93 Exasperated
Ewan sighed tiredly when he saw Aiden’s message flash across his phone.
His mind began connecting the dots like a troubled artist trying to create a coherent picture. It dawned on him that the driver–cum–security guard must have discovered what had transpired on the night he had taken Athena to dinner some days ago.
It made him wonder: was there anything at all that Athena kept hidden from the male?
Dropping his phone onto the table with a frustrated thud, he clasped his hands together, deep in thought..
Aiden seemed to know everything there was to know about Athena, which made him suspicious about the history they shared. What could that be?
Just like Athena, Aiden’s profile had turned up blank on the internet at first, as if the man simply never existed.
His curiosity piqued, Ewan had done some digging and learned that this enigmatic figure had
been a four–star general at one time.
It was still hard for Ewan to believe; the man looked way too young for such a prestigious title!
Yet he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of respect mixed with irritation. Here was a man who was essentially cutting him off for abandoning Athena at a restaurant to fend for herself–and worse, for not checking in on her since then.
Like a subpar soap opera, Ewan found himself questioning if Aiden really knew just how scheming Athena could be. He flicked his gaze back to the phone, thinking about the picture
Flona had shown him.
Surely, a four–star general should know better than to get involved in a convoluted mess like
this.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Ewan ultimately decided that if Aiden didn’t want him included in the search for whatever ghost had haunted Athena, then so be it. But he wouldn’t give up. He needed to find details, somehow.
After all, keeping the children safe was at the forefront of his mind.
With newfound determination, he grabbed his phone and dialed Sandro.
“Come to the office right away, he commanded, feeling more like a military general than a
businessman.
Three minutes later, Sandro walked into the office, slightly out of breath.
“Is anything the matter?” he asked, concern etched on his face.
Ewan mulled over his words internally. A lot of things were the matter, but he simply nodded and said, “Not really. I just need your help finding as much information as possible on the gang that kidnapped Athena”
San
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furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and plopped down onto one of the oversized chairs in Eva’s large blue–themed office, clearly unprepared for another whirlwind of news. “The gang? Shouldn’t you be meeting Aiden or Athena for that? I’m sure they’d be more than happy to share their resources.
Ewan’s silence after Sandro’s statement spoke volumes, filling the space with an uncomfortable tension. Sandro couldn’t help but wonder what other trouble was brewing in Ewan’s paradise. “What happened this time around, Ewan?” Sandro pressed, leaning forward slightly in his chair, genuinely curious.
Ewan shrugged a bit too casually. “You saw the news about Athena that turned her into a city hero?”
Sandro nodded eagerly, remembering how epic she looked while kicking the asses of her foes. He had even saved the video on his phone for keepsakes–a reminder that Athena was someone not easily toved with.
“Well, I was with her at the restaurant earlier.”
Sandro’s brows nearly shot up to his hairline. “You were what? How come you weren’t in the
video?”
He paused for dramatic effect, shaking his head in disbelief. “Start from the beginning, he stated. recalling the frantic call he had with Ewan that fateful night, where Ewan had quizzed him about his thoughts on Athena.
Ewan sighed deeply, looking out the window as if the answers lay beyond the glass. “I asked her to meet me for a business dinner…”
“And she agreed? Wow…” Sandro shook his head in amazement, leaning back in his chair. “What jinxed it?”
He raised an eyebrow when he noticed the discomfort etching itself into Ewan’s face. “Ewan…”
“I’m not sure. Could be between Fiona’s phone call, and Athena’s scheming?”
Sandro could understand Fiona certainly playing a part in disrupting the dinner, but the idea of Athena scheming completely baffled him.
“What are you talking about?” he asked incredulously.
“As you know, Athena accepted my offer, Ewan explained. “The dinner was okay. We talked about business and all, and then I received a call from a maid saying Fiona attempted suicide
again.”
Sandro let out a long, slow exhale as he sank deeper into his chair, folding his hands across his chest. Interesting, indeed. “So, I take it you left the dinner in a whirlwind and dropped a pile of
cash on the table?”
Ewan nodded, looking a bit chagrined. “I thought it was an emergency!”
“So, it wasn’t even an emergency later on…” Sandro murmured, astonished by the foolishness of his friend. Seriously, who abandons a woman at a restaurant like that unless they’re competing
93 Exasperated
in some sort of jerk competition? “What exactly happened?”
Ewan inhaled sharply, plopping his hands down on the table, as if the very action would align the universe back in his favor. “It was a false alarm. Fiona had gotten pictures of the dinner from Athena, and they looked like we were having an intimate moment. Out of desperation, Fiona raised a false alarm…”
“Knowing you’d come running as her knight in shining armor?” Sandro remarked, unable to suppress a smirk. He was pretty sure he’d just entered the realm of daytime soap operas, complete with dramatic twists and cringe–worthy swoons.
Ewan frowned, clearly irked by the sarcasm. “Shouldn’t you be asking why Athena sent those pictures? What was she gunning for?”
“Exactly!” Sandro exclaimed, almost shouting in frustration. “What exactly
Uld Athena be gunning for? She doesn’t care one hoot about you or Fiona! If anything, it’s all just business to her!”
He dropped back into his chair, shaking his head in disbelief. “Was there proof?”
Ewan nodded somberly. “Fiona showed me the pictures and contact details,” he said flatly.
“Did you confirm that the number was, indeed, hers?” Sandro continued, not quite believing Athena would stoop so low.
“I did. It was Athena’s,” Ewan replied, sounding defeated.
Sandro shook his head slowly, his instincts vehemently disagreeing with what he was hearing.
“You still don’t believe it?”
“No, I don’t, Sandro argued, his voice rising. “Athena wasn’t petty six years ago; she certainly wouldn’t be now. Not in the position she’s occupying. I think there’s a mistake somewhere. And the person you should be focused on dealing with is your Fiona, who made a false alarm. You should be wondering if the first attempt wasn’t a false alarm too!”
“Sandro!” Ewan growled, clapping his palm down on the table angrily, as though he were trying to wake up some reason from his friend, who rather looked amused at the entire escapade.
“What do you mean by that? Did you see how pitiful she looked when she laid down, the slashes on her wrist? Personally, I think all this depression is part of the cons of her saving me from the drowning”
Sandro threw his hands up in a classic surrender. “Yet again, you’re blaming it all on yourself! You do realize that there’s a possibility that she isn’t saviour, right? All of that, could have been
a set–up!”
“Get out!” Ewan shouted, exasperated, feeling like a chess piece knocked over in a frustration–filled game between a master and an unpredictable opponent.
