Athena felt a sharp ache pierce her chest, but she willed herself to stay composed. Suppressing the storm brewing within, she confirmed the flight details and clicked the purchase button without hesitation.

With that task completed, one final matter of importance remained.

Hailing a cab, Athena made her way to the Davidson family cemetery.

Her parents had once been devoted servants of the Davidson household. Over a decade ago, in a tragic turn of events, they had sacrificed their lives to save Emmett from drowning. Their loyalty had moved Azrael Davidson deeply, leading him to honor them with a place in the family cemetery and ensure that their orphaned daughter was raised with the utmost care.

Athena placed a bouquet of chrysanthemums gently before the tombstone, her trembling fingers brushing the petals as if seeking comfort.

“Mom, Dad, you always said Emmett was a good boy, the only one in the Davidson family who would protect me,” she murmured, her voice cracking. “But why… why was it him who hurt me the most?”

“He said he loved me more than anyone else. Then why did he betray me?”

“Mom, Dad, I have nothing left now.”

The floodgates of her sorrow opened, and Athena broke down, her sobs echoing in the stillness of the cemetery.

Her mind drifted to the days after her parents' death, a time when despair had consumed her. Night after night, she had cried herself to sleep, her small body ravaged by relentless fevers that no one could ease.

Emmett, torn by guilt and anguish, stayed by Athena’s bedside every night, his words heavy with remorse.

“I’m sorry, Athena… It’s all my fault,” he whispered, his voice thick with sorrow.

“Athena, please get better. You’re all the family they left behind.”

“I’ll protect you from now on, okay? You’re my family now.”

“My life belongs to you.”

From that moment, Emmett took on the role of her protector, her older brother, and she let herself believe him.

Then, in the warmth of early summer after graduation, he held her hand, making a promise to give her a beautiful future.

At first, Athena believed him completely. She trusted him with all her heart.

But as time passed, something in Emmett began to change.

The first hint of doubt crept into her mind the day she tried on her wedding dress.

In the car, Emmett refused countless phone calls before eventually powering off his phone completely.

Embarrassed, he tried to brush it off. “It’s just my assistant, Athena. She’s been pestering me about the smallest things. I’ll give her a piece of my mind when we get back!”

Ever gentle, Athena reassured him with a soft smile before heading off to try on the wedding dress.

A year ago, Emmett spared no expense in custom-making the dress abroad. When Athena slipped it on, she looked every bit the image of purity and grace. But when she stepped out of the fitting room, Emmett wasn’t there.

The room had been reserved just for them, leaving the space eerily empty. When she couldn’t reach him, Athena wandered the building, confusion building with every step, until she rounded a corner and froze.

Not far off, Emmett was holding another woman’s hand, his voice pleading, his tone submissive. The woman seemed emotional, brushing off his attempts to hold her.

But Emmett didn’t relent; he pulled her into his arms and leaned in for a kiss. In the dim corner of the bridal shop, the two were consumed by their passion, oblivious to the world around them.

Athena watched in stunned silence as though the very earth had been ripped from beneath her. It felt as though she had been thrown into the flames, her heart burning with a pain so fierce it was unbearable.

The man who had once promised to love her more than life itself was the one who had torn her apart.

Athena pressed a hand to her chest, her breath coming in gasps as tears blurred her vision, flooding down her cheeks.

By the time Emmett returned, Athena had collected herself. He didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Seeing her standing there, so stunning, he was moved, walking over to wrap her tightly in his arms.

“Athena, you look breathtaking.”

Emmett buried his face in her shoulder, his lips grazing her earlobe, his voice a soft, seductive whisper. “My Athena is the most beautiful bride. I just want to make you mine, right here, right now.”

As Athena gazed at their reflection in the mirror, her heart sank. The sorrow in her eyes mirrored the emptiness she felt inside.

Was she really beautiful? If she was, why had Emmett still betrayed her?

Why had he deceived her like this?

Athena didn’t understand how things had spiraled so out of control. She had no idea how long Emmett had been hiding his lies from her or who that woman was.

She wanted to speak, but words failed her, and tears fell freely, staining her cheeks.

Emmett’s eyes widened in panic. He reached for her face, gently cupping her cheeks as he frantically wiped away the tears. “What’s wrong, Athena? Please, don’t cry. Talk to me. Tell your husband what’s going on.”

His gaze was filled with genuine concern, no trace of deceit in his eyes.

His act was so convincing it was impossible to imagine that just moments ago, he had been holding another woman in his arms.

Athena fought to steady herself, her voice trembling. “It’s nothing… I’m just so happy.”

Emmett let out a breath of relief, his hands tender as he wiped away the last of her tears, coaxing her with soothing words until she calmed.

Before leaving, Athena decided to use the excuse of forgetting something to return to the fitting room.

She approached a staff member and showed them the photo she had secretly taken earlier.

"Is this Miss Aliana She’s also preparing for her wedding," the staff member remarked, her eyes lighting up as she recalled something. She pointed to a high-end custom gown nearby. "What a coincidence. Miss Aliana’s wedding dress is from the same brand as yours and has a similar style. And even her fiancé shares your surname!"

The words hit Athena like a thunderclap. Her face drained of color, her mind struggling to make sense of it all.

On the way home, Emmett glanced at her, his expression filled with concern. After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke, gathering his courage.

"Athena, why do you look so upset?"

Athena slowly turned her face to him, locking eyes with him, her voice barely a whisper.

"Because today, I saw something I shouldn’t have."

At her words, a flicker of unease passed through Emmett’s eyes, and his demeanor shifted his face, which was growing tense.

"Really? What did you see?"

Athena held his gaze for a long moment before speaking, her voice calm but steady. "I saw someone who looked a lot like you, holding another woman’s hand while trying on a wedding dress."

"Impossible!" Emmett’s reaction was instant and forceful. He shook his head vehemently. "You must have mistaken someone else for me. While you were trying on your dress, I was waiting outside the whole time. I only went to the restroom for ten minutes, and the staff saw me. There’s no way it was me!"

Athena stared at him as he raised his hand, swearing, "If I ever betray you, may lightning strike me down!"

His conviction was so unwavering that Athena almost found herself doubting her own instincts. But after loving Emmett for so long, she could picture him in her mind’s eye, even with her eyes closed. How could she possibly mistake him for someone else?

A sharp pain pierced her heart.

So it was true; there were people who could break their hearts in two, juggling multiple lives, weaving a web of lies so intricate that even they began to believe their own deceit.

"I trust you," Athena whispered, her voice trembling. "I trust that you would never betray me."

After the fitting, Emmett’s friends had arranged a gathering.

When they arrived, the group had already begun a round of games. Upon seeing Athena and Emmett walk hand in hand, the others eagerly gathered around, excited to greet them.

Athena wasn’t particularly familiar with them. She smiled politely and exchanged a few words before quietly heading upstairs, seeking a corner away from the noise.

But soon, voices drifted up from the stairwell.

“Emmett, are you really planning to throw Aliana aside and marry that orphan from your family?”

Athena recognized the voice of one of Emmett’s old high school classmates.

She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but something about the conversation pulled her in, and before she knew it, her feet had stopped moving, her body frozen in place.

“What are you talking about? Of course, Aliana is the most important!”

Aliana? Athena’s mind raced. She remembered overhearing the servants talking about a famous actress who had recently returned to the country. That actress, it seemed, was none other than Aliana Forbes.

“So what are you doing now? Every time there’s a brothers' gathering, you bring her along. Have you forgotten what you promised, Aliana? You swore there wouldn’t be any other woman by your side!”

“Can you stop bringing that up?” Emmett complained, annoyance thick in his voice. “Athena is nothing more than a little distraction to me. My heart still belongs to Aliana. But Grandpa insists I marry Athena and have an heir, or I’ll lose the Davidson family inheritance and forget about being with Aliana!”

“I have to pretend every day like I’m head over heels for her. It’s exhausting!”

His friend sounded doubtful. “Is that really all there is to it? You’ve been awfully kind to Athena. Be careful; pretending like that might make you fall for her.”

Emmett went quiet for a moment. After a long pause, he shrugged casually.

“What choice do I have? She’s an orphan, desperate for affection. Athena is completely smitten with me. If I show her a little kindness now, it’ll be easier to keep her in check when everything falls apart later.”

Athena froze, her face tightening, her body shaking as though a cold wind had pierced her.

She didn’t hear much more of their conversation, but soon, Emmett’s laughter echoed through the air.

“In front of me, Athena is like a dog. With one wave of my hand, she comes running. Don’t worry, I won’t screw this up.”

With a sharp "thud," the drink in Athena’s hand nearly slipped away, but she caught it just in time. Hearing footsteps approaching from downstairs, she quickly grabbed her drink and fled, praying they hadn’t noticed her.

She had been wrong. Emmett hadn’t torn his heart in two. It had always belonged to Aliana, and Athena had been nothing more than a tool in his hands.

Throwing her drink into the trash, Athena leaned against the wall, gasping for air, her chest tightening as though it were being squeezed by invisible hands.

Emmett had been right. She had been nothing more than a loyal dog, responding to his every command, leaving whenever he dismissed her.

Her chest ached as she pressed her palm against it, trying to steady her breath, but her vision blurred with the tears she refused to let fall. At least now, she could finally see through the lies. No longer would she debase herself in front of Emmett.

Wiping her eyes, Athena walked back as if nothing had changed. She had no memory of how she had left the scene, but her heart felt as if it had been shattered into a thousand jagged pieces.

All she knew was that she couldn’t go back to him. There was nothing left between them. She could never forgive him.

Whenever she thought back to that day, it felt like reopening old wounds, each memory a fresh cut that stung anew. But as the days slipped by, she had grown numb to the pain. At least now, she no longer cried herself to sleep as she had done in the beginning.

Eventually, Athena took matters into her own hands and dug into Aliana’s past. What she uncovered was both shocking and heartbreaking. Aliana was Emmett’s first love, an unforgotten piece of his heart, a connection that had never truly faded.

Every year, just before Valentine’s Day, Emmett would leave on a “business trip.” But Athena soon realized the truth: he wasn’t flying across the world for work. He was flying for love, keeping the flame alive between him and Aliana.

Aliana’s sudden return to the country, Athena learned, was no coincidence. She was pregnant.

The first time Athena came face to face with the reality of their bond was through an anonymous text. The message was simple but devastating: a sentence and an ultrasound report.

The report was for Aliana and was dated just a week prior.

“Athena, you’ve lost.”

The words hit Athena like a punch to the gut. Her blood ran cold as her world crumbled around her.

From that point onward, the anonymous number became a constant presence in Athena’s life, sending daily updates about Aliana’s every move. And every time, the man standing by her side was Emmett.

Two days ago, the number sent something new: a video. The footage showed Emmett, lips locked in a passionate kiss with Aliana, their chemistry undeniable.

Aliana’s voice echoed in the next message, laced with mocking venom. “Emmett says you’re like a corpse in bed, not even worth one of my toes. Do you really think you’ve secured your place as the young mistress of the Davidson family? In my presence, you’re nothing.”