. The guard remained cold, You can schedule an appointment. Maxwell will not have any business meeting tonight. Just then, Brad glanced over. Unlike most men, when he saw Athena, he showed no interest and even frowned in apparent disgust. Athena had already done her research on Brad. He had a technical background, was known for his integrity, and had a very good relationship with his late wife. Two years ago, when his wife passed away, Brad was devastated and spent nearly half a year in the hospital. Brad wasnt interested in any other women and even disliked those who tried to get close to him. Athena was stunningly beautiful and didnt seem like someone who could get things done. He must have misunderstood her intentions, thinking she was here to seduce him. Athena overheard Brad regretfully saying to his companions, That harp looks very nice. Its a shame they didnt hire a harpist and are just using it as a display. Athenas gaze locked onto the golden harp on the music stand. Her eyes lit up. Her grandmother used to be a famous harpist, and Athena had learned from her since young. Although she hadnt practiced much in recent years, whenever she visited her grandmother, she would play the harp for her. While her skill might not compare to a masters, it www was still pleasing to the ear. As Brad walked away, his guards followed suit. Athena walked directly to the harp and sat down. Taking a deep breath, her delicate fingers gently plucked the strings. Brad, who was about to enter the banquet hall, stopped in his tracks and turned back. Athenas long hair cascaded, concealing her lowered gaze. Her fingertips played the music beautifully. People were drawn by the enchanting melody and gathered around. Brad also hurried back to listen as he felt an indescribable familiarity. This woman seemed simply seductive to him just moments ago, but now as she played the harp, she looked serene and elegant. As Brad watched Athena, he lost in his thoughts, reminiscing about the afternoon he first met his wife forty years ago. Gideon and Byron also noticed Athenas performance. www Athena can play the harp?! Gideon exclaimed in surprise. Byron didnt answer because he also didnt know. Athenas calm and composed demeanor made him feel unfamiliar; it was as if she wasnt the same person who had been with him for the past five years. This thought deepened Byrons gloom. He had been deceived by Athena for five long years! Meanwhile, Gabe Chambers, the man Athena met before, was escorted back to his parents by bodyguards. Today was his birthday, and he had planned to spend his vacation at Black Beach in Iceland. Yet his parents insisted on throwing a birthday party for him, just so he could get to know more influential people he would need to deal with in the future when inheriting the family business. Listening to his mother and the guests talk about business, Gabe felt utterly bored. Just then, he heard melodious music from behind and turned to look. Finally, his eyes lit up once more. As the music ended, Gabe let out a content sigh. Perfect, not a single wrong note! After a brief silence, applause erupted from the surroundings. Athena stood up gracefully and acknowledged with a bow. From the corner of her eye, she could see Brad walking towards her. But just then… May I see your invitation, Miss? Two crew members approached Athena with stern expressions. Not far away, Ruby watched gleefully.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates… How dare this bitch steal the spotlight and grab everyones attention! she cursed in her mind, Now everyones gonna see how shameless she is, sneaking in here to flirt with guys! Athena felt like luck had been really against her lately. But then, amidst the crowd, she spotted Ruby. And as soon as Ruby caught Athenas eye, she wore the most smug expression ever. It was practically written all over her face, I did it! Athenas expression darkened. But if Ruby was here, then Byron… As Athena looked around, some people started to gossip. Unbelievable! Coming here to seduce men and not even willing to buy an invitation? Trying to get something for nothing? Shes really here for business, haha. I KNEW something was off about her! The Chambers security is lacking! How could they let someone without an invitation get on board… The crew member raised his voice, Miss, let us see your invitation! Ruby watched Athenas awkward situation and felt extremely pleased. However, her joy didnt last long because she noticed Byron was no longer on the second floor. Looking around, Byron and Gideon had already come down and were walking towards here. Byron must be coming to help Athena out! A voice sounded from behind the crowd. She doesnt need an invitation. Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice, and so did Athena.