Panting, Leon stared at Athena in disbelief once again. The aura of the woman before him was completely different. The Athena he used to know—weak and easy to bully—now seemed powerful and fearless.
Her gaze was strong, her eyes sharp and unwavering. Even her smirk bore an uncanny resemblance to his own whenever he used to dominate her.
"Damn it!" Leon growled, realizing he had walked straight into his wife's trap.
"What's wrong? Regretting it and thinking about apologizing to me?" Athena briefly ran her hand along her husband's sharp jawline, a gesture that made Crystal's eyes widen in shock outside the room. "Too bad, my dear husband. It's already too late!"
"Leon! Athena! What the hell is going on? Let me in!"
Ignoring the jealous outburst of her former friend, Athena adjusted the collar of her husband's shirt, which she had yanked earlier. Her smile returned as she turned to Leon. "Remember my words, Leon! I won't sit quietly, especially if you dare disturb my mother!"
"Athena, wait!"
Disregarding Leon's call, Athena walked away. Fortunately, the room's key still hung in its place. She raised her eyebrows slightly as she passed Crystal, who shot her a sharp glare.
"What did you just do to Leon, you wretched woman?! You—"
"Enough, Crystal. This is all because of your lover. It looks like you didn't succeed in satisfying him earlier, right? That's why he asked for my help as his wife."
"What?!"
Smirking, Athena continued walking. Her high heels clicked softly in rhythm. Every movement she made exuded elegance, leaving anyone who saw her spellbound.
"Damn it!" Crystal cursed, snapping out of her daze. She rushed toward Leon, her breathing uneven. "What's going on? Why is she—"
"She can talk! And she's been playing us all along!"
"What?" Crystal shook her head in disbelief as she stared at her lover's increasingly hardened expression. "That's impossible! How could the drug—"
"The truth is, it seems she's been pretending to learn our game all this time!"
"Damn it!"
Unable to contain his fury, Leon threw everything in his path. He hated it when his plans didn't go his way. Worse, Athena now had the power to ruin his reputation in public at any moment.
"She has evidence. We need to change our strategy to regain control!"
Meanwhile, Athena stepped into the elevator with lighter steps. A satisfied smile lingered on her beautiful face. She felt a wave of triumph as she remembered Leon and Crystal's frustrated expressions, especially their shock at her bold actions.
This was the moment she had been waiting for—a turning point. A month under Leon and Crystal's pressure had pushed her to her limit. She was ready to fight back against those who had tried to destroy her.
"I will never give up, Leon! This is just the beginning!"
"Wait!"
"Oh, my God. You…."
"What? Surprised by my perfectly timed appearance? How does it feel to be close to your husband again?"
Athena furrowed her brows before shaking her head. She stepped back as Arthur took her place, his intense gaze fixed on her.
"So, you saw it?"
"What do you think?"
Athena's breath hitched as she watched him lean against the elevator wall and loosen his collar, his piercing gaze captivating her.
"What's your plan for Leon, Athena?" he asked, making her shake her head.
"Do I need to explain it to you? I'm just doing what I must to protect myself and my mother."
"Protect yourself? By playing games with him?"
Looking away, Athena noticed Arthur stepping closer. "I… I was only—"
"I warned you, Athena. Don't be reckless!"
Gathering her courage, Athena looked him in the eye. Now cornered, she found her face mere inches from his.
"Are you jealous?" she asked, trying to deflect the conversation and making him chuckle softly.
"Jealous? I just want to make sure you're careful and know who truly stands by you!"
"Truly stands by me?" Athena shot him a suspicious look, a faint smile on her lips. "You haven't even told me who you are, Arthur. Why are you willing to do all this? I know you're hiding something."
Arthur raised an eyebrow and laughed briefly. "You think I'd tell you everything just because you asked? The more you want to know, the more fun it is to keep it a secret, Athena."
"You… Huh! At least give me a reason to fully trust you!" she demanded, her frustration pushing her closer to him.
After a brief silence, Arthur tilted his head slightly. He lifted a hand to gently touch her chin and smiled faintly before whispering, "You've already felt it, Athena. You gave me one of Leon's incriminating documents. Isn't that enough proof?"
"That was just…."
"Trust me, Athena. If you doubt me, I'll prove myself in my own way. The document is safe now, and your mother is under protection."
"What do you mean?"
"Think, Athena. Aren't you a very smart woman?"
Feeling trapped, Athena's heart pounded harder. There was something in the way Arthur looked at and touched her that left her thoughts scattered. Every word she had prepared vanished, especially as he gazed into her eyes from such a close distance.
"Too bad you touched something filthy."
"Huh?"
Confused by his muttered words, Athena frowned. She grabbed Arthur's hand, intending to pull it away, but the elevator suddenly jolted violently.
"Oh, my God! What's happening?" she cried, almost falling before Arthur pulled her close.
The lights flickered, creating a tense atmosphere. The elevator shook with loud creaks, and Athena instinctively clung to Arthur's arm as the surroundings grew darker.
"Arthur," she called out as her panic rose.
Pulling out his phone, Arthur turned on the flashlight and examined the elevator controls. All his movements remained calm until he finally let out a faint sigh.
"It seems the elevator has malfunctioned. There's no signal here either."
"You mean we're stuck in here?"