Chapter 81 I Will Treat You Well in the Future
Athena was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally.
She knew it was pointless to argue with Byron anymore. It had been fortunate enough that he hadn’t forced her into anything. She decided to let it go.
The bed in the hotel was soft and comforting. Cradled in Byron’s arms, Athena drifted into a deep sleep almost immediately.
Half asleep, half awake, she felt Byron’s gentle kiss on her cheek and ear. In her dazed state, it seemed like he was saying something.
“I shouldn’t have been angry and said that at the cemetery. Can you forgive me?”
“It was my fault, Thea, for treating you badly before. I promise, I’ll treat you better from now on…”
Athena’s heart skipped a beat, but she dismissed it as mere sleep talking. Byron could never apologize to her—not sincerely. He would never be concerned about hurting her heart, nor would he make promises for the future.
Athena recalled Byron’s blunt words during their relationship. She would never forget them.
“Don’t think about our future. You’re just Freya’s substitute. One day, if I get tired of you, I’ll let you go.”
It had been a callous thing to say. Yet Byron had spoken as if it were nothing, like he was handing out a gift.
That night, Athena couldn’t sleep well. In her dreams, she found herself back in Hugo Alley.
She pushed open the old elm gate, and immediately, she saw her grandparents and mother in the yard. They turned around when they saw her.
“Why are you back here?” her mother asked, her tone filled with disappointment.
Athena felt a surge of emotion, tears welling up as she tried to explain how much she missed them. But before she could say anything, her mother slapped her hard across the face.
“I gave birth to you with so much difficulty, but why did you turn out like this?” her mother spat. “You’ve become his mistress, and now he’s about to marry someone else. Have you forgotten why you don’t have a father? Why I died?”
The woman, once beautiful, was now twisted and full of resentment. Her face seemed more like a mask of fury.
“If I’d known you’d turn out like this, I would’ve never had you!”
“Mom…”
Athena was desperate to explain, but suddenly, crutches appeared in front of her. Her grandparents stood protectively in front of her mother.
“Grandpa… Grandma…” Athena called out, her voice breaking.
“Get out of this house! We don’t have a shameless granddaughter like you!” her grandfather shouted.
“If I knew that this is how the money for your medical treatment came, I would’ve rather died than let you do such a filthy thing!” her grandmother cried, her voice full of pain.
“Mom… Grandpa… Grandma… Please don’t abandon me. I know I was wrong. I won’t do it again…” Athena pleaded, her voice cracking with emotion.
“Get out!” they shouted in unison.
Their faces twisted with anger, as if they had transformed into monstrous figures, advancing toward Athena.
“No!” Athena screamed, her eyes snapping open as she awoke from the nightmare.
Byron’s voice brought her back to the present. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
He sat up and frowned, gently patting Athena’s back.
“Did you have a nightmare?”
Athena, drenched in cold sweat, looked at him with wide eyes. The vivid images from the dream still lingered in her mind. She wondered if she had truly failed them—that all of this was somehow her fault because of Byron.
“Mm…” Athena murmured, her voice low and indifferent.
She turned her back to him, not wanting to speak further. “Go back to sleep,” she said, the words cold as she buried herself deeper into the pillow.
Byron hesitated, his hands hovering in the air for a moment. He’d heard the apology in her voice—an apology that seemed to stem from guilt, likely from the dream she’d just had. He understood what she was feeling.
After a long pause, Byron finally lay back down beside her. Gently, he wrapped his arms around Athena from behind, pulling her close. He buried his face in her soft back, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I’m sorry,” Byron said softly, his voice filled with regret.
Athena’s body trembled slightly at his words. She pressed her face deeper into the pillow, trying to escape the emotions swirling inside her.