The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 380

The little commotion on the field quickly subsided.

Athena took first place, and it was a well–deserved victory.

Athena’s

eyes sparkled with excitement the moment she saw the “prize.”

‘No wonder Willow wanted me to forfeit, Athena realized. ‘This wasn’t just any horse. It is a royal tribute steed from the Kingdom of Veyra!

“This steed outclasses ordinary horses threefold in both stamina and speed.

‘It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this steed could cover a thousand miles in a single day.‘

As Athena cheerfully led her horse back, she suddenly recalled what Natasha had said earlier. Turning to her, Athena teased, “Why did

call yourself blind just now? And your reaction to Michael seemed way more complicated than just being enemies.”

you

In the past, Athena wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual.

But now, upon closer reflection, she sensed something fishy.

Natasha felt her skin crawl under Athena’s piercing stare. In the end, she gave up all pretense and decided to come clean.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Natasha huffed, “Fine, fine! I’ll spill the beans, okay?”

Natasha rubbed her nose and mumbled in a low, hesitant voice, “I… I used to have a crush on Michael.”

“Ah…” Athena feigned surprise, though inwardly she remained utterly composed.

She thought, ‘Honestly, this is only natural.

‘Back then, Michael was a real catch. He is blessed with both brains and brawn, and on top of that, he was drop–dead

gorgeous.

‘With his prestigious family background, it’s no wonder he was so popular with women.‘

Athena was surprised to discover that even Natasha had a crush on him. Then again, thinking about it, it did make sense.

Natasha saw Athena’s eyes widen and hastily waved her hands in dismissal. “Oh, that was just a silly childhood crush. It was nothing serious!” she explained. “But after seeing how he treated you, I lost all interest. No matter how handsome or well–off a man is, if his character is rotten, he’s just not worth it.”

Athena suddenly realized and questioned, “Is that why Willow went after you?”

Natasha let out a heavy sigh, “It’s all because I was such a fool. I genuinely treated her as a friend and confided in her about my crush on Michael. Who would’ve thought Willow was such a snake? She pretended to be nice, but deliberately lured me to the lake and pushed me in…”

Athena finally understood how it had all happened. Looking at Natasha, she couldn’t help but be reminded of the girl she

once was.

She reflected, ‘Back then, I was just as naive, thinking that if I laid my heart bare before them, I could truly become part of the Monson family.

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Chapter 38O

But alas, I was wrong.

‘After years of being the Monson family’s darling, how could Willow ever truly accept me, the real heiress?

‘Her greatest fear, I realized, must have been me.

‘She was terrified I’d come back to reclaim everything she’d stolen.

‘She was terrified I’d take away the family’s love and all the wealth she’d worked so hard to secure.

‘Now that I think about it, all that mockery from the noble ladies after I returned to the Monson family was probably all Willow’s doing too.”

Seeing Athena remain silent for a long time, Natasha’s heart sank, thinking Athena must be angry. She blurted out, “Athena, you have every right to be mad at me! Scold me, yell at me, even hit me if you want. Please, just don’t shut me out. You’re the only real friend I’ve got!”

Athena clasped Natasha’s hand and offered her a gentle smile. “What’s past is past. Let’s not dwell on it.”

“Alright, let’s drop it,” Natasha replied, gripping Athena’s hand tightly and giving her a sincere smile.

As Athena led her horse away, Natasha studied the steed with a thoughtful expression.

“Is there something wrong with this horse?” Athena asked.

Natasha rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then let out a low whistle, commenting, “This horse of yours… It’s definitely different. Doesn’t look like an ordinary steed. It does look more like a warhorse.”

Athena studied her mount intently, just as Natasha had advised.

Athena’s heart skipped a beat as she took a closer look. Just as Natasha had said, she really was riding a trained warhorse.

This warhorse stood noticeably larger and more muscular than common steeds.

Its head and ears were surprisingly refined for a warhorse, with a long, athletic build.

Athena’s mind flashed to Xander.

She turned hurriedly to Natasha and said, “Something’s come up and I need to go now. Don’t wait up for me.”