Chapter 18 Moving
Athena finally made it home after a long, exhausting day. She was so tired, her body aching from the long hours at work and the injury to her left hand. As she walked into her apartment, she immediately collapsed onto her bed, wishing for nothing more than a long, peaceful sleep. The events of the past few days had worn her down, and despite the physical pain, she knew that her emotional fatigue was taking a toll on her.
The night passed in a blur, and when she woke up the next morning, she was still feeling drained, though somewhat relieved to be away from the chaos. Her hand throbbed with pain, but she refused to let it stop her. She had work to do, and she needed to move on with her life. As she got ready for the day, her phone rang.
It was Liam, Byron’s assistant, and he quickly informed her that Byron was out of town on a seven-day business trip with Miss Holland. There was no need for her to come into the office for the time being. Athena didn’t know whether to feel relieved or irritated. Was this Byron’s way of giving her space? Or was it another form of control? Either way, she wasn’t planning to stay idle.
“I’ve got work to do,” she muttered to herself, determined not to let her situation keep her from moving forward.
The day passed uneventfully, but Athena’s mind couldn’t help but drift back to the past. She still remembered the life Byron had given her — the lavish apartments, the fancy dinners, the promises of a future they would build together. But she knew now that those things were just a part of a larger plan that no longer included her. He had moved on with Heather, and Athena was no longer the center of his world. It had been difficult to come to terms with that fact, but it was time to let go.
As the evening approached, Athena finished up her work and decided to take a break. She hadn’t really allowed herself to rest since the incident with Dylan. She had been so focused on moving forward that she hadn’t taken the time to process everything. But now, sitting alone in her apartment, she couldn’t avoid it anymore. Her thoughts kept returning to Byron and what had happened between them.
The whole situation felt like a never-ending loop. She had been hurt, betrayed, and yet, a part of her still longed for the man she had once known. But the more she thought about it, the clearer it became: she couldn’t keep living in the past. She had to move forward, no matter how hard it was.
Her phone rang again, interrupting her thoughts. This time, it was Evie. Athena had told her about the injury, and Evie had been frantic ever since. The moment she picked up the phone, Evie’s voice came through loud and clear. “Athena, you’re not still mad at me, are you?”
Athena chuckled softly, though it hurt her to do so. “No, Evie. I’m not mad. Just tired.”
Evie’s concern was evident in her voice. “You really need to take it easy. You’ve been through so much, and now you’re just pushing yourself even harder. You have to let others help you.”
Athena smiled faintly, though her body was still sore. “I’m fine, really. It’s just a setback. Nothing I can’t handle.”
Evie, however, wasn’t convinced. “This is a work-related injury! Dylan deserves to pay for what he did to you! I’ll go to the company and make sure they compensate you properly.”
Athena sighed, feeling a mixture of amusement and frustration. “Evie, you can’t go around threatening people. Besides, I’ve already dealt with it.”
But Evie wasn’t giving up that easily. “You need to stand up for yourself, Athena. You deserve to be treated better than this. Let me take care of it for you.”
Athena could hear the urgency in her friend’s voice, but she refused to let it consume her. “I don’t need anyone to fight my battles for me. I’ll take care of this my own way. Don’t worry about it.”
Though Evie still seemed upset, she eventually relented. “Fine, but just know I’m always here for you.”
The next two days passed in a blur as Athena focused on packing up her things. She had already made arrangements for a storage team to come and collect her belongings. The decision to move wasn’t an easy one, but she knew it was necessary. She needed a fresh start, something to remind her that she was in control of her own future.
As the day of the move approached, she received a call from Evie again. “I’ve decided to move in with you,” Evie declared, her voice full of excitement. “I’ll convince my mom, and then I’ll come live with you.”
Athena couldn’t help but smile. “That sounds great, but I’m paying the rent according to market prices.”
“Don’t worry about it!” Evie laughed. “I’m not short of cash. Just focus on getting yourself better.”
Athena hung up the phone feeling lighter. She wasn’t sure what the future would hold, but for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was taking control of her own life. It wasn’t going to be easy, but she was ready for whatever came next.
The following day, as Athena finished packing and moving everything into her new apartment, she found herself reflecting on the past. The injury to her hand, the betrayal by Dylan, the coldness from Byron — it all seemed so distant now. She had been through so much, and yet, she had come out the other side stronger. There were still battles to fight, but she knew now that she didn’t have to do it alone.
Later that night, after she had settled into her new place, Athena received a call from the site manager regarding a conflict with the villagers at the infrastructure project. Athena listened carefully as the manager explained the situation — some villagers were demanding that the project location be changed because of ancestral graves they claimed were in the area. Athena immediately suspected that the villagers were just looking for a way to get more money out of the company.
“How much are they asking for?” Athena inquired, already starting to think of ways to resolve the issue.
“They’re not asking for money yet,” the manager explained. “They just want us to move the location, but the second phase of the project is already halfway done, and we’ve invested a lot of resources into it. Moving the project would be too costly.”
Athena frowned, sensing that there was more to the story. “Keep negotiating with them, but don’t make any promises. I’ll report it to the company and handle it from there.”
Once the call ended, Athena got to work, reviewing the project files and preparing a report. The situation with the villagers didn’t sit right with her. There had to be more going on than just a disagreement over land.
Later, as she was going over the details, her phone rang again, this time with an unknown number from Hutchin City. It was Gideon Hale, a man from her past who had caused her a great deal of trouble. “Miss Newton, I wanted to apologize for the things I said before,” Gideon began.
Athena didn’t let him get too far. “If you’re not here to talk business, I’m hanging up.”
But Gideon wasn’t giving up. “Actually, I wanted to discuss the infrastructure project in Salin City. I’m in charge of it, and I think it’s something you’ll want to be involved in.”
Athena frowned. “I’ve already written up everything in the report. What’s the issue?”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Gideon said, his tone serious. “I think we need to meet in person to discuss it. There are some things that can’t be explained over the phone.”
Despite her initial reluctance, Athena agreed to meet him. “Fine. Let’s do it next Thursday.”
After the call ended, Athena leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. She still had a long way to go before everything was settled, but she was ready to face whatever came next.
The days passed quickly, and by the time she finished moving into her new apartment, she felt like a weight had been lifted. She didn’t know where life would take her, but for the first time in a long time, she felt free.
As Athena prepared for her next challenge, she knew one thing for sure: no matter what happened, she would never let anyone take control of her life again. She was done with the past. It was time to focus on her future.