Chapter 26 ATHENA’S VANISHING ACT

Chapter 26 ATHENA’S VANISHING ACT
Xavier drove back to Julian’s house, where Auree was now lying unconscious. Adrian sat on the side of the bed, holding her hand. Asher paced back and forth restlessly, while Julian stood with his hands in his pockets, his eyes unblinkingly staring at Auree.

“How is she?” Xavier asked softly as he entered.

“The doctor has arrived. Auree is exhausted, both physically and emotionally,” Julian replied.

Xavier sat on the side of the bed, one hand caressing the girl’s head, stroking her hair gently. There was a feeling of guilt, but not as much as expected, he came here only to explain that he had his own business, and Auree had to wait.

“She cried for you, Xavier. Since the beginning, you were cold to her, she was waiting for a moment together with you, and we gave in for her happiness...”

“...but what did you do?! You disappointed her instead! I should have advised her not to expect too much from you!” Julian grumbled. This man didn’t talk much, but everything about Auree suddenly became a pressing priority.

Xavier let out a long sigh. “I didn’t mean it like that, I just left for a while and—“

Asher glared at Xavier. “And made her cry!” he argued. “Don’t be selfish, Xavier! We have to fix things, and this is the time for us to keep her from leaving again!”

“I know,” Xavier said softly, his tone soft. “That’s the problem.”

Silence. Only the ticking of the clock could be heard in the room.

“We might be able to fix things, but how long will it be like that? Auree can’t possibly marry all four of us, right?”

Asher and Adrian were surprised, but laughed softly, while Julian massaged his head which suddenly felt dizzy. As if Xavier’s statement was an old joke that was inappropriate to say in this day and age.

“Marriage? What’s the point of marriage if we can love one woman who is also willing to accept and share her feelings fairly?” Adrian asked skeptically.

Xavier was silent, but in his heart he held a little anxiety that made him furious. Adrian approached, whispering right in her ear. “Auree can share anything with us. Her love and attention without making us jealous of each other. Isn’t this fun?”

Xavier was still silent, for some reason... Adrian’s words seemed to belittle Auree.

“Besides... Athena can’t do that, she’s too nerdy to be a metropolitan teenager—“

BUGH! Xavier hit Adrian, not satisfied with just doing it once, but Asher quickly held him back.

“Don't mention my Athena! She will never be a dirty woman like you think, Adrian!” Xavier snapped angrily, then left the room.

Without anyone realizing, Auree heard the argument. Her heart was broken when she heard Xavier call Athena’s name as... his.

Tears dripped down her temples. In a state between conscious and unconscious, her heart couldn’t lie to the wounds Xavier left behind



Zara closed the door as Xavier left, then sighed tiredly, guilt rising within her—she knew Athena was actually in the bathroom when the man came. But the only reason Zara lied to him was for Athena.

Because, no matter what, Athena deserved time to think. Without pressure from those jerks, especially Xavier.

"I have to go out for a while," Zara said towards the bathroom before stepping out of the apartment.

As soon as the door closed tightly, Athena slowly opened the bathroom curtain, her head tilted up to stare at the now silent door, her trembling hands touching her pounding chest. She heard Zara and Xavier's entire conversation from behind the bathroom.

Xavier was looking for her. And this time there was something more disappointing, she left again because of something more important.

Auree.

Athena knew that, earlier she had seen on Julian's social media, a picture of Auree lying in his room with a pale face. The post received a lot of responses, some were worried about Auree, just cared about her, but not infrequently those who mentioned the man's relationship with Athena.

The girl smiled sadly, realizing that her presence was only a substitute character in a story when the main character left.

“I realized who I am, and Zara was right... I should learn from those girls who choose to admire from afar...” Athena sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her still-dead phone. Her finger hesitated on the power button, but after a moment, the screen lit up, and incoming messages filled the phone.

Xavier: Sorry. I was wrong.

Xavier: Please answer my phone, I just want to talk.

Xavier: I just came to your apartment, but Zara said you haven't come home yet? Where are you going?

Xavier: I just came from Julian's house, Auree fainted, but she's fine.

Xavier: Can you tell me where you are now?

Xavier: I love you. I'm sorry... you're in a situation like this. Let's meet and talk, you have to hug me. I'm fragile, Athena.

Athena's tears flowed silently. She bit her lower lip, in her heart, she knew—she also loved the man.

But is love enough to survive a relationship as complex as this?

Without thinking, Athena stood up, put some clothes in her backpack, then hung her headset around her neck. She took a denim jacket from the hanger and left the room.

Zara who had just come home immediately met her in front of the door. "Where are you going?"

Athena smiled faintly, but her eyes held deep fatigue. “I just need some time alone. Don’t tell anyone, okay…”

Zara sighed, it seemed like she had no other choice but to respect her best friend’s decision. “Do you want to go to your parents’ house?”

Athena nodded. “Maybe I’d better stay there for a while. Oh, tell Mia I’m leaving for a few days, she doesn’t have to worry about me.”

Zara nodded, seeing Athena’s expression now, she could understand that something must have just happened that made the girl choose to leave.

Zara gave a warm hug, her hands rubbing Athena’s back gently. “The door to this apartment will always be open for you. Don’t forget to contact me anytime, I’ll always listen to whatever you want to tell me…”

“…Be careful, Athena.”

Athena nodded, a strength from Zara made her steps confident to move away from the inappropriate commotion filling her mind.

For a while, without Xavier… maybe until she could get rid of her feelings for that man a little.



Xavier sat pensive on Julian’s porch. The night wind caressed his messy hair, and the sound of vehicles in the distance sounded like drums that disturbed his thoughts.

Asher sat next to him. “So you’ve made a choice? You chose Athena after Auree was gone for too long? Your heart moved that easily?”

“I have the right to my own feelings. No one can stop me,” Xavier whispered.

“I know... but Auree must be disappointed. She has loved you since long ago, you are the most important, she even ended her relationship with Julian for you.”

Xavier sighed, it was an old story, and he knew why Auree hurt Julian, he knew Julian had become obsessive since the relationship ended. Auree gave anyone a chance to enter her life, but the girl never made Xavier more than just admire her.

“It may sound funny to you, we once fought over Athena just to sleep with her, right? But until Auree came, none of us won, even Adrian’s dirty tactics didn’t make Athena let her guard down...”

“...do you remember, on the night of the dance, she came to keep her promise to you, making the piano notes you played as her dance partner that night,” Xavier said.

Asher choked. He still remembered the first time he saw Athena as Athena herself.

“She kept her pride from Adrian’s rude behavior, she kept her commitment to appreciate your talent and work, she respected Julian as a friend and was willing to listen to his advice...”

“...the reason I fell in love with Athena is very simple. She changed my outlook on life, she made me lower my face so as not to be arrogant. Now, the only thing I fear most is what my grandfather talked about with Athena the night I left her,” Xavier said.

Asher trembled, rubbing his palms behind his neck. “You’re so ridiculous, I don’t even know you anymore, Xavier.”

Xavier chuckled, his eyes looking up at the sky, as if the stars above were radiating Athena’s radiant smile.

Asher’s phone rang, his brow furrowed as he looked at the screen.

Zara: Can you help me? I think… you’re the nicest out of your three crazy friends.