The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 85

Athena arrived within minutes.

Athena was well aware that Nicolas had been punished.

She kept her distance, thinking it had nothing to do with her, never expecting that the consequences would still fall upon

her.

As soon as Athena entered, Willow’s resentful gaze immediately fixed on her.

Athena shot her an icy glare, and Willow flinched and shrank back like a startled fawn.

She hid behind Eloise, her eyes wide with fear.

Eloise let out a soft sigh and gently patted Willow’s hand in comfort. “There, there. Don’t be afraid,” she murmured.

Eloise thought, ‘She must have been frightened by Athena. After all, the way she beat Matthew that day was brutal and vicious.

‘Willow has been pampered since childhood, she’s never seen anything like that.‘

Willow gave a slight nod, tears welling up in her eyes, too scared to even lift her head.

Nicolas was already fuming, and seeing Willow so terrified only made him angrier.

But when he thought of all the suffering Athena had endured over the past three years, his heart softened a little.

Suppressing his temper, Nicolas said, “Though I acted rashly this time, I don’t regret it…”

He stared at Athena, wanting her to know that those who had humiliated her had been punished.

He hoped Athena could let go of the past, put aside her resentment, and remember that they were still siblings.

But Athena’s face remained cold and unreadable as she looked at him.

“So?” Athena’s lips curled in a cold smile. “What concern is that of mine, Lord Nicolas?”

The room fell silent. Nicolas’s expression froze in disbelief as he looked at Athena.

Willow jumped out to defend him. “Athena, Nicolas did all this for you! How can you be so heartless?”

“Three days being grounded and you still haven’t learned your lesson.” Athena shot her a frosty glare. “This isn’t your place to speak.”

Athena used to ignore Willow’s antics, but every time, Willow would jump in, fanning the flames and stirring up trouble.

It only turned their already fragile relationship from bad to worse.

Though Athena no longer held out hope for the Monson family, she couldn’t stand Willow stepping on her to climb higher.

Willow’s eyes instantly reddened. She softly sobbed, not daring to say another word.

Nicolas said in a low, stern voice, “Athena. Was Willow wrong? While I was being punished by His Majesty, it was Willow and Mother who went to plead for mercy from the Empress. She was willing to go that far for me. What about you? What have

1/2

you done?

“You should know, if it hadn’t been to stand up for you, Michael and I wouldn’t have been punished by the Emperor.”

Athena’s eyes were full of mocking amusement. “You sound so noble that I almost believed you. Was it really for me, or just to ease your own ridiculous guilt? Or maybe you just wanted to make sure I could marry into the Mcgee family, so you had to silence the witnesses permanently?”

Nicolas’s face turned pale, inch by inch, as if Athena had torn open his heart and exposed all his darkest secrets.

He stared straight at Athena, lips trembling, but couldn’t utter a single word.

Athena found his reaction almost laughable. ‘So much for family bonds, how easily they crumble like paper before the truth,‘ she thought.

“Let’s be honest, it was never about me. It was always about you, about the Monson family.” Athena’s mind had never been clearer, even the fear on the faces of everyone else in the room now seemed utterly ridiculous to her.

Every step they took was calculated, every move a manipulation.

Yet, they could still claim that it was all for her.