Chapter 175 I Want Athena Dead
The tension in Heather’s manor was palpable, thickened by the bloody aftermath of Erik’s punishment. Heather’s fury boiled over, a storm of frustration and anger crashing inside her. She had underestimated Byron’s wrath and miscalculated the depth of his love for Athena. Now, the consequences of her plotting were spilling out uncontrollably.
As Heather paced around the room, her thoughts were a whirlwind. The idea that Byron would go this far to protect Athena both infuriated and terrified her. She had always thought of him as a man who could be easily manipulated, someone she could control by simply using her charm and the promise of a prestigious marriage. But tonight, she saw the cold, ruthless side of him that could not be swayed, even by family ties or status. The mere thought of Erik, her loyal ally, humiliated and maimed for Athena’s sake made her blood run cold.
Jones, ever the loyal advisor, watched from the sidelines. He had never seen Heather so enraged before, but he knew better than to interfere. His role was to support her, no matter the cost. But even he was starting to question if Heather’s vendetta against Athena was worth the damage it was causing.
“Miss Ross,” Jones ventured cautiously, “perhaps we should consider other avenues. Byron may be furious now, but there’s still time. If we act swiftly, we can still salvage the marriage—”” No!” Heather snapped, cutting him off sharply. “I will not let Athena destroy everything I’ve worked for. Not after all that she’s done, and not after this. You don’t understand, Jones, she’s not just some woman I can outshine with a smile. She’s got Byron wrapped around her finger, and I can’t let that happen.”
Heather’s voice quivered with an intensity born from years of repressed insecurities and resentment. She had always been the perfect daughter, the dutiful woman expected to uphold the Ross family legacy. But in Athena, she saw someone who had captured Byron’s heart with nothing more than her vulnerability and kindness—things Heather had never allowed herself to express.
“Add more money,” Heather repeated, her voice low and dangerous. “I want Athena gone before the wedding. I want Byron to see her for what she really is—nothing but a threat to everything we’ve built. She can’t be allowed to take my place.”
Jones swallowed, unsure of how far Heather would go to secure her position. But he knew that defying her now would mean his own ruin. He gave a slight nod, already mentally calculating how to get the resources necessary to carry out Heather’s orders.
As the night dragged on, Heather’s mind never ceased its planning. She couldn’t bear the thought of sharing Byron’s life with anyone else, least of all Athena. The idea that the woman who had nearly been killed by Erik was somehow still alive, still breathing, gnawed at her with a sharp sense of injustice. Athena should have been gone by now—done in by Erik, who had been supposed to remove her from the equation.
But Byron’s protective instincts had interfered. And now, Heather’s carefully laid plans were falling apart. She needed to regain control, and that meant removing Athena once and for all.
The thought of the wedding, once a dream come true, now felt like a looming threat. Byron had set the date—17th of next month. Only weeks away. And yet, Heather’s path to that day seemed uncertain. Would she be able to break Athena’s hold on him before then? Or would Byron’s loyalty to Athena prove stronger than her ambition?
Her heart hardened as she made a decision: she would stop at nothing to ensure Athena’s destruction. Byron would marry her, and Athena would be nothing more than a distant memory.
The cold wind outside matched the chill that had settled in Heather’s chest. Her future was uncertain, but her resolve had never been clearer. And with that, she turned to Jones, her eyes gleaming with a new, dangerous clarity.
“Get it done. No more mistakes.”