Chapter 250 Cut Byron’s Nails
Byron sat still, his expression unreadable as Athena continued cutting his nails. The pain from the small cut didn’t faze him; in fact, it felt almost trivial compared to the anguish of what he had done, what he had lost.
He let her be. If this was what it took to make her feel a fraction of relief, he would endure it. He had lost the right to expect tenderness from her, and perhaps he deserved this kind of treatment.
As she cut his nails, Athena’s thoughts seemed far away, her mind consumed with the bitterness that had settled in her heart over the past months. She glanced at Byron occasionally, noting the way he still sat there passively, not asking for anything, not protesting, even when she had purposefully cut too deeply. He accepted the discomfort, perhaps out of guilt, perhaps out of some twisted sense of duty to her.
She paused when she finished the last nail, her fingers lingering on his hand for just a second longer than necessary. For a moment, she wondered how different things might have been if he hadn’t made the choices he had. If only he hadn’t allowed his ego, his pride, to come before her and their children.
But there was no use in contemplating the past.
Athena wiped the last of the blood away, setting the tissue aside before standing up. She didn’t look at him as she moved toward the door.
“Is there anything else?” she asked, her voice colder now, the warmth of her earlier hesitation gone.
Byron watched her leave, his chest tightening. “Thea, I—” She stopped but didn’t turn around. Her back was to him, and her voice was as distant as her heart. “Don’t. You don’t need to say anything more.”
And with that, she walked out, leaving him alone in the dimly lit room, the silence pressing in around him. He stared at the bloodstained tissues, the lingering warmth of her touch, and felt more alone than ever before.
Later, as Athena sat in her room, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore echoed in the distance. She stood by the window, gazing out at the vast expanse of the ocean. The view was beautiful, but it only served to highlight the emptiness she felt inside.
Byron was still in the other room, but the gap between them was insurmountable. It wasn’t just the mistakes he had made; it was the years of lies, manipulation, and hurt that had built up, brick by brick, until it had all come crashing down.
She had once loved him. She had once believed in him. But now, there was nothing left. The warmth he had once shown her, the promises he had made, they had all turned to ashes.
The only thing she could focus on now was the future—the future that didn’t include Byron. She would leave this place soon, disappear, and find a way to move on without him.
But before she could make her escape, there was one thing she had to do. She had to ensure that George was safe. He was the only person who truly mattered now.
Byron stood in the doorway, watching Athena from behind. She didn’t know he was there, but he could see the way her posture was tense, the way she stared out at the ocean as if looking for answers.
His heart ached. He knew she was slipping away from him, and no matter how much he tried to pull her back, she would never be the same. He couldn’t undo the damage he had caused.
But he had to try. He couldn’t lose her—not like this.
“Thea,” he called out softly.
Athena didn’t turn. “What do you want, Byron?” she asked flatly.
He took a few steps closer but stopped just short of approaching her completely. “I want you to know… I’m sorry. For everything.”
She didn’t respond right away, her silence almost more painful than anything she could have said.
“I know,” she replied, her voice breaking just a little. “But sorry isn’t enough anymore.”
And with that, she walked away from him, leaving him alone once more, trapped in his regrets, in his sorrow.
As she entered her room, she closed the door gently behind her, the sound of the latch clicking into place the final barrier between them. It was the sound of an ending.
And for Athena, it was the beginning of her freedom.