Chapter 147
With a crash, the cup hit the floor and shattered into pieces. The sharp sound startled everyone in the house, their faces paling with shock.
They thought, “Athena is burning all bridges with the Monson family!”
“Athena, what the hell are you doing?” Nicolas finally lost his temper and slammed the table hard.
Pointing at Athena’s face, Nicolas scolded, “You’re utterly shameless! Smashing things in front of your parents, who exactly are you trying to intimidate?”
Athena scoffed disdainfully. “Rather than wasting your time scolding me, perhaps you should help Matthew clean up his mess. After all, Aliza can’t keep her mouth shut. By now, everyone in Pidence City must know about his scandalous deeds.”
Matthew looked stunned and at a loss when the butler rushed in. With a frantic expression, the butler exclaimed, “Bad news! Aliza has run out into the streets, shouting everywhere that Lord Matthew forced her to get pregnant and now wants to kill her. A huge crowd has gathered, and the scandal spread like wildfire across the city. What should we do?”
Matthew instantly panicked. He glared furiously at Athena. “You let Aliza escape, didn’t you?”
Athena replied with just one nonchalant word, “Yes.”
“You… You shameless wench!” Matthew was about to lunge at Athena when Nicolas barked, “Are you trying to embarrass yourself even more? Go retrieve…”
Clenching his jaw in fury, Matthew flung his sleeve and stormed out. Nicolas heaved a heavy sigh and fixed Athena with a glare. “You’re nothing but trouble. We shouldn’t have brought you back.”
“Well, it’s too late for regrets now,” Athena shot back coldly, making Nicolas choke on his fury. With everyone glaring at her, Athena slowly turned to Henry and Eloise. “You keep claiming to care about me. Now, I’ll give you a chance. Meet just one condition, and I’ll let bygones be bygones.”
A glimmer of hope flashed in Eloise’s eyes. She was about to ask what condition Athena had in mind, but seeing the hidden menace in Athena’s smiling eyes, she didn’t dare ask further.
Athena had never intended to forgive us, let alone call me “Mother.” Her condition is bound to be extremely difficult for us to meet, Eloise thought.
Henry’s eyes darkened as he asked in a measured tone, “What is your condition?” He held no real expectations for Athena. He just wanted to see what she was after.
“Kick Willow out and cut all ties with her,” Athena enunciated each word.
Before she finished speaking, Henry scoffed, “Out of the question!”
Eloise looked troubled, dabbing at her tears with a handkerchief. “Athena, why must you be so harsh? She’s also your…”
“Since when is she my sister? Did you give birth to her or something?” Athena asked. Her voice suddenly sharpened, her eyes kindled with disappointment as she looked at Eloise. “She faked poisoning to frame me, made me suffer for three years, and didn’t even spare my maid…”
“Thalia died a tragic death. Willow also cut Macy’s tongue out and killed her. Yet you still treasure such a vicious creature? Will you only wake up after she…”
Willow’s eyes suddenly widened, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. She dropped to her knees, shaking her head frantically in denial. “No! I didn’t do it. None of it is true.”
Eloise rushed to support Willow, anxiously deferring to her. “Athena, it’s not what you think. Those two maids got expelled from the estate for stealing. They exploited your innocence and lied to you. We’re your family. Don’t let them mislead you!”
Willow was in floods of tears, her face streaked with sorrow as she pleaded, “Mother, just let me go. Pretend you never raised me. Please.”
Eloise clung to her tightly, fearing Willow might do something drastic or run away from home again. At the same time, her gaze at Athena turned resentful, as if she were silently questioning, “How could you be so cruel? Must you drive Willow to her death?”
This scene was exactly what Athena had expected all along, so she was utterly unmoved. If anything, the glacial coldness in her eyes only deepened.
The Duke’s estate is finished, she thought.
Athena rose to her feet, a mocking smile playing on her lips. “You’re a family, and I’m the troublemaker. Since that’s the case, let’s sever all family ties.”
The room instantly fell silent, so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared at Athena in utter shock, unable to believe what they’d heard.
How could she even say something like severing family ties? they thought.
Willow’s eyes darted furtively before she lowered her head. She bit her lip and put her hands down. Though she appeared grief-stricken, she perked up her ears, keenly tuned to every word.
Henry’s expression shifted between angry and shocked. He thundered, “Absurd! You’re a member of the Monson family. How could you even think of severing family ties?”
Athena scoffed, her bright eyes fixed on Henry like blades. “In what way am I a member of the Monson family?” she asked. “Beyond this family name, do I resemble a Monson family girl in any way? When the world called me a country bumpkin with no manners, did any of you defend me?”
Henry’s heart skipped a beat. Yes, it seems that we have never defended her. But with all my official duties, how would I have had time for such things?
Athena caught his expression and let out a cold laugh. “But when Willow gets barely a scratch, you all swarm around her. Even the family physician stays closest to her courtyard.”
The room fell deathly silent again. Nicolas slowly tightened his fist, trying to justify, “Willow’s always been weak and pampered her whole life…”
Before he could finish, Athena cut in sharply, “Oh, right, she’s delicate, so I’m supposed to live like a weed while she enjoys a life of luxury. I have to watch and never fight for anything, or else I’m the jealous one, right?”
“Did you ever care for me when I caught a cold? Through those unbearable days and nights, the ones who stayed by my side were Thalia and Macy. When I get bullied, all you did was scold me for lacking manners and offending important people. Only Grandmother wiped my tears and gave me comfort.”
Athena was only stating the truth, yet her words bit like a ton of bricks to everyone present. Eloise felt as if something had ripped her heart open. She looked at Athena with red eyes. Then, she said, “Athena, it is all my fault. From now on, I’ll treat you well if you still acknowledge me as your mother.”
Nicolas also let out a sigh. “I was only strict with you because I don’t want you to make mistakes. If that’s not enough, I’ll look after you more from now on.”
In his opinion, Athena was throwing a childish tantrum, and she would come around with some coaxing. Sever family ties? he thought. How absurd. As a woman, where could she go without her family? And what would people think of her?
Even Henry condescended to lower himself for once. His gaze toward Athena softened with a rare warmth as he said, “Alright, enough with the childish tantrum. Why dredge up ancient history? Now that we’ve cleared the air, I will make it up to you properly.”
The Monson family had never had anyone sever family ties, and he certainly wouldn’t allow Athena to be the first. She’s just a child, speaking out of anger, nothing more, he thought.
Willow immediately chimed in, her voice trembling as she looked at Athena with tear-filled eyes. “Athena, it’s all my fault. I stole the love and attention that should have been yours. I swear I’ll never do it again. From now on, I’ll always step aside for you, okay? Please don’t talk about severing ties anymore. It would break all our hearts.”
Looking at those hypocritical faces, Athena nearly laughed out loud mockingly. They think they can sweep all my suffering under the rug with just a few hollow words, she thought. Their so-called promises to change? Same old story. Good thing I’d never believed them anyway.
Athena let out a soft, almost mocking laugh, drawing puzzled stares from everyone around her. Then they watched as she pulled out her hairpin, letting her long hair cascade down. She picked up the dagger and raised it to her hair.
A raged but resolute voice rang out from outside. “Hold on!”