He Thought He Could Let Her Go, Until She Left

Athena transferred the money to the agent without hesitation, forcing her emotions into submission as she braced herself for what was coming next. She would pack everything with precision, cleanly, and quietly while Emmett was away.

What she didn’t expect, though, was the person who awaited her as soon as she opened the door.

In that single, breathless moment when their eyes locked, Athena felt the intense urge to flee. But her gaze, almost against her will, dropped lower, landing on the woman standing in her home.

Aliana wore nothing but a green camisole, her damp hair clinging to her shoulders, droplets of water falling to the floor.

Aliana was the first to break the silence, casually running a hand through her damp hair as she flashed a smile. "Hello, I’m Aliana."

There wasn’t a hint of guilt for invading Athena’s space. If anything, the smug look on her face only deepened. "Your eyes... they look so much like mine."

In the past, before Athena had discovered the truth about Emmett, she would have snapped back, her pride too sharp to ignore such a provocation. But now, she simply smiled and nodded, her response calm and almost detached.

"They do look quite similar," Athena agreed, her voice steady.

Aliana raised an eyebrow, her expression one of mild disbelief as she studied Athena. She had sent message after message, each one filled with intimate photos of her and Emmett, taunting Athena with their closeness. Yet, not once had Athena replied.

What Aliana didn’t know was the countless nights Athena had spent drowning in heartache over those photos.

Through Aliana’s eyes, Emmett appeared so effortlessly charming that even candid shots seemed to belong in a high-fashion magazine. But Athena couldn’t shake the memory of how much Emmett had despised being photographed. In all their five years together, they had never once taken a photo together.

Lost in her thoughts, Athena was snapped back to reality when she saw Emmett stepping out of the room.

The moment his eyes landed on Athena, his face tightened as if he’d been caught.

“Athena, why are you back so suddenly?” Emmett hurried over, his grip on her hand firm as he stammered, “Don’t misunderstand. Aliana is the fiancée of one of my close friends. She’s filming nearby, and when their hot water system broke, she came here to freshen up.”

Aliana’s expression soured immediately. The flicker of resentment in her gaze was unmistakable as she glared at Athena.

Her gaze flickered between Emmett and Aliana before she finally spoke, her tone icy but polite. “I hear you’re about to marry soon. Congratulations, Miss Forbes.”

Athena, holding Emmett’s hand firmly, gave a smile that could have melted ice. “Since you two are old friends, I won’t question your relationship,” she said, her voice sugar-sweet. “But let’s do this: when Miss Forbes’s wedding arrives, I’ll gladly attend. And don’t worry, I’ll make sure to bring a very generous red envelope.”

As Athena spoke, she noticed the uncomfortable shift in Emmett’s expression; his face flushed with awkwardness, but she pretended not to notice. With a steady smile, she met both their gazes as if the tension was merely a breeze.

Aliana, of course, recognized the sarcasm immediately, but her smile only widened as though she didn’t mind a bit. “You’re more than welcome to attend,” she said with an almost gloating air. “My fiancé has gone all out. The wedding dress is being custom-designed, we’ve hired makeup artists from world-renowned brands, and because I love lily-of-the-valley, he’s even rented an entire farm to provide fresh blooms for the ceremony.”

Athena listened to Aliana’s sweet words, but all she felt was an emptiness deep inside her.

She had been the one who meticulously planned every detail of her own wedding. Emmett was always “busy,” a convenient excuse. And whenever Athena expressed frustration, he would soothe her with words that seemed perfect at the time.

“You’re the bride, Athena; everything should be about what you love. If you love it, I’ll love it too.”

But now, as the reality of the situation settled in, it became painfully clear. He wasn’t busy; he simply didn’t care.