Chapter 61 The Reason of Getting Married
Byron’s mind was a whirlwind of confusion, anger, and desperation. The words his mother had just said to him echoed relentlessly. “Heather is still waiting for you.” He knew she was, but every fiber of his being screamed that he didn’t want Heather—he wanted Athena.
He walked briskly through the apartment, feeling the weight of each step on the now-silent floors. The memories were everywhere— Athena’s books on the shelves, the faint scent of her perfume lingering in the air, the photos of their trips together. Every corner of the place that had once felt like a haven now seemed like a prison, a constant reminder of his mistakes.
The sound of his phone ringing again broke his thoughts, and for a brief moment, he considered not answering. It was probably Heather, or someone else wanting to talk about the engagement. But his heart twisted at the thought of not hearing Athena’s voice.
He checked the caller ID. It was Lola again.
Byron hesitated for a moment before answering, his voice strained. “What now?”
“You sound like you’re about to explode, Byron,” Lola said coolly. “What’s going on? Why have you been so off lately?”
“I’ve lost her, Mom,” Byron muttered bitterly, running a hand through his hair. “Athena… she’s gone. And I don’t know how to fix it.”
Lola sighed heavily on the other end of the line. “She’s gone? Where’d she go?”
“I don’t know.” His words were filled with frustration, his voice cracking slightly. “She left. I don’t even know where she is anymore. And I’ve been so caught up in this damn engagement that I didn’t even see it coming. I didn’t protect her.”
Byron could almost hear Lola’s calm but firm voice through the phone. “Byron, this is a mess. But don’t let it spiral out of control. You need to focus. Heather’s waiting for you at the venue, and you still have a responsibility to the Crawford family. Do you want to make everything fall apart over one woman?”
“She’s not just one woman, Mom,” Byron snapped, his frustration boiling over. “She’s the one I… the one I need. I can’t just go through with this engagement like nothing’s wrong.”
“I know you’re upset. But don’t make rash decisions, Byron. Heather’s been by your side all these years. Think about what you’re doing. Think about the consequences.” The weight of his mother’s words felt like a physical force pressing down on his chest. Byron stared at the empty space in the room—the space where Athena’s laughter and warmth had once been—and for the first time in a long time, he felt utterly alone. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “I can’t marry Heather,” he muttered, almost as if saying it out loud would make it real. “I don’t want this life… I don’t want to live in a world where I can’t be with her.” His mother didn’t respond immediately, and when she did, her voice was colder than before. “Then what do you want me to do, Byron? Do you want me to stop the press conference? Do you want me to cancel everything, make a fool of you and the whole family?” Byron’s silence was deafening. His gaze dropped to the floor, and he clenched his fists. “No… No. I can’t do that. Not now.” But his heart was screaming that he couldn’t let Athena go. He was too late, and it hurt more than anything he had ever felt before. Every instinct in him was telling him that he couldn’t lose her, but now that she was gone, he had no idea how to get her back. “I’ll fix this,” Byron muttered. His voice was firm now, but his mind was racing with regret. How do I fix this? Lola, sensing the shift in his tone, sighed once more. “I hope you can, Byron. But remember—actions speak louder than words. You can’t fix anything unless you do something.” Byron hung up the phone and stared at the door. The world outside was moving forward, but inside, he felt frozen. His mother’s words still echoed in his mind. You still have a responsibility. But in his heart, he knew that his responsibility, the one that really mattered, was to Athena. As he stepped out the door, he made a decision—he couldn’t just sit back and wait for things to fall into place. He would find Athena, apologize for everything he’d done wrong, and make it right. No more waiting. No more indecision. He dialed another number, this time his security team. “Track her. Find out where she is. Now.” Athena sat in the back of the car, her thoughts a million miles away from the chaotic world she had left behind. Her phone was switched off, but she knew it wouldn’t be long before she had to face the storm again. She’d done what she thought was best—disappearing, leaving it all behind. But no matter how far she went, no matter how much she tried to distance herself from Byron, a part of her still ached for him. She had wanted to walk away, but the reality of losing him hurt more than she had anticipated. “Are you alright?” Juliana’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. Athena forced a smile. “Yeah. Just tired.” “You’ve been through a lot.” Juliana’s voice softened, and Athena could tell she was concerned. “You don’t have to carry this alone.” Athena’s eyes flickered with uncertainty. She appreciated Juliana’s concern, but there was still a part of her that didn’t know what she wanted, or how to move forward. “I just need time,” she murmured. Juliana nodded, respecting her silence. But Athena knew one thing for sure: Byron would come for her. He always did. And when he did, she would have to decide whether to let him back in, or keep walking away. Her heart was torn in two, and the longer she stayed away, the harder it became to find the courage to return.