The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 79

Chapter 78

He was the light that brightened her youth.

A wave of bitterness welled up in Athena’s heart, but it soon faded away, leaving her feeling at ease.

She gave Margaret a gentle, sincere smile. “Those were just silly things I did when I was young and foolish. Now that I’ve grown up, I can’t act like a lovesick girl anymore. Besides, Ferris isn’t so bad either…”

“Are you really over him?” Grandmother asked skeptically.

Athena gave a firm nod. “I don’t like him anymore. I’ve long since moved on.”

Not far away, Michael’s smile froze as his heart constricted violently, leaving him breathless.

He thought, ‘What did she just say?

‘Athena actually said she’s already moved on? I knew this was coming, so why does it still hurt so damn much?

‘Who does she think she is, just moving on so easily?‘

His expression darkened, a storm brewing in his eyes.

‘Athena, you heartless wretch, Michael thought bitterly.

An hour later, as Athena stepped out of Margaret’s courtyard, she immediately spotted Michael standing nearby.

He stood beneath the sycamore tree, his face livid.

The moment Athena saw him, her first instinct was to flee.

She spun around to leave, but Michael was faster, he stepped right in front of her, blocking her path.

“Athena,” he called softly, a hint of hurt in his voice.

There was a barely detectable hint of hurt in Michael’s voice.

This left Athena puzzled. ‘What exactly is Michael feeling wronged about?‘

‘Besides, he shouldn’t be looking at me with that expression.

Athena fixed him with a cold stare. “Lord Osborne, you must have mistaken me for someone else.”

As Athena stepped forward, Michael stood his ground, refusing to yield. Barely three paces separated them.

Athena stepped forward again, closing the gap even further.

She was so close to Michael that she could see every pore on his face and the torment swirling in his pupils.

Michael’s burning gaze stung Athena’s eyes. She instinctively stepped back to put some distance between them, only for him. to step forward, closing the gap again.

Athena’s anger flared. She snapped coldly, “Michael, what the hell do

you want?”

He suddenly grabbed her wrist, his voice laced with fury as he demanded, “Athena, are you really this naive? How could you

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Chapter 78

not see that someone of Ferris’s noble lineage would ever stoop to notice someone like you?”

Before he could continue, Athena cut in sharply. “Exactly. A ruined woman like me deserves nothing better than some lowly peddler to waste away my days with. No need for Your Lordship to come all the way here just to tell me.

“I’m sick and tired of hearing this kind of crap.”

Michael’s brows furrowed. “Who said you’re a ruined woman?”

Athena’s lips curled in derision. “Lord Osborne, stop lying to yourself. Do you really think I could emerge unscathed from a place like the military camp? You know damn well what happened, so quit pretending in front of me.”

Athena stared at Michael and demanded, “Can you honestly say you never once looked at me with disgust after I came back?”

Athena’s mocking smile made Michael choke on his words. Seeing his hesitation, her smile only grew sharper. “Do you remember what you said when you brought me back?” she pressed, her tone icy.

Michael was momentarily dazed.

“Didn’t you call me filthy back then?” Athena sneered, her voice dripping with mock courtesy.

Her mocking smile stabbed deep into Michael’s eyes.

Almost without thinking, he blurted out, “I just wanted you to be nice to me like before, to smile at me, to follow me around…”

But his feeble explanation lacked conviction and failed to sway Athena.

Athena’s smile froze, the disgust welling up in her eyes so strong it nearly made Michael recoil. “So you used such humiliating words just to provoke me, is that it?”

She reached out, grabbed him by the collar, and spat out each word through clenched teeth. “How are you any different from those bastards in the military camp? You’re all the same filthy breed.”

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