Chapter 187

Athena remained motionless, her icy gaze fixed on the matron. Though Athena seemed nonchalant on the surface, she had already mapped out every turn of the route in her mind. She was certain that if she stepped into that room today, there’d be no coming out unscathed.

“Why aren’t you moving?” the maid urged, a flicker of anxiety crossing her face as she saw Athena hesitate at the doorway.

Athena smiled. “I seem to have dropped my hairpin on the way here. I have to go back and look for it.”

With that, she immediately turned and started to head back.

The matron swiftly blocked her path. “No need to trouble yourself, Your Ladyship. I will send someone to look for it. The party is about to begin; you should go change your attire now.”

Athena’s lips curled into a faint smile as she locked eyes with the matron. “Why are you so eager to get me into this room?”

Athena’s razor-sharp gaze sent a chill through the matron.

Forcing herself to steady her nerves, the matron replied calmly, “You do love to joke, Your Ladyship. This is the princess’s domain. What possible danger could lurk here?”

The matron believed that she was perfectly composed, yet Athena detected the flicker of panic in her eyes.

With a swift flick of her wrist, Athena sent knockout powder drifting from her sleeve.

The matron barely had time to react before her strength ebbed away and she crumpled to the ground.

“You…” The matron stared at Athena in horror, her tongue growing leaden as she struggled to form words.

Athena let out a soft chuckle before turning to leave.

Just then, a bone-chilling laugh cut through the air and reached Athena’s ears. “Well, well, Miss Monson… since you’ve come all this way, why the rush to leave?”

Suddenly, a group of armed men stormed in from outside, led by none other than Wade Mcgee, who hadn’t been seen for days.

A malicious glint flashed in Wade’s eyes as he regarded Athena with predatory intent.

Athena had only met Wade once before at the Mcgee family. He went looking for trouble with Ferris and tried to make advances on Athena, but ended up being thoroughly put in his place. Athena had poisoned him, leaving his body riddled with boils. Apparently, his boils had barely healed before he was back to his wicked ways.

Athena stood her ground, calmly assessing her surroundings. The courtyard was packed with his men, clear proof this was a premeditated move. Wade must have gotten the nod from Lizzie to act so boldly.

Has he come for revenge today? Athena thought.

Athena kept her composure and didn’t fight back, quietly weighing her chances of escaping Wade. Given her skills, escaping from so many men was clearly impossible. Now, there was only one option left.

I’ll have to use myself as bait, then look for a chance to escape, Athena thought grimly.

“Mr. Mcgee, what on earth are you up to?” Athena feigned a look of fear, taking two cautious steps backward.

She played her part to perfection, not a single crack in her facade.

She’s just a frightened little girl. Hardly a threat, Wade thought.

Wade’s expression relaxed into a contemptuous smirk. “What else would I be doing? Clearly, I’m smitten with you, and I am here to propose a beneficial arrangement.”

For every step Athena retreated, Wade advanced one. The sight of her feigned panic made Wade grow increasingly excited.

Wade sneered, “You’d better just do as I say, unless you want to suffer.”

“You! This is Princess Lizzie’s party hall. How dare you act so brazenly here?” Athena backed up against the door, now truly cornered.

Athena shot Wade a panicked look, her eyes shimmering with tears, making her seem utterly helpless.

Wade burst into mocking laughter. “You’re utterly naive! Some people said you were formidable, but clearly, they’ve overestimated you.”

With that, Wade reached out, trying to seize Athena by the wrist.

Just as a packet of poison powder slid from Athena’s sleeve and she was about to hurl it, a throwing dagger struck her wrist. The pain forced Athena’s hand open involuntarily. She snapped her head up, eyes blazing with fury as she locked onto her attacker.

Not far away, a bodyguard watched Athena intently and warned, “Be careful, Mr. Mcgee. She’s good with poison.”

Wade’s expression turned icy as he narrowed his eyes at Athena and hissed, “So those boils appeared on me out of nowhere… It was you all along, wasn’t it?”

The bodyguard struck again, sending Athena flying into the room, where she crashed heavily onto the floor.

Blood spilled from Athena’s lips as she struggled in vain to rise, her battered body refusing to obey.

Wade strode into the room and, without a second thought, slammed the door shut behind him.

Wade’s eyes gleamed with cruel excitement as he stared at Athena. “Today, I’ll have my revenge. I’ll make you beg for death, but you won’t get it.”

Wade’s face twisted with cruel satisfaction as he watched Athena’s desperate struggles, feeding his sadistic delight. He wrenched Athena’s chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. A venomous smirk twisted his lips as he sneered, “You really are a lot like that wretched bastard Ferris. When I broke him, he glared at me just like you do now, burning with hate.”

“What a pity… what a pity…” Wade tutted mockingly, then doubled over with laughter, as if recalling something hilarious.

Wade sneered, “So what if he was the golden boy? In the end, he was just a pathetic loser groveling at my feet while I humiliated him. Wanna hear how I treated him?”

A cold shiver ran down her spine. All this time, I’d thought Ferris’s injuries were caused by outsiders. To think it was this bastard Wade all along! she thought.

Driven by hatred, Wade was hell-bent on destroying Ferris.

Athena’s fists clenched, white-knuckled, as she glared daggers at him, teeth gritted in fury.

Wade remained utterly unfazed by Athena’s glare. With malicious glee, he sneered, “Back then, I rounded up several child predators. When those sick freaks dragged Ferris away, he kept screaming. ‘Brother, save me!’” Wade threw his head back and laughed, clearly savoring the memory.

Athena’s whole body shuddered violently.

Ferris is a man who carries himself with such unshakable pride. How could he endure this kind of violation? This bastard deserves to die! she thought.

While Wade was laughing maniacally, Athena mustered every ounce of strength she had left and hurled a throwing knife straight at him.

But with her severe injuries, Athena’s throwing knife flew weakly from her hand, merely grazing Wade’s ear as it whizzed past.

Instinctively clutching his ear, he pulled back his hand, only to see it smeared with blood.

“How dare you hurt me, you little bitch!” Wade roared, humiliated and furious. In a flash, he whipped out a coiled lash and brought it down hard on Athena.

The whip cracked across Athena’s back, splitting her skin. Rather than stopping, the sight of crimson streaks only seemed to intoxicate Wade further.

Lash after lash rained down on Athena, leaving her body crisscrossed with bloody welts and torn flesh.

Very soon, Athena’s flesh was torn open by the relentless lashes.

Only when Athena lay motionless did Wade step forward, roughly yanking her up by the collar to admire his handiwork.

“If you’d just listened, you wouldn’t have suffered like this. But it’s too bad that Ferris has fancied you. Tonight, I’m going to ruin you. Let’s see if he still wants a used-up slut like you.”

Wade’s maniacal laughter echoed through the room.

Agony tore through Athena, her vision flickering black with each wave of pain.

Through the haze of pain, a voice kept roaring in Athena’s mind. Get up! You can’t die here in disgrace! Kill him!