“What?”
Athena froze, staring at the man in front of her. Her mouth made no sound. She was speaking only in her mind. But Arthur, who seemed able to read her thoughts, shook his head as if answering her question.
With an unreadable expression, the man casually closed the door behind him. There was something peculiar about him. His gaze was sharp but not entirely threatening. Every movement he made was deliberate, as if he were playing a role.
“He’s talking about revenge plans?” Athena murmured anxiously in her mind. “Who is he? And why did he say he was happy to see me again earlier?”
Sensing that she was watching him, Arthur pretended to be busy with the dusty items around him. Especially as he increasingly felt as if Athena’s hazel eyes were dissecting him.
“Who are you?” Athena finally asked, her voice barely audible. Arthur turned toward her coldly. Within seconds, he covered her mouth and pinned her to the bed.
“Shh… Don’t be reckless!” he hissed sharply, causing Athena’s hazel eyes to widen.
Athena struggled to resist, but her strength was no match for his, especially since her right hand was still completely immobile.
“Do you want Leon to figure out your entire act?” Arthur hissed again, briefly glancing at the door. Slowly, he leaned closer, prompting Athena to reflexively shut her eyes.
“Listen to me, Athena. If Leon finds out you can talk, you’re finished! Pretend to be mute for now, because that’s the only way you’ll survive!”
Athena nodded, trying to summon the courage to meet the gaze of the man still pinning her down. Questions swirled through her head. Who was this man with a dragon tattoo? How did he know about Leon’s sinister plans, and why was he helping her?
“You don’t need to know who I am. What matters is that I’m on your side!” Before Athena could ask, Arthur spoke first and moved away.
“How can I trust you?” Athena asked again at last, casting him a doubtful look.
“I remember… You’re the man I met at the hospital, aren’t you? Why did you deliberately change your appearance to look so intimidating? You can’t possibly be doing all this just to help me, can you? What do you want from me?”
Raising one thick eyebrow, Arthur turned toward the door. He glanced back briefly, placed a finger to his lips, then stepped forward and silently vanished from Athena’s sight.
The following night, repeated knocking on the door woke Athena from her sleep. Despite her body still aching, she slowly got up and reached for the doorknob. Her vision was slightly blurry until it suddenly cleared when one of her cheeks stung from a hard slap.
“Are you deaf? Why didn’t you answer when I called you?!” Crystal’s voice thundered, making Athena glare sharply at her.
Ignoring the sting on her face, Athena glanced around. She noticed several maids bustling about as if rushing to deal with some urgent matter.
“Put this on! The Mayor will visit you tonight, along with Leon’s new business associate—the one you met at the event before your accident!” Crystal threw a complete outfit directly at Athena’s face.
Athena glared back, occasionally scoffing.
“Remember, Athena. Don’t even think about taking advantage of their visit tonight! Leon already told me to warn you!”
Without saying a word, Athena shut the door firmly. She didn’t care about Crystal’s startled screams or the curses she hurled from outside. When the long-awaited time finally came, Athena emerged from her room in an evening gown that accentuated her natural beauty.
Still struggling with her limited mobility, Athena was escorted by Edward to the dining room. Her delicate eyes occasionally searched for Arthur. He had not reappeared since their conversation the previous day.
“Watch your expression! Smile, so they don’t suspect anything!” Leon whispered, pretending to lovingly embrace his wife.
Athena nearly gagged when Leon unexpectedly kissed her. He then flashed a disingenuous smile at his important guests.
Leon sat in the center, his muscular hand gripping Athena’s left hand tightly. Crystal sat beside him, looking elegant in her evening gown and exuding confidence despite the negative rumors circulating about her in public.
“I’m deeply sorry about the accident, Mrs. Athena. When I heard the news, I was truly shocked, especially since you seemed perfectly fine onstage earlier,” the Mayor said, initiating the conversation and making Athena instinctively glance at Leon and Crystal.
“I was also very surprised, Mr. Leon. According to the rumors, Mrs. Athena was in an unstable condition because of gossip about your affair with Miss Crystal. But seeing Miss Crystal here, even assisting Mrs. Athena, it seems those rumors aren’t true, are they?” Leon’s new business associate added, nearly making Leon choke.
Athena struggled to suppress a smile at Leon’s obvious discomfort. She instinctively averted her gaze and noticed Arthur approaching with his usual inscrutable expression.
“Be ready. Write down what you intend to do here,” Arthur whispered before stepping away again.
Athena snapped out of her thoughts when Leon’s rough hand brushed against hers. She had nearly lost herself in Arthur’s enigmatic gray eyes, but quickly readjusted her expression as she glanced at the notebook and pen now in front of her.
“Of course, none of it is true. Isn’t that right, darling?” Leon denied, discreetly kicking the woman beside him under the table.
Forcing a smile, Athena retaliated by gripping her husband’s hand tightly. She deliberately dug her unkempt nails into his skin, making Leon give in and scowl at her.
“Don’t you dare defy me, especially in front of my business associate and the Mayor!” he hissed, to which Athena replied with a faint smile.
Picking up the pen Arthur had provided, Athena carefully wrote something in the small notebook before her. Leon grew increasingly agitated, worried that his wife might do something reckless. His eyes widened as he read the faintly written words beside him.
[Do whatever you want, Leon. But don’t blame me if, in the end, your life ends up more ruined than mine!]