Chapter 11: Chapter Ten

Athena

I tried to calm my nerves after hearing his words, but it was nearly impossible. Just because he said he wasn’t going to kill me didn’t mean the possibility was entirely off the table. Perhaps he only meant “not now” while he decided what to do with me.

I froze in my chair as I felt him draw closer. My body began to tremble the moment his fingers brushed against my face. Panic surged through me, and the only thought in my mind was that he had changed his mind and was now prepared to end my life.

But then, as his fingers slid across my cheeks and reached behind my neck, I realized he was loosening the cloth around my mouth. A moment later, he pulled it away, and I could finally breathe freely. I inhaled deeply, steadying myself before summoning the courage to speak.

"Please, let me go," I begged, my voice trembling. "I didn’t do anything wrong, I swear. Whatever she told you about me isn’t true. I didn’t— I would never steal her boyfriend."

The man chuckled dryly, his tone devoid of humor. "What do I care if you stole her boyfriend or not?" he said, his tone dismissive. "Scarlett means nothing to me."

"Then why did she order you to get rid of me because of Eros Belmonte?" I asked, confusion lacing my words.

"Like I said, I don’t care about Scarlett or Eros Belmonte," he replied calmly. "I already have the person I want."

"Who? Me?" I asked, my voice shaky with fear. "What could I have possibly done to offend you? Please, just let me go."

"Stop begging," he snapped, his patience wearing thin, his tone sharp and final. "You’re not going anywhere, so don’t waste your breath."

"If it’s money you want, you’re not going to get a single dime from the Sandersons," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "They don’t care about me."

He snorted with derision. "I know that. Everyone knows why the Sandersons adopted you. They thought you might be their golden ticket to something greater," he said, clicking his tongue in disdain. "Fools."

"Exactly," I shot back, grasping for some semblance of control. "So, now that you know you have nothing to gain by keeping me here, why not just let me go? I swear I won’t tell anyone about this."

His laughter caught me off guard. It was sharp and hollow, devoid of any real amusement, and it sent a chill racing down my spine. I couldn’t quite figure out what I’d said to amuse him, but the sound only deepened my unease. My brain scrambled to place his voice, to put a name or face to it, but it was as though my thoughts had been paralyzed by fear.

"Of course you won’t say a word to anyone," he said, his tone dropping into a menacing growl. "I didn’t bring you here for them, Athena Carter. "I brought you here for personal reasons."

"I don’t go by that name anymore," I corrected, my voice faltering. "I’m a Sanderson now."

"Are you, really?" he asked, his tone mocking, cutting. "I thought you just said they don’t care about you."

I knew there was no point in begging someone who refused to listen to reason, but I couldn’t just let him do whatever he pleased to me under the guise of his so-called “personal reasons.” If no one else cared about me, I cared about myself, and I wasn’t about to go down without a fight.

"Please… just let me go. I haven’t done anything to deserve this," I pleaded, my voice trembling with fear.

"Deserve?" he repeated coldly, his voice devoid of emotion. "You speak as though justice cares about innocence. Maybe you're right, but I don’t care about that."

"Then don’t I at least deserve to know what I’ve done to offend you?" I demanded, frustration seeping into my voice. I wished he’d take off my blindfold so I could see his face—so I could look my captor in the eye.

"You didn’t offend me. Your existence isn’t your fault," he replied sharply. "I wouldn’t have cared about you if you weren’t his daughter. "You're here because you're his daughter, nothing more."

"His daughter?" I asked, my confusion growing. "Who are you talking about?"

"Don’t play dumb," he snapped, his tone laced with bitterness. "Who else could it be? My target is your father, James Carter."

My heart seemed to stop as he said that name. I had always feared this day would come. I knew James’s actions would eventually catch up to me, his only living relative. His crimes were too many to count, and while he was rotting in prison for some of them, I had always known I’d be the one paying for the ones that went unpunished.

"Well?" His sharp tone cut through my spiraling thoughts.

"What does he have to do with this?" I asked, my voice trembling. "He’s in prison. Life sentence. He can’t hurt anyone anymore."

"I’m well aware of that," he said coolly. "But do you know he wasn’t even charged with half the crimes he committed? The police only scratched the surface. They didn’t bother digging deeper. They only got him for what they could prove."

"So?" I pressed, struggling to keep my voice steady. "How am I involved in this?"

He exhaled in frustration. "Are you seriously asking me that?" he growled. "Prison is too kind for a man like him. A man who murdered without remorse."

"I know that," I said, anger flaring in my voice. "He killed my mother too, remember? He killed her because she cheated on him. Do you think I don’t know what he’s capable of? Who do I even blame for her death? The man she cheated with?"

His voice dropped, filled with pain. "But your father didn’t just hurt anyone—he murdered my brother. The only person I had left in this world. He callously took my brother from me." He growled.

A wave of guilt and sorrow washed over me. "I’m sorry," I said, my voice breaking. "I’m truly sorry for what he did."

"Sorry won’t bring my brother back," he said bitterly, his voice heavy with grief and rage. "It changes nothing."

"True," I said softly. "But carrying out what's on your mind won’t bring your brother back either."

"He knew how to cover his tracks," he muttered, his voice barely audible, as if speaking to himself. "My brother, Damian, was getting too close to uncovering the truth. And James made sure he never finished that investigation."

"Was your brother a police officer too?" I asked, my voice laced with curiosity.

"He would have been promoted, if not for your father sweeping the rug out from under him," he said, his words laced with bitterness. I could almost hear his teeth grinding, and then he scoffed. "Imagine my shock when I got a call from the hospital about my brother’s accident."

"I know the kind of person my... James was, but are you absolutely sure James was involved in your brother's death? He wasn’t the only rogue officer at the precinct," I said cautiously. "You might have mistaken him for someone else."

"What?" he repeated, his voice a low whisper that sent a chill down my spine. "A mistake? Is that what you think a suspicious motorcycle accident is? Damian didn’t die by chance. James orchestrated it, just like he manipulated every case that could expose him."

"I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I swear, I didn’t know any of this. If I had—" I said, my voice quivering, but he cut me off.

"If you had, what would you have done? Stopped him? Defied him? You were just a child back then, but that doesn’t absolve you," he said, his tone ice-cold.

"Please, I’m not my father," I pleaded, my voice shaking. "Whatever he’s done, I’m not responsible for it. Punishing me won’t bring your brother back." I struggled to stifle the sobs threatening to escape. "You don’t want to do this."

"And how do you know what I want?" he chuckled darkly, the sound sending a shiver through me. "No, it won’t bring my brother back, but it will give me satisfaction."

"Satisfaction?" His words ignited a spark of anger in me, but I fought to keep my voice steady. "Will imprisoning me and threatening my life make you happy? What kind of satisfaction is that?"

"The kind that reminds me that James Carter’s bloodline will suffer as my family has suffered," he replied, his voice calm and calculating. "You’re the only way I can hurt him now.”