Chapter 123: Christmas Play

Athena’s day has been filled with making appreciation calls, sending appreciation gifts, and playing around with her children and Gianna.

She didn’t even waste a second thinking about Ewan. There wasn’t even room for that, as calls had poured in from everywhere, especially from her patients and associates wishing her a beautiful Christmas season—Kendra and her aunt, Stella, among them. Athena couldn’t help but feel a bit fulfilled.

Right now, she was on a video call with Chelsea and Areso while Gianna and the kids lounged around her on the bed, talking and laughing as they stared at the phone screen.

"We are so happy that the plan worked," Areso was saying, but Athena felt more than happy. Even now, hearing her friends—who only knew bits and pieces of her story—speak, she was almost moved to tears.

Crying had become a recurrent feature for Athena today; her emotional restraint was extremely low. Ordering and sending thoughtful gifts had been emotional, just as playing with her kids around the Christmas tree had been. She wished the day wouldn’t end, and she had her circle to thank for it. She would always be grateful to them.

When the call with her two friends ended and her children retired to the floor with Gianna to play some games, Athena removed her phone from its stand to check for another call, stopping when a message popped up.

When she noticed it was a credit alert, she hurriedly checked her socials to see who had sent this one. She had received so much money—some from people she didn’t know, some from hidden senders. Athena wasn’t in need of money, but it felt good to be remembered today.

However, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion when she saw a message from Ewan tainting her inbox.

Breathing deeply for control, she opened the message, sneering when she saw its contents.

"Since you won’t accept my gifts, then accept the money. If you won’t use it for yourself, then use it for the kids. Put it in your account or something; you don’t have to tell them."

The amount of money he sent was several thousand dollars. Did he think she was in need of money? Athena wondered.

Without giving it much thought, she sent the money to a charity organization, screenshotted the transaction as evidence, and then sent it to him. When she was sure he had received the message, she blocked his number.

Nathaniel

was a few minutes past four PM. "It’s almost time for the Christmas play.

up from the ground where she had been playing LEGOs with the children and led them out of

was

the occasion, donning Christmas-themed dresses, complete with red hats. The kids were no different; they

been picked to act as one of

and nervousness brimming on their faces, and she tapped their heads fondly as they waited for

do marvelously well. I know it," She assured

widely at their mother and nodded, determination shining in

promise to make

would rather you promise to

"We can do both!"

just as Jake halted the

"Of course you will."

the institution was teeming with children and their parents, all hurrying toward the large auditorium designated

stood in line as a security guard, wearing a festive Christmas hat, ushered them in, checking student profiles and the identities of their guardians. Since the kidnapping incident,

he didn’t check her in. Instead, he called another guard and informed him to take her and her

murmurs going on behind her. Why

the preferential treatment?" One of the parents dared to

popular than a celebrity for

kept quiet, suddenly realizing the

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