Chapter 136 Don’t Get Me Wrong
As Athena lay on the small couch in the lounge, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in her chest. The events of the past few days—Ruby’s outrageous behavior, Byron’s sudden changes, the tension building around her—felt like a storm just waiting to break. She knew that everything was shifting around her, and she was caught in the middle of it all.
The words she had said to Liam lingered in her mind. She didn’t want to admit it, but she knew deep down that the dynamic between her and Byron was fragile. He had always treated her as an object, something to possess and control, until she had taken control herself and walked away. Now, his treatment of her seemed like a way to protect his own ego, not because he truly cared about her. He liked women who were pliable, who didn’t challenge him. And she—she had always challenged him.
Athena closed her eyes, letting the faint sounds from the office outside drift into the background. But even in the quiet, her mind wouldn’t rest. She thought of Ruby, of the way she had called her a “vixen” and dragged her name through the mud. Athena wasn’t naïve; she knew that Ruby wasn’t the only one with a grudge against her. The rumors were already spreading—soon, everyone in the company would be talking about her relationship with Byron, speculating about her role in the Crawford family drama.
She had no doubt that she was the target now, the subject of gossip, and in the midst of it all, she was expected to keep her head up and remain unbothered. But it was hard. Every day was a struggle to keep the facade of control intact.
A soft knock on the lounge door interrupted her thoughts, and Liam’s voice came through, hesitant but polite.
“Miss Newton… Mr. Crawford is ready for lunch.”
Athena didn’t respond immediately. She sat up slowly, pushing aside the creeping exhaustion. Her thoughts were still tangled in the web of Byron’s behavior, her own uncertainties, and the looming chaos that seemed to follow her wherever she went. Finally, she sighed, smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt.
“Tell Mr. Crawford I’ll be right there,” she said quietly.
She wasn’t sure how to handle the lunch with Byron. She wasn’t sure of much anymore, but she had learned how to navigate this complicated world of power, money, and deceit. She had done it for years. And if she had to play the game again, she would.
As she left the lounge and walked down the hall, she reminded herself that she could do this. No matter what Byron’s motives were, she would make it through. She had always managed to survive, even when it seemed impossible.