Chapter 218 Missed Appointment Again
Athena, exhausted from the previous night, didn’t have the strength to stop Byron as he pressed her into the soft sheets, and truthfully, she didn’t really want to. She reasoned that it was winter, they were both warmly dressed, and there wasn’t much to expose.
The next morning, Byron, full of energy despite having stayed up late, was the first to wake. He smiled at Athena, who remained comfortably nestled in bed, still recovering from the night before.
Dressed in his sharp suit, Byron leaned down to kiss her and caressed her softly. “I’m heading out, but I’ll see you tonight,” he said, his voice warm with affection.
Athena, half awake, smiled. “Don’t forget tonight,” she reminded him.
Byron paused at the door and turned back to kiss her lips gently. “I won’t forget. I’ll be home for dinner. I promise.”
“Then hurry up and leave! You’re taking forever!” Athena teased, playfully pushing his face.
Byron laughed, shaking his head, and finally left.
Downstairs, Liam, sitting up straight as Byron walked past, glanced at him with curiosity. Byron’s usual upbeat mood was on full display, and Liam couldn’t help but notice the gleam in his boss’s eyes.
Once Byron was settled in the car, he raised an eyebrow. “What? Are you still reminiscing about yesterday’s breakfast?”
Liam quickly sat up straight. “Not at all, Mr. Crawford!”
Byron snorted with amusement, but his face softened. He then gave Liam a nod as the driver started the car. “I’ve already cleared my schedule for the afternoon,” Byron explained. “No work after three. I’m going home for dinner.”
Not long after Byron left, Evie arrived to see Athena.
Noticing Athena still seemed a bit dazed, Evie asked with concern, “You look tired. Are you feeling okay?”
Athena, still a little fuzzy from the night before, shrugged. “Just didn’t sleep well.”
Before Evie could press further, Athena changed the subject, her eyes widening when she saw the bags in Evie’s hands. “So many balloons?”
“Yep, don’t worry. I’ll blow them up!” Evie exclaimed, already eager to get started. She spent the next half hour inflating balloons, quickly filling half the living room.
As if on cue, a delivery arrived at the door—the baby stroller.
Evie, grinning from ear to ear, said, “This is the first gift I’m giving to my godson!” She began assembling the crib with practiced hands.
Athena raised an eyebrow when she saw the brand. “Why such an expensive one?”
Evie flashed a grin. “Expensive things are good!”
Athena couldn’t help but laugh at her friend’s logic.
Evie continued to work, and Athena admired her as she set the crib up, carefully hanging a colorful animal mobile above it. There were elephants, giraffes, and hippos, all made of soft cotton fabric.
Athena added the baby clothes and shoes to the crib, each item more adorable than the last. “So cute,” she whispered, her heart swelling at the sight.
Finally, she placed the letter she’d written the night before on top of the clothes, taking a moment to admire her handiwork. Everything was ready.
Now, she just needed Byron to come home.
After Evie left, Athena went to the kitchen and prepared a few dishes she knew Byron loved. She checked the time. He should be back by now.
She put on her coat, stepped outside, and waited for him to arrive.
Minutes passed, but the elevator never came. Feeling a slight sense of unease, Athena returned to the apartment. Picking up her phone, she saw a missed call from Byron. He had called ten minutes ago, but she hadn’t heard it.
Along with the missed call, there was a WhatsApp message from him: [Darling, I’m sorry. I won’t be able to make it for dinner tonight. Something tricky came up, and I might have to go on a business trip for two days.]
Athena, once his secretary, knew that a sudden business trip wasn’t unusual for Byron, but something about this message left her feeling unsettled.
She stared at the screen, a frown forming on her face. She had hoped tonight would be different—she had hoped he’d remember the surprise she had prepared for him. But now, it seemed like another night would pass without him.