Athena’s P.O.V

When my eyes drifted open, it was morning and a weird light was shining directly into my eyes. Bringing my hands to shield my eyes from the glare, I struggled to sit up, slightly disoriented with a sharp pain in my lower back.

The events of the previous night rushed back into my subconscious and a sigh rose to my lips. With a groan, I realized I’d smashed my phone into the wall. I needed to call my attorney to discuss the divorce’s progression this morning.

Another sigh rose to my lips and I stood up from the floor only to see that the bed was empty and freshly changed. Hmm, the maids must have prepared Christain for school without me.

I glanced at the wall clock and shook my head. It was barely six am. His routine was way too gruesome for a six-year-old.

Swallowing the bile rising to my throat, I hurried to the master’s bedroom to get a change of clothes so I could shower there. I wished I didn’t have to share a room with Rhysand but his folks would never let me have a room to myself while I was married to their son and living under their roof.

With any luck, Rhysand would be out.

But when I arrived at the room, I could hear water running from the shower, indicating that my ex-husband-to-be was probably having his bath.

Silently, I crept towards the closet, picked out any dress my hands could touch, undies, and turned to leave when a bright light blinked from the nightstand.

Pursing my lips, I intended to ignore it, but the sound of vibration against wood filled the room.

I went to the source of light and it turned out to be Rhysand’s phone.

A text message from Calista read,

–Baby, would you be early at the office today? I’m wearing thongs…in your favorite color.

A bitter taste filled my mouth and I blinked back the tears stinging my eyes. It was no secret that my husband was cheating on me with his secretary. Chances were he was fucking his secretary that night I laid on the floor bleeding. Such a shameless man.

My lips trembled and I swallowed another sob. I refused to cry about it. I already knew it a long time ago. Their relationship had been so ambiguous to the extent that they even stayed in the same suite during the so-called business trips.

“Athena, what are you doing—?” Rhysand’s deep voice slammed into me and I jumped in shock, a red blush staining my cheeks.

Shit. I really didn’t want to be that wife caught snooping on her husband’s phone.

So biting my tongue, I turned to look at him and thankfully, he was standing arms akimbo at the doorway of the bathroom, far enough to be unaware of what I was doing.

A towel hung low on his waist, lapping up the water droplets that rolled down his v-shaped abs. Good looks were only superficial and Rhysand had that in excess.

I ignored him and stormed out of the bathroom to my son’s room.

Thankfully, the rest of the day went without any confrontation with Rhysand and his family. By noon, I asked the driver to take me to a phone store.

When I’d gotten a functional mobile phone and transferred my information into it, I decided to go surprise Chris at his school for the first time.

My stomach was in knots by the time we pulled up and I hoped to god he would want to see me there. Cleaning my soppy palms on the skirt of my dress, I managed not to stumble on my way to the reception.

But my heart fell right out of my chest when I was told. “Oh, Little Christain had just been picked up by his father’s secretary. They said–”

A loud ringing noise filled my ears and my fist clenched in rage. How dare he parade his mistress before my son?

Athena’s P.O.V

Fury replaced the knot of despair in my stomach. I wouldn’t let them get away with this. Storming back to the car, I practically threw myself inside, barking at the driver to take me to Rhysand’s company.

The S.U.V screeched to a stop in front of the imposing glass building, but the security guard wouldn’t let me past the lobby. Apparently, “Mrs. Havilliard” wasn’t good enough for an unannounced visit.

I created a scene, not giving a damn.

And after a while, I was approached by one of the staff members who swallowed it. “They are at the central park.”

The park. Of course.

Ignoring the burning in my own eyes, I fought back tears and returned to the car, choking out our next destination. The moment the park came into view, I spotted them. Rhysand, a sickening playful smile plastered on his face, pushed Christain onto the swing while Calista, all effortless elegance in a yellow sundress stood beside them.

The sight of them, a picture-perfect family, ripped a fresh gash through my already wounded heart. Tears welled in my eyes hot and stinging and my stomach caverned with a gaping hole where another child should have been.

Fuck this!

My blood ran cold. I didn’t even register the stares as I stormed across the playground. Reaching my husband, I didn’t even hesitate. My hand swung high in the air and landed square on his cheek.

“What the fuck, Athena?” His voice was a cursed growl, but his eyes held a flicker of…fear. Before he could react further, I scooped Christain up from the swing.

But my baby fought against me, his little body jerking and kicking. “Put me down! I wanna stay with Daddy!”

“No, you are coming with me!” Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision as my heart cracked. “I am your mother! Why don’t you remember me?”

A hand landed on my shoulder and I stiffened. It was Calista and next came her voice dripping with sickening sweetness.

“Perhaps, Mrs. Havilliard, there’s a better way to handle this than embarrassing your husband like this?”

The sheer audacity of it made me want to scream. To raise my hand and slap that smug smile off her fucking face. But before it connected, Rhysand grabbed my wrist, his grip like wet lead.

“Let go of me!” I snarled, blinded by rage and tears. “You chose her! Even after everything!”

Rhysand, his face stormy, ignored me. He spoke instead to Calista in a gentle voice. “Take Christain to the car, I’ll be there in a minute.” Calista flashed me a sly smile before faking a docile look. She dropped a kiss on Christain’s lips and he easily went into her arms. My scream died in my throat as they soon disappeared from sight.

Suddenly, I realized every single eye in the park was on me. Humiliation burned and singed me raw, making more tears slide down. With a jerk, I wrenched my arm free of Rhysand’s grasp.

“We need to fucking talk,” he stated in a voice tight with a controlled fury and waved his hand towards a secluded-looking grove of trees at the edge of the park. “Why are you doing this, Athena? Why? You suddenly wanted to move back to the city. I didn’t refuse your wish! You wanted a black card, so I handed you one! What else do you fucking want from me? I give you everything and you humiliate me at every turn.”

“What do I want?” I choked out as a brittle laugh bubbled at the back of my throat. “I want my baby back ! My baby!”

The blood drained from his face and his hand shakily moved to touch my belly. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I had a fucking miscarriage and you didn’t even fucking know!” I screamed at the top of my voice, trembling as cold plunged into my soul.