Chapter 124 Let’s Not Contact Each Other
Gabe’s silence on the other end of the phone was thick, as if he were absorbing the weight of Athena’s words. After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice low and cautious. “Athena, are you sure about this?”
Athena closed her eyes for a moment, her fingers gripping the phone tightly. She had never imagined that things would come to this point, that her life would become so tangled with Byron’s. But in her heart, she knew what she had to do. She had to protect herself and the child, even if it meant cutting ties with Gabe.
“Yes,” Athena replied softly, her voice steady but edged with sorrow. “I’m sure. It’s for the best. For everyone. I don’t want to put you in danger, Gabe. You’ve done enough for me already.”
There was a pause, then Gabe’s voice cracked slightly. “I understand. I’ll respect your decision. But Athena… if you ever need anything, I’ll always be here.”
Athena felt a tightness in her chest, the kind of tightness that only comes from knowing something precious is slipping away. “Thank you, Gabe. Please take care of yourself.”
Before Gabe could respond, Athena hung up the phone. She sat there for a moment, her eyes staring blankly ahead, lost in thought. The decision had been made, but it felt like a weight she would carry for a long time.
With a sigh, she stood up and made her way to the building entrance. She had to move on, for her own sake, for the child’s sake, and for her peace of mind. She didn’t know what the future held, but she knew that staying close to Byron was only complicating things further. She had to be strong, even if it meant letting go of everything she had once hoped for.
As she entered her apartment building and took the elevator upstairs, Athena couldn’t help but reflect on everything that had happened. The slap marks on her face from earlier, the tension with Byron, the ever-present pull between her desires and her responsibilities—it was all a storm inside her mind. And yet, despite everything, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him. She didn’t know if it was love or something else, but something kept her bound to him, unwilling to completely sever the tie.
She walked into her apartment, the familiar surroundings offering little comfort. The weight of the day’s events felt heavier now that she was alone. Athena needed time to think, to process, but most of all, to heal.
She sank onto the couch, her hand resting lightly on her swollen cheek, feeling the sting as she remembered the harsh words and actions of the day. Byron’s coldness, Rose’s insinuations, and the uncertainty in her own heart all blended into a heavy cloud of confusion.
What was she really doing here? What did she want?
Athena closed her eyes, the noise of the city outside fading into the background as she let herself rest. There was no more running from the truth. She had made her choice, and now she had to face it—whatever it meant for her future with Byron, for her future with herself.