Chapter 247 Heather Was Being Used
Freya’s voice on the other end of the line was calm, but Heather’s panicked words only seemed to heighten her frustration. “Heather, calm down. Screaming about Athena won’t solve anything right now. The situation is already out of control, and you need to think clearly.”
Heather let out a bitter laugh. “Think clearly? Freya, you don’t understand! I’ve been pushed into a corner. First, Athena ruined everything with Byron, and now she’s making me the scapegoat! What is she doing to me? What more does she want?”
Freya sighed deeply, the sound of her exhale carrying a certain finality. “You need to get a hold of yourself. There’s no point in blaming Athena anymore. You’ve been too focused on her. It’s time to focus on yourself.”
Heather’s breath hitched. “But I don’t have anyone left. Jones is gone, and Byron is barely speaking to me. What am I supposed to do now?”
Freya was silent for a moment, then spoke again, her tone softer. “You have a choice, Heather. You can keep trying to destroy everything around you, or you can rebuild. But it’s going to take everything you’ve got. Byron is angry. I’ve seen that side of him, and right now, he’s not thinking clearly. But you’ve been involved in all of this for far too long to walk away now.”
“Rebuild?” Heather’s voice shook with disbelief. “What do you mean rebuild? Nothing can be rebuilt after all of this!”
Freya’s voice hardened. “You’re being dramatic. Look, there’s still a way out, but you need to make it happen. If you don’t stop blaming others for your mess, you’ll only dig yourself a deeper hole. Think about it carefully, Heather. You don’t want to end up like Jones — or worse.”
Heather’s thoughts raced, her mind spinning with the weight of Freya’s words. She felt cornered, isolated, and with every passing moment, her grip on the situation slipped further away. But Freya’s words struck a chord with her. Could she still fix things? Could she salvage what was left of her reputation and standing, or was it too late?
Meanwhile, Athena was back in the hospital, walking the sterile hallways with a cold sense of finality. The confrontation with Byron had taken everything out of her. Each step felt heavier, as though the weight of the past few days had come crashing down all at once. She had walked away from Byron, but something told her that the storm was far from over.
Her mind kept returning to the children — the ones that she would never get back. No amount of apologies from Byron could undo the damage he had caused. He had killed them with his own hands, even if unintentionally. And that was something she could never forgive him for.
She was pulled from her thoughts when her phone buzzed. It was a message from Gideon: “How are you holding up? Do you need anything?”
Athena stared at the message for a moment, then typed back: “I’m fine. Just tired.” But inside, she wasn’t fine. She was exhausted, mentally and emotionally drained from everything that had happened. From Byron’s betrayal, from Jones’ threats, from the never-ending drama. She needed a break — a way to escape, even if only for a moment.
She was about to set her phone down when another message came in, this time from an unknown number.
“Athena, it’s Byron. We need to talk.”
Athena’s fingers froze over the screen. She didn’t want to talk to him. What more could he possibly say to her? But something gnawed at her, a curious need to understand what he wanted. Was it more apologies? More empty promises?
She hesitated, her heart in conflict. But she couldn’t avoid him forever. She took a deep breath and typed back: “We have nothing left to talk about.”
Moments later, the phone rang. Byron’s name flashed across the screen.
She stared at it for a long time before reluctantly answering.
“Athena, please,” Byron’s voice cracked, desperate. “I know I’ve done horrible things. But I’m asking you, please… give me a chance to make things right.”
Athena closed her eyes, her mind flooded with memories of their time together — the good moments, the love they had shared. But the truth was, those moments felt like a lifetime ago. She couldn’t go back. Not after everything that had happened.
“I don’t think there’s anything left to fix, Byron. I don’t know if you can ever make up for the damage you’ve done.”
Byron’s voice trembled, a broken edge to it. “I never wanted this. I never wanted to hurt you… or the children.”
Athena’s heart wavered, but she quickly shut the feeling down. “It’s too late for apologies. I’ve made my decision.”
She ended the call before Byron could say another word, her hand shaking as she placed the phone back in her pocket. The hardest part of her life had been getting here, but now, finally, she felt a sense of clarity.
There would be no more second chances.