With that task completed, one final matter of importance remained.
Hailing a cab, Athena made her way to the Davidson family cemetery.
Her parents had once been devoted servants of the Davidson household. Over a decade ago, in a tragic turn of events, they had sacrificed their lives to save Emmett from drowning. Their loyalty had moved Azrael Davidson deeply, leading him to honor them with a place in the family cemetery and ensure that their orphaned daughter was raised with the utmost care.
Athena placed a bouquet of chrysanthemums gently before the tombstone, her trembling fingers brushing the petals as if seeking comfort.
“Mom, Dad, you always said Emmett was a good boy, the only one in the Davidson family who would protect me,” she murmured, her voice cracking. “But why… why was it him who hurt me the most?”
“He said he loved me more than anyone else. Then why did he betray me?”
“Mom, Dad, I have nothing left now.”
The floodgates of her sorrow opened, and Athena broke down, her sobs echoing in the stillness of the cemetery.
Her mind drifted to the days after her parents' death, a time when despair had consumed her. Night after night, she had cried herself to sleep, her small body ravaged by relentless fevers that no one could ease.
Emmett, torn by guilt and anguish, stayed by Athena’s bedside every night, his words heavy with remorse.
“I’m sorry, Athena… It’s all my fault,” he whispered, his voice thick with sorrow.
“Athena, please get better. You’re all the family they left behind.”
“I’ll protect you from now on, okay? You’re my family now.”
“My life belongs to you.”
From that moment, Emmett took on the role of her protector, her older brother, and she let herself believe him.
Then, in the warmth of early summer after graduation, he held her hand, making a promise to give her a beautiful future.
At first, Athena believed him completely. She trusted him with all her heart.
But as time passed, something in Emmett began to change.
The first hint of doubt crept into her mind the day she tried on her wedding dress.
In the car, Emmett refused countless phone calls before eventually powering off his phone completely.
Embarrassed, he tried to brush it off. “It’s just my assistant, Athena. She’s been pestering me about the smallest things. I’ll give her a piece of my mind when we get back!”