Chapter 77 I Only Want You to Be Good
Athena’s heart trembled violently.
She had already confronted Byron, and yet, the nonsense he was spouting left her stunned.
Was he really the proudest person in the world, as she had once believed?
“Don’t look at me like that,” Byron murmured, leaning in to kiss Athena.
Athena recoiled, turning her head away in disgust.
Byron, no longer angry, simply smirked.
“Miss Newton, you’re not alone in this world,” he said calmly. “Your friend Evie…” “Byron Crawford!” Athena’s voice was sharp with fury. Byron chuckled darkly. “My mistake. I meant your good friend Evie.” “Don’t you dare touch her!” Athena cried out, pushing Byron away in a frantic panic. “Be good, and I won’t hurt anyone,” Byron said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into his arms. His tone was deceptively gentle, but to Athena, it felt like an army of venomous snakes crawling on her skin. It was as though she were sinking into an abyss of ice. “And George… That programmer kid… Your grandma’s nurse…” Byron’s voice was smooth, but his words struck like poison. “She’s quite the interesting case. She has so many secrets, and if they came to light, she’d spend the rest of her life behind bars.” Athena’s stomach churned. This was no longer just a twisted power game. Byron had crossed a line. Byron’s smile widened. “Oh, and by the way, the Crawford Group is about to inject capital into Crane Jewelry. I’ll soon be the major shareholder. Do you know Gabe has an older brother from a different mother? Think about it… with my help, he could easily take Crane Jewelry away from that fool Gabe.” “Byron, you’re a monster!” Athena screamed, her voice laced with disgust. Byron’s eyes gleamed, and he leaned in closer. “That’s being a monster? There’s more.” Although Byron had been unable to find Athena for the past few days, his efforts hadn’t gone to waste. He’d uncovered much about her, things he thought might make her bend to his will. “Your smartwatch project for visually impaired children…” he began, and Athena froze, the words slicing through her. Back in college, she had volunteered for a charity working with blind children. She had even helped fund and connect people to a team developing smartwatches to help these children live more independently. Byron had been the one to fund her efforts back then, when he was most interested in her. He had poured money into her project, and Athena, believing in the cause, had given almost every penny she had to make it a reality. “Byron, those children are already struggling so much… How could you use them like this?” Athena’s voice trembled with both anger and disbelief. Byron’s face remained impassive as he continued, “As long as you’re good, I’ll invest even more and bring in a more professional team to help. You just need to stay by my side, Athena. You don’t have to pretend anymore. As long as you’re with me, nothing will happen to the people you care about.” Athena’s gaze hardened as waves of despair crashed over her. The realization sank in like a cold, heavy weight. She was trapped. How could she possibly fight back against someone with such absolute power? She choked back a sob, her voice cracking with emotion. “How could you be this kind of person?” she asked, her words thick with disgust and sorrow. “To think I once cared for you… I can’t believe I ever thought I could love someone like you.” Tears streamed down her face as the truth sank in. She had given so much, but it was all in vain. The man she had once hoped could change had only grown more monstrous. She covered her mouth, her stomach lurching as nausea overwhelmed her. “Stop the car!” Athena gasped, barely able to hold herself together. Byron, sensing her distress, barked an order to stop the car. Athena flung open the door, stumbling out into the street and violently vomiting, the weight of everything crashing down on her. Byron watched, frozen, his expression unreadable. He had never anticipated this reaction from her. The disgust in her eyes… it tore at him in a way he couldn’t understand. Byron sat in the car, rigid with frustration. He had never felt so certain of his need for Athena. Whether it was out of habit or a deeper, more selfish desire, he couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. His desire for control, for power, was all-consuming. And now, after everything, he was willing to do whatever it took to bring her back to him. He couldn’t let go. He wouldn’t let go. No matter the cost.