Chapter 21 Her True Colors!
Lola was momentarily speechless.
Despite everything, she maintained a composed smile.
Heather, holding a small booklet, had simply wanted to show it to Byron. But she hadn’t expected— Lola quickly recovered, masking her irritation with warmth. “Men… They always prioritize work above all else,” she said with a light chuckle, directing her words toward Heather.
She knew her son well.
If it were truly just about work, even in the face of a crisis, Byron would never have reacted with such urgency.
Heather, however, seemed to be focused on something else. She turned to Lola with a calm expression. “Mrs. Crawford, the name Miss Newton… Is that referring to Athena Newton?”
Lola was caught off guard for a moment.
“Ah… Yes,” she replied after a brief pause. “She’s Byron’s secretary.”
Heather nodded slightly.
That day, when Byron arrived at the airport to pick her up, she had noticed something unusual.
Even from a distance, he stood out—tall, confident, and effortlessly striking among the crowd.
But something about him seemed different.
He had been constantly checking his phone, his gaze distracted.
It wasn’t until she walked up to him that he finally noticed her.
After leaving the airport, he took her directly to the company, explaining that there was an urgent matter he had to attend to.
At the time, she hadn’t thought much of it.
In fact, she had been happy—thinking that Byron wanted to introduce her to his colleagues.
But the moment they arrived at the company, he received a call.
Without any explanation, he rushed off toward the sales department.
Heather followed, and what she saw left her unsettled.
Byron—so composed and in control in every situation—was running. His expression was tense, his urgency unmistakable.
And then, she saw the reason why.
A woman—injured, bleeding.
His voice, usually firm and unwavering, trembled slightly as he called out a name.
“Athena.”
The scene played over in Heather’s mind, but she quickly pushed the thought aside.
“Miss Ross, don’t overthink it,” Lola said quickly, noticing Heather’s momentary silence. She reached out and took Heather’s hand reassuringly. “Byron doesn’t take Athena seriously. Compared to you, she means nothing. Once you and Byron are engaged, she won’t be working here anymore.”
Heather’s expression remained poised.
She smiled gracefully. “Mrs. Crawford, I understand. Even if she stays at the company, I don’t believe she could take Byron away from me.”
Her voice was soft and composed.
But there was a quiet certainty in her words—one that Lola immediately picked up on.
Heather was possessive of Byron.
That realization put Lola at ease.
For the longest time, she had thought this engagement was nothing more than an arrangement between families.
But if Heather truly had feelings for Byron…
Everything would be much simpler.
“Don’t worry,” Lola assured her, patting the back of her hand. “I won’t let anyone cause you trouble.”
Heather nodded gently.
Then, she leaned forward and embraced Lola briefly before excusing herself.
With Byron nowhere in sight, neither of them felt the need to linger.
As soon as Heather left, Lola wasted no time.
She picked up her phone and called Byron directly.
It didn’t take long for him to answer.
“What is it?” His voice was cool and distant—not at all how a son would typically speak to his mother.
Lola exhaled, forcing herself to remain calm. “Byron, where are you?”
“I have something to take care of.”
Lola’s patience wore thin. “Are you with Athena?” she asked sharply.
She had warned Byron about this woman before.
Athena had pretended to be someone else just to stay close to him. She had gone out of her way to gain his grandmother’s favor.
And now, on the very day of his engagement, she had somehow drawn Byron’s attention away again.
“Byron,” Lola continued, her tone laced with frustration. “I told you—this woman isn’t simple. She’s manipulative, and now that you’re about to get married, she’s finally showing her true colors.”
Byron sighed. “Mom, what exactly are you trying to say?”
It wasn’t the first time she had spoken negatively about Athena in front of him.
Usually, he ignored it.
But today, for some reason, it annoyed him.
“You don’t see it?” Lola pressed. “She knew you were busy with Heather today, and yet she still managed to pull you away right in front of her. Don’t you think that’s suspicious?”
Byron’s expression darkened slightly.
He understood what his mother was implying.
A humorless chuckle escaped his lips. “So, you think Athena did this on purpose?”
“What else could it be?” Lola shot back.