Chapter 365: Morning Affairs

Have the fools found out what they were up to? Athena wondered, reading through Aiden’s message for the second time on the bright Monday morning.

The sunlight spilled in through the windows of the moving car, sharp and almost too cheerful for the heaviness that had nested inside her chest.

Inside the car with her were her children, whom she would drop off at school before checking in at the hospital.

Even though Herbert had told her to take more time off, she simply couldn’t; not with the restlessness that kept assaulting her every waking minute.

She was getting things done in the medical field—real, tangible progress—even to the extent of inching closer to figuring out the mystery behind the Grey disease; but she couldn’t keep a tight lid on her emotions, no matter how hard she tried.

She wasn’t sure what that said about her—about her control, about her balance.

It didn’t help that things had been strained between herself and Antonio since last night, worsened by the fact that she couldn’t explain to him why she had just... turned off during their lovemaking.

He had looked resigned, almost like a man adding another strange entry to a growing list, when she had insisted on going home at 4 a.m. She hoped he had filed it under "bizarre actions due to the kids" and not under Ewan.

Ewan.

She sighed quietly, her thumb grazing the phone screen with an absent tenderness.

When she had walked into the children’s room earlier, she had met a sight that rooted her to the spot: Ewan, lying in the middle of the bed, the children pressed to him on both sides, all asleep in a tangle of limbs as if waiting for a mummy to come home.

It was a sight she could get used to—and one she couldn’t afford to.

Before she could force that imagery out of her mind, Ewan had woken up, as if sensing her presence. And before she could say a word, he had whispered a profuse apology, dropped light kisses on the tops of the children’s heads, and slipped away into the dim hallway without stopping for even an idle chat.

Her emotionally fragile self had plunged into an abyss she hadn’t yet recovered from, even now, hours later.

"Mom, Rodney is calling you." Kathleen’s voice snapped her from the mire of thoughts.

"Rodney, what is the matter?" she asked, meeting her driver’s gaze in the mirror, one eyebrow raised.

Rodney, who was beginning to realise he had fewer and fewer chances of ever asking his boss out—especially with the children strangely aloof toward him, unlike before, as if they were convinced he was somehow... bad—swallowed hard. He still wasn’t immune to the quiet, devastating beauty that was Athena.

"I want to know where I should head out to first. The children’s school?"

given earlier had been purely in her head. She sighed and nodded. "Yes, to

again to

thread they had were the twin doctors, but without evidence, it

to tail the doctors at all times. But he hadn’t given her any updates, and she couldn’t help but wonder—was he keeping information from her to avoid involving her, or was there truly nothing

the latter, it might mean the enemies were lying low for

least, was good. She believed

arm gently. "Are you angry

in the rearview mirror. Why would they think

course they would suspect something, given how protective she had been

He left

they had drawn their conclusion because Ewan hadn’t been around for breakfast. She had seen their glances sweeping the dining area, scanning for him. And again, that quiet, icy fear pressed at her

She couldn’t imagine what part of her would emerge from that betrayal

stepped out of the car and led the children in, needing to hear their progress report and, perhaps, if

the class teacher said warmly. "They are excellent kids. Role models, if I dare say. I see the other children taking lessons in behaviour

sure of such

they could be, they were also capable of mischief. She wouldn’t put it past them to exert a little dominance over classmates when

there had been no

seats amid gazes thick with admiration. Not a single mean look toward them, not even

for her efforts, and moved toward the

praise rolled on, familiar as an old

every word. Tell me something I don’t know, she almost

she realised the true root of her dissatisfaction: the mess

"But..."

almost

quite controlling—not in a bully way," the principal hurried to add, hands lifted in

fine, since it has helped stop bullying in the class. You know how children can be... going after another’s toy. Miss Prisy says it has completely stopped. Just one look from your Nathaniel or Kathleen, and the commotion ends. They are

proud she

ever find out how they manage to keep the other kids

see the need to investigate further.

Athena kept her face neutral. She didn’t give her children boxes of treats as a bribe for friendship. She made a mental note to

do a good job here. I’ll see

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