Chapter 73: Chapter Seventy Two

Athena

Twelve years later

I jolted awake from the dream I'd been having as the alarm I had set on my phone blared. Groggily, I reached out blindly, my hand fumbling across the nightstand until I found my phone and swiped up to silence the alarm.

Groaning, I sluggishly sat up, and Lysander’s arm slipped from my waist to the bed. I loved sleeping curled up in the fetal position, and, just sometimes, I actually enjoyed it when Lysander spooned me from behind.

You’re probably wondering how I ended up marrying Lysander, right? After all, I didn’t even like him in high school. Well, the last person I ever expected to become my rock and metaphorical savior was Lysander Carmichael. 

After the shocking revelation that forced me to leave Beatrix, I found myself wandering aimlessly, dragging my bags and crying. Lysander found me then, offering a place to stay at his foster parents' house.

At first, I thought he was joking, but his kindness was genuine. He took me home, spoke to his kind foster parents about my situation, and they welcomed me to stay with them until I graduated high school. 

Then, I got a full scholarship to the school of my choice, and Lysander suggested we rent a two-bedroom apartment near campus, splitting the rent between us.

I got a part-time job at a cafe twenty minutes away from our apartment and interned at Belmonte Group, though I wasn’t kept on as a full-time employee. Lysander and I remained friends throughout university, but it wasn’t until a few months after graduation, on my birthday, that I finally gave into my feelings for him. 

We dated for two years before getting married, a year later, on the same day I landed the job as the secretary to the Vice President of Belmonte Group, all thanks to my friend Meredith, who was also my maid of honor.

Five years later, despite the not-so-subtle hints from his parents about starting a family, we weren’t ready yet. We hadn't actually sat down to talk about whether or not we wanted children, but personally, after the trauma I endured in childhood, I couldn't bring myself to feel excited about bringing an innocent soul into this world.

It was as if I was afraid of what I might become if I became a mother. Leonardo Belmonte once told me I looked like my father, and that made me fear I might end up like him—not physically violent, but emotionally distant.

It’s not that I wouldn't be open to having children if Lysander wanted one; I just wanted us to be more settled before we took that step. How long that would take, I had no idea. And if we never had kids, that would be fine with me as well.

It was only 5 AM on a Monday, and I hated Mondays. I hated working for my arrogant boss, Juan Jose Belmonte, the Vice President of Belmonte Group. But I couldn’t complain—despite his attitude, the salary was great, and I actually enjoyed the work.

Six months ago, Leonardo Belmonte passed away, and the leadership mantle passed to his son, Eros Belmonte. He was the rightful heir, and now, the CEO/President of Belmonte Group. I was terrified at the thought of seeing Eros after twelve years.

I padded to the bathroom, opened the door, and walked in, letting it click shut behind me. I stood before the mirror above the twin sinks and gazed at my reflection. The last time Eros and I were together, we hadn’t ended on good terms. He’d been hurting, and he’d been cruel to me. 

But I’d forgiven him because, in a twisted way, he’d been right. If I had been in his shoes, I would have been disgusted too, discovering I had fallen in love with the son of the man who had murdered my family.

Our relationship had been doomed from the start, and that’s exactly what had happened. But there was no need to dwell on it—I was sure I wouldn’t come face-to-face with him anytime soon. He’d be too busy settling into his new role, getting acquainted with the company and the senior executives. 

He’d probably never even care about the employees working under the heads of departments. With that thought in mind, I grabbed my toothbrush, squeezed a pea-sized amount of toothpaste onto it, and began freshening my breath for the day ahead.

After a quick shower, I emerged to find Lysander still snoring like a bull. I smiled and hurried to the walk-in closet, searching for an outfit to wear. My boss, Juan Jose, didn't like me. He always made advances that I refused to entertain. 

He was a married man, just as I was married, and I genuinely liked his wife, Meredith, who had been a close friend of mine in college. I suspected Meredith had helped me get the job, trusting me but not her husband, so she placed me there as her informant.

While I was in the kitchen, making scrambled eggs and toast, I suddenly felt muscular arms wrap around my waist. I jumped, only relaxing when I realized it was Lysander.

"Good morning," he greeted me, planting a kiss on my neck.

"Morning," I smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," he answered, pulling back to grab a mug from the cabinet, then pouring himself some coffee. "Did I snore?"

"No," I lied.

"Liar," he grinned.

"Well, maybe just a little bit," I admitted.

"Or a lot," he teased, snorting.

"Okay, I'll be honest. Some days, you sound like a whistle. Other days, like a train or a bull. Today, it’s a bull," I said with a smirk.

I thought he’d be offended, but he threw his head back and laughed. I smiled, but the joy faded when a familiar laugh echoed in my mind, making my heart pound.

"Well, that’s good," Lysander said, taking another sip of his coffee. "Keeps the nightmares away, doesn’t it?"

Over the years, my nightmares had varied. Some were so terrifying I would wake up screaming, others were less frightening but left me in tears. Sometimes, Lysander’s snores were the only thing that kept me grounded enough to sleep without waking up in distress.

"Yeah," I nodded, turning off the stove. "Hope you didn’t forget movie night? It’s today," I reminded him, grabbing two plates to dish out the eggs.

"That’s today?" Lysander groaned. "I’m sorry, babe."

I gave him my best disappointed look before carrying the plates to the dining table. Normally, Friday was our movie night, but I had rescheduled it due to the weekend events—his law firm’s gala on Friday, his mother’s birthday on Saturday, and Meredith’s birthday yesterday.

"What’s so important that you’d forget movie night?" I asked flatly. "Let me guess, another team dinner invite?"

"Uh, you remember I told you about my boss’s transfer to the headquarters, right?" he asked, sitting down at the table.

"Yeah," I nodded, walking back to the kitchen to grab my coffee.

"Well, he told me he’s going to recommend me for his position," Lysander informed me. "This will mean more income for us, baby. Let’s do it tomorrow."

"It’s fine. Do what you have to do," I said, forcing a smile. "What time should I expect you home?"

"Uh, probably around eleven p.m.," he replied.

"Okay," I nodded, forcing myself to eat, even though my appetite had completely vanished.

I couldn’t remember the last time Lysander and I had gone out on a date since he started advancing through the ranks, from junior associate to senior associate, and now non-equity partner. I was proud of him. 

Despite his father’s connection with Cecilia Vale, co-founder of Blackwood and Vale LLP, Lysander had worked hard to get where he was and where he envisioned himself going.

But something bothered me. He seemed to care more about his job than our marriage. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that, though. He needed to realize it on his own, to understand and value me more.

As I sat there, trying to push my thoughts aside, the familiar sense of emptiness lingered. The days were becoming routine, a blur of work, meals, and responsibilities. The moments I cherished seemed few and far between, and I longed for a connection I didn’t know if I’d ever find again.