The Rise Of The Unwanted Girl (Athena) novel Chapter 322

Chapter 322

Henry slowly exhaled deeply and closed his eyes briefly

He clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on the backs of his hands bulged, his eyes surging with insane hatred. “Damn you, Prince Xander. If I ever get the chance, Il tear you limb from limb”

“Father!” Nicolas’s sharp rebuke cut through the air, his face dark with displeasure,

Nicolas locked eyes with Henry and said in a slow, deliberate tone, “Father, you’re losing your composure.”

Henry snapped back to his senses, his eyes clearing somewhat.

There was a knock at the door.

Nicolas’s eyes sparkled with confidence. “Right on time,” he declared.

Nicolas turned to the door and commanded. “Enter”

A shadow guard entered, dropping to his knees before them. Henry demanded urgently. “How did it go?”

The shadow guard looked troubled and stammered frantically. “Your Grace, Eloise was incredibly vigilant. After I dropped her off outside the city, she simply vanished.”

“Vanished!” Nicolas scoffed in disbelief. “You expect me to believe a full–grown person disappeared right under your nose!”

The guard looked terrified as he stammered, “I swear on my life that she vanished right under our noses. If Eloise had kept walking down that road, she would’ve been shot by us. But we waited for ages, and she never showed up.

“Honestly. Your Grace, I find it baffling too. We searched everywhere, but there’s no sign of her.”

Hearing this, Henry slammed his fist hard on the table, his face dark with anger. He roared, “That damn woman is always so on guard. She must have anticipated my move and gone into hiding

Nicolas massaged his temples in frustration. “Then tell me, Father. Where do you think she would be hiding?”

“With the mountains stretching so vast, how could I possibly guess where she’s luding?” Henry glared furiously at his trusted aide, his voice dripping with malice, “Find her. I don’t care if you have to turn the whole damn mountain upside down. Bring her back, dead or alive.

The trusted aide stole a trembling glance at Henry, whose face was dark with fury and whose eyes blazed with murderous intent.

Instantly, he felt a cold sweat prickle across his back.

“Yes, Your Grace, the trusted aide replied with a respectful bow, his voice trembling

Margaret’s burial was scheduled for three days later.

On the day of the funeral, dark clouds hung oppressively low.

Borne by sixty–four pallbearers, a massive ebony coffin passed through the city gates as flowers swirled through the air like a blizzard of snowflakes.

Athena, clad in white mourning garments, so

carried Margaret’s picture as she slowly walked toward the city gates.

Athena had cried herself dry these past few days, her face gaunt with grief.

Had it not been for Xander helping Athena handle Margaret’s funeral arrangements, she could never have endured this long on her

DWIL

Michael stayed with the Monson family for three days, quietly helping Athena handle all the guests and funeral arrangements.

Michael watched as Athena grew thinner by the day, his heart aching with helpless concern.

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Chapter 322

Yet, all he could do was stay by her side.

From her vantage point in the restaurant, Willow watched the scene unfold, her eyes burning crimson with rage and jealousy.

Willow crushed her handkerchief in a death grip, gnashed her teeth, her eyes blazing with venomous hatred.

Willow thought, ‘Athena, that damned bitch. What’s so special about her that all the men are flocking around her like moths to a flame?

“Especially Michael. He still has lingering feelings for her. He only has eyes for Athena. When has he ever spared a glance for me?

Willow seethed with growing rage. “No way am I letting Michael and Athena get back together!

Wheeling around, she stormed downstairs, determined to follow Michael and monitor his every move. She was not about to give those two any chance to reconcile.

The funeral procession slowly left the city, winding its way into the mountains.

Jessa showed up silently at Athena’s side and whispered urgently. “Willow’s on our tail.”

Athena gave a subtle nod, her eyes conveying silent instructions. Jessa acknowledged with a barely perceptible tilt of her head before. slipping stealthily toward the rear of the procession.

After four hours of solemn marching, the funeral procession finally arrived at the burial site.

Margaret’s coffin was lowered into the grave pit. Shovelful by shovelful, the earth filled the pit until the coffin was gradually swallowed.

Athena knelt before the grave, sobbing as if her heart would break.

No matter how desperately Athena cried out, Margaret would never answer her again.

As dusk deepened, the mourners slowly dispersed, leaving only Athena kneeling alone before the grave.

She remained silent, her eyes hollow and lifeless.

With Margaret’s passing, it felt as if Athena’s very soul had left with her.

Seeing Athena like this, Michael’s heart twisted in agony.

Michael said gently to Athena, “Athena, Margaret surely wouldn’t want to see you grieve like this. You must pull yourself together. She wanted you to live happily and freely.

Athena suddenly looked up, you. Care to watch?”

her

eyes red–rimmed from crying, and fixed Michael with a determined gaze. “Michael, I have a show for

“What kind of show?” Michael asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

“If you want to see the show, hide behind the bushes,” Athena said firmly, “No matter what you see or hear, don’t make a sound.”

A cold, steely glint flashed in Athena’s eyes. Michael looked at her with a puzzled expression, but despite his confusion, he nodded. “Alright.”

Michael got to his feet and slipped behind the bushes, hiding himself as instructed.

Peering through the foliage, Michael watched Athena intently.

Before long, Jessa marched over while dragging Willow along

Jessa slammed Willow down hard in front of Margaret’s grave. Willow was bound hand and foot.

When she saw Athena, Willow shrieked frantically, “Athena, what are you doing? Let me go!”

Beside Margaret’s grave gaped a freshly dug pit. Willow was instantly terrified out of her wits, her aristocratic composure shattered

Athena rose and delivered a brutal kick, sending Willow tumbling into the pit. Looming over her with icy contempt, Athena snarled, “Willow, I told you I’d kill you. This is for Macy Forrester and Thalia Blackwood!”

Chapter 322

Willow thrashed and writhed in the pit, her eyes wild with panic. “Let me out, Athena, you can’t do this. If you kill me, you’ll never get

way with it. I’m the Marchioness of Somers. Do you really think you can escape the consequences?”

Athena steered. “What if I don’t care about living anymore?”

Athena’s eyes blazed with murderous fury. She looked like the Grim Reaper. The sight left Willow trembling in terror.

Willow was shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. “No, I can’t die. I don’t want to die. Athena, please, I’m begging you. Let me go. Macy and Thalia’s deaths had nothing to do with me. Please, you have to believe me.”

Athena grabbed the shovel and began filling the pit with earth,

Diri rained down on Willow’s body and face. She shrieked uncontrollably, her aristocratic composure shattered. “Have you gone mad? I’m the Marchioness of Somers. If Michael finds out about this, he’ll kill you!”

Athena ignored Willow’s desperate pleas. Shovelful after shovelful, she hurled dirt onto Willow, burying her up to the waist in moments.

Only then did Willow realize with a chill that Athena wasn’t just trying to scare her. She was deadly serious about killing her.

Willow shrieked. Til talk. It was Nicolas He’s behind all of this

busk fell

Dusk fell like spilled ink, shrouding the desolate graveyard in eerie gloom.

The freshly turned earth exuded a damp, metallic scent as a few white flowers swayed eerily in the cold wind. Their shadows swayed across Athena’s face.

Athena’s hand froze mid–motion on the shovel. Fixing Willow with an icy glare, she demanded. “Why did Nicolas kill Macy and Thalia?”

Willow’s hair was a tangled mess, her face streaked with tears and smeared with dirt

Willow frantically smeared the dirt and tears across her face with trembling hands, her voice choked with desperation. They overheard Mother planning to expose General Perkins, so they tried to warn him. I swear that I had nothing to do with any of this.”

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