He Thought He Could Let Her Go, Until She Left

Was she really beautiful? If she was, why had Emmett still betrayed her?

Why had he deceived her like this?

Athena didn’t understand how things had spiraled so out of control. She had no idea how long Emmett had been hiding his lies from her or who that woman was.

She wanted to speak, but words failed her, and tears fell freely, staining her cheeks.

Emmett’s eyes widened in panic. He reached for her face, gently cupping her cheeks as he frantically wiped away the tears. “What’s wrong, Athena? Please, don’t cry. Talk to me. Tell your husband what’s going on.”

His gaze was filled with genuine concern, no trace of deceit in his eyes.

His act was so convincing it was impossible to imagine that just moments ago, he had been holding another woman in his arms.

Athena fought to steady herself, her voice trembling. “It’s nothing… I’m just so happy.”

Emmett let out a breath of relief, his hands tender as he wiped away the last of her tears, coaxing her with soothing words until she calmed.

Before leaving, Athena decided to use the excuse of forgetting something to return to the fitting room.

She approached a staff member and showed them the photo she had secretly taken earlier.

"Is this Miss Aliana She’s also preparing for her wedding," the staff member remarked, her eyes lighting up as she recalled something. She pointed to a high-end custom gown nearby. "What a coincidence. Miss Aliana’s wedding dress is from the same brand as yours and has a similar style. And even her fiancé shares your surname!"

The words hit Athena like a thunderclap. Her face drained of color, her mind struggling to make sense of it all.

On the way home, Emmett glanced at her, his expression filled with concern. After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke, gathering his courage.

"Athena, why do you look so upset?"

Athena slowly turned her face to him, locking eyes with him, her voice barely a whisper.

"Because today, I saw something I shouldn’t have."

At her words, a flicker of unease passed through Emmett’s eyes, and his demeanor shifted his face, which was growing tense.

"Really? What did you see?"

Athena held his gaze for a long moment before speaking, her voice calm but steady. "I saw someone who looked a lot like you, holding another woman’s hand while trying on a wedding dress."

"Impossible!" Emmett’s reaction was instant and forceful. He shook his head vehemently. "You must have mistaken someone else for me. While you were trying on your dress, I was waiting outside the whole time. I only went to the restroom for ten minutes, and the staff saw me. There’s no way it was me!"

Athena stared at him as he raised his hand, swearing, "If I ever betray you, may lightning strike me down!"

His conviction was so unwavering that Athena almost found herself doubting her own instincts. But after loving Emmett for so long, she could picture him in her mind’s eye, even with her eyes closed. How could she possibly mistake him for someone else?

A sharp pain pierced her heart.

So it was true; there were people who could break their hearts in two, juggling multiple lives, weaving a web of lies so intricate that even they began to believe their own deceit.

"I trust you," Athena whispered, her voice trembling. "I trust that you would never betray me."

After the fitting, Emmett’s friends had arranged a gathering.

When they arrived, the group had already begun a round of games. Upon seeing Athena and Emmett walk hand in hand, the others eagerly gathered around, excited to greet them.

Athena wasn’t particularly familiar with them. She smiled politely and exchanged a few words before quietly heading upstairs, seeking a corner away from the noise.

But soon, voices drifted up from the stairwell.

“Emmett, are you really planning to throw Aliana aside and marry that orphan from your family?”

Athena recognized the voice of one of Emmett’s old high school classmates.

She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but something about the conversation pulled her in, and before she knew it, her feet had stopped moving, her body frozen in place.

“What are you talking about? Of course, Aliana is the most important!”

Aliana? Athena’s mind raced. She remembered overhearing the servants talking about a famous actress who had recently returned to the country. That actress, it seemed, was none other than Aliana Forbes.