Chapter 214 Whether Byron Was Her Baby’s Father
Gideon had just arrived to pick up his new girlfriend when he spotted Athena across the parking lot. A strange unease always washed over him whenever he saw her, a feeling that had haunted him since their first encounter in Salin City.
Hiding in his car, he planned to wait until Athena left before stepping out. But just as he was about to settle in for the wait, the conversation he overheard left him in shock.
Athena was pregnant?
Byron was going to marry her?
And that man—who had tried to take Byron’s woman—was now lying on the ground, cursing Athena after being rejected.
Gideon’s fingers stopped their nervous habit of biting his nails. He opened the car door and stepped out, deliberately walking toward Baxter, who was now sprawled on the ground, crying.
Without a second thought, Gideon planted his foot squarely on Baxter’s hand.
“Ah!” Baxter yelped in pain.
Gideon, cool and indifferent, stuffed his hands into his coat pockets and looked down at the miserable man. “What’s this? Lying in front of my car? Trying to scam me for some money?”
“I—I don’t…” Baxter stammered.
Gideon pulled two hundred dollars from his wallet and dropped them on Baxter’s face, watching as the bills landed with a soft slap. “If you beg, maybe you’ll stay away from me. Don’t make my car dirty,” he said, turning to walk away without sparing Baxter another glance.
A few steps later, Gideon reached the elevator entrance, where the manager of the luxury store was already waiting.
“Mr. Hale, it’s been a while!” the manager greeted him with a smile.
“I’ve been busy. No time to spoil my girlfriend,” Gideon replied, scanning the area absently. Something—or someone—familiar flashed in his peripheral vision. He paused, his brow furrowing.
Could it be one of his ex-girlfriends? His stomach churned at the thought. The last thing he wanted was an emotional confrontation. He hurriedly pressed the elevator button, eager to escape.
As the elevator doors closed, it hit him.
The woman he’d seen earlier had been Heather.
Heather was sitting back in her car, her breath quick and shallow as she replayed the recording of Athena’s confrontation with Baxter. Her fingers trembled as she listened, her anger growing with each repeated word.
Athena was pregnant. Byron was going to marry her. The realization felt like a slap in the face.
Byron marrying Athena? Heather’s thoughts spiraled into chaos. How could Athena, the woman who’d been planning to leave Byron, secretly become pregnant?
But wait… Did Byron know?
Could it be that the sudden engagement cancellation had something to do with Athena’s pregnancy?
Heather’s mind raced. She needed answers—answers only Jones could provide.
She quickly drove to his office, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. The fear of receiving a phone call from Erik had kept her on edge for days. Now, she needed to confront Jones in person, face-to-face.
After listening to Heather’s frantic recount of the situation, Jones’ expression turned serious.
“We can’t be sure if Byron is the father,” he said, his voice deep with thought. “I know Athena’s private life is… complicated.”
Heather’s eyes lit up. “Not Byron’s?” She could almost feel a wave of relief washing over her.
Jones looked at her, his gaze calculating. “Miss Ross, even if it’s not Byron’s child, we can’t just let this slide. Whether it’s his or someone else’s, we can’t let Athena get away with this.”
Heather’s heart raced. “What are you suggesting?”
“I’ll handle it,” Jones assured her, his tone filled with cold determination. “I’ll find out who the father is and make sure we take action.”
Heather felt a dark satisfaction settle within her. After breaking off the engagement with Byron, she had regretted not following Jones’ advice sooner. She should have done whatever it took to keep Byron’s attention, even if it meant getting pregnant.
Pregnancy?
If Athena could do it, so could she.
“Jones, it’s up to you now,” Heather said, gripping his hand tightly. “Make sure this works. I trust you.”