Chapter 188 I Just Miss My Dad
Athena stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the photo. The world seemed to slow around her as the weight of the revelation sank in. The man in the photo, Herman, had been so familiar to her since the moment she’d seen him on Rose’s phone. Now, staring at that younger version of him standing beside her mother, everything began to fall into place.
Her breath caught in her throat as the fragments of a long-buried memory resurfaced. The words her mother had whispered that day—the words Athena had never fully understood—echoed in her mind: “I just miss my dad…”
Athena had always assumed her mother was talking about her grandfather, someone she had never known as anything but a figure of strength and support. But now, the truth seemed to be staring her in the face, and it sent a chill down her spine.
The photo in her hands felt heavier now, laden with questions she had never dared to ask. The woman she knew as her mother, the woman who had been so loving and protective, had shared a life with Herman—someone she had never mentioned to Athena. And now, this photo, hidden away in the album, suggested that there was more to the story of her family than Athena had ever realized.
She turned the photo over slowly, hoping for some sort of clue, a name, a date—anything that could explain what she was seeing. But there was nothing. Just the blank, white back of the photo, offering no answers.
Athena’s mind raced. Was Herman more than just a family friend? Had he been a part of her mother’s life in ways she never knew? She had always assumed her mother had been completely devoted to her grandparents, never suspecting there was anyone else who held such significance in her life.
Her hands trembled as she gently replaced the photo in the album, her thoughts swirling with confusion. She couldn’t ignore the eerie feeling that had settled in her chest. She had just learned something monumental, and yet, there were still so many questions left unanswered. Why had her mother kept this secret? What did it mean for her now?
Suddenly, Athena heard footsteps behind her. She quickly wiped away a tear, not wanting to be seen vulnerable in this moment. But before she could compose herself fully, Jaxson appeared in the doorway.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, his voice soft but concerned.
Athena nodded, though she knew her face betrayed her turmoil. She had to keep it together. But inside, a storm was brewing. The more she tried to piece together the truth about her family, the more questions seemed to surface. And she didn’t know if she was ready to face them.
“I found something,” she said quietly, holding the photo album to her chest. “Something I wasn’t expecting.”
Jaxson stepped closer, his eyes narrowing with concern. “What is it?”
Athena shook her head. “Not now. I need time to think. But I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”
Jaxson didn’t push. He simply nodded and respected her need for space, understanding the weight of her emotions.
As he left the room, Athena stood there, feeling the weight of the past pressing down on her. The house, once filled with memories of her family, now felt like a place of unresolved mysteries. The photo had opened a door she wasn’t sure she was ready to walk through. But she knew one thing for certain: she couldn’t ignore it any longer.
The truth about her mother, Herman, and everything that had been hidden from her for so long was waiting to be uncovered. And Athena was determined to find the answers, no matter where it led her.