Chapter 161 Considerate Athena I
Athena stood frozen in the doorway, watching the heated exchange unfold. The middle-aged man, who looked to be in his late forties or early fifties, appeared to be deeply upset, his face flushed with frustration. He was trying to reason with Rose, but the bitterness in her voice cut through the air.
“Mother, you’re being unreasonable,” the man pleaded, his voice edged with both concern and anger. “I came here because of Herman’s death. I have every right to be here.”
Rose, trembling with emotion, glared at him, her voice sharp and accusing. “You have no right to call me your mother! Not after everything that happened!”
The woman beside him, perhaps his wife, stood silently, her face etched with concern, but she didn’t interfere. Athena felt the tension in the room grow thick, and it was clear this was no ordinary family dispute. There were years of pain and unresolved issues between them.
Athena took a step forward, her presence drawing the attention of everyone in the room. The middle-aged man turned toward her, his expression softening, as if he recognized her role in the situation.
“Who is this?” he asked, his tone slightly less confrontational but still filled with an undercurrent of suspicion.
Rose didn’t even glance at Athena, her eyes fixed firmly on her son. “It doesn’t matter who she is. You should leave. There’s nothing for you here anymore.”
Athena stepped forward, now feeling the weight of the tension between mother and son. She placed a hand gently on Rose’s arm. “Madam Stella, perhaps it’s best we take a step back and calm down,” she said softly, trying to defuse the situation. She didn’t know the full history between them, but the raw emotion was undeniable.
The middle-aged man, seeing that Athena was trying to keep the peace, softened a little. “I don’t want to argue with you, Rose,” he said, his voice lowering. “I came here to mourn Herman, not to fight with you. But you can’t keep pushing me away like this.”
Rose’s face tightened, and her eyes welled up with tears. “You’re too late. It’s too late for apologies and too late for regrets,” she muttered bitterly. She turned away from him, retreating back to the bed as though she couldn’t bear to face him any longer.
The room fell silent. Athena, sensing that Rose needed space, nodded to the man and his wife. “I think it’s best if we give Madam Stella some time to herself,” she suggested gently.
The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Fine. But this isn’t over, Rose,” he said quietly before he turned and left with his wife.
As the door closed behind them, Athena exhaled slowly, feeling the tension dissipate slightly. She turned back to Rose, whose shoulders were shaking with quiet sobs. She walked over and sat beside her, offering her a soft, reassuring presence.
“Madam Stella, I’m here for you,” Athena said, her voice steady. She didn’t know the full story of Rose’s past, but she could see the deep pain that had festered for years. Rose had suffered losses and made mistakes, but in that moment, Athena only wanted to offer solace.
Rose sniffed and wiped her eyes, giving a shaky smile. “Thank you, Athena. I’ve made so many mistakes… and now it’s too late to fix any of them.”
“It’s never too late to start healing,” Athena said softly, her words filled with empathy. “You don’t have to carry all of this by yourself.”
Rose leaned back, her eyes closing as if she were surrendering to the weariness of the past and the weight of the present. “I hope you’re right,” she murmured.
For a moment, the room was quiet, the only sound being the soft rustle of the bed sheets. Athena stayed by Rose’s side, offering her what little comfort she could in that painful moment. She didn’t have the answers, but sometimes, just being there was enough.