Noticing her proud and defiant expression, Athena looked at Natasha in surprise and gave her a thumbs up, saying, “Nice one.”

When they were kids, Natasha loved to stand up for the weak and always had Athena’s back.

Who would’ve thought that after all these years, her fiery spirit hadn’t changed a bit?

Natasha treated Athena so well, not just because of her personality – though that played a part – but more importantly because Athena had saved her life when they were children.

When Athena first saw Natasha, the girl was struggling desperately in a hole in the frozen lake.

Without hesitation, Athena reached out and pulled her to safety.

From then on, Natasha became Athena’s closest confidante, the kind of friend with whom she could share everything.

While Natasha remained tight-lipped about how she’d fallen into the ice hole in the first place, her attitude toward Willow had done a complete 180.

Willow had been the center of attention since childhood. With her delicate beauty and status as the duke’s precious daughter, countless admirers flocked around her.

Even Natasha had once been among her devoted followers.

But ever since she fell through the ice, she completely severed ties with Willow.

While Athena didn’t know the ins and outs, she had always had a nagging feeling that something big must have happened between Willow and Natasha.

Otherwise, their friendship wouldn’t have undergone such a drastic change overnight.

After all, before she became friends with Athena, Natasha had been good friends with Willow.

In the crowd, Willow craned her neck in Athena’s direction with a look of anxiety on her face.

With the match about to begin, Willow nervously bit her lip and approached Athena.

Willow’s sudden appearance darkened Natasha’s expression, while Athena regarded her with puzzled eyes.

“Athena,” Willow’s voice was small and fragile, tears welling in her eyes as she pleaded. “I’ve never asked you for anything before, but just this once, could you please not win the match?”

Athena was second to none as a polo player among all the noble ladies.

With her on the field, it was game over for everyone else.

But Athena’s polo skills were hard-earned, as she’d worked for every bit of her talent.

“What right did Willow have to ask me to throw the match? Who did she think she is?” Athena mused before letting out a mirthless laugh, “Do you really think you’re in any position to make such a demand of me?”

“Athena,” Willow’s voice trembled, tears glistening unshed in her eyes. “I’m truly desperate. The prize for today’s polo match is a horse, and since you’d have no use for it anyway… that’s why I’m begging you like this.

“In just two days, I'll be marrying Michael, and his steed has been injured. I want to win the match so I can give him the prize horse as a wedding gift.

“Considering the fact that we had grown up together, could you please let me win the horse?”

‘Now I get it,’ Athena thought. ‘This explains why Willow rushed over as soon as she saw me. This was what she was after.’

Chapter 214

Natasha gritted her teeth and was about to charge at Willow, but Athena quickly reached out and stopped her.

She thought, ‘As all the high-ranking nobles are here today, who knows what rumors might spread if Natasha stands up for me now?

They’d say that I am throwing my weight around as the future Princess Consort, and that I am bullying the future Marchioness of Somers.

“If that happens, it’d be even harder for me to clear my name.”

Athena looked at Willow and said firmly, “If you want to give your husband a gift, you should earn it through your own merit, and not try to get it from me with your petty tricks. There’s no reason, emotionally or logically, for me to concede to you.”

“But, Athena, what would you even do with a horse?” Willow asked anxiously, clearly baffled by Athena’s reasoning.

She inwardly reasoned, ‘Athena has everything now. She’s Prince Xander’s fiancée. Would she really care about some horse?’

Natasha shot Willow a scornful look and sneered, “Who says Athena has no use for the horse? Even if she never rides it, she can keep it at the estate as a prized possession or just for show. And who do you think you are to demand she hand it over to you?” Her voice dripped with biting sarcasm as her gaze cut into Willow like a blade.

Tears finally streamed down Willow’s face. She looked timidly at Natasha and pleaded in a trembling voice, “Natasha, how could you still hold a grudge after all these years? That was just something that happened when we were kids! I swear, I really didn’t see you fall into the lake back then. If I had, there’s no way I would’ve just left you there.”

Athena looked at Natasha in astonishment as her mind raced, ‘No wonder she’s been at odds with Willow ever since. So this was the reason.’

Athena might not fully understand Natasha, but she knew Willow’s true nature all too well.

‘She’s fooled everyone by playing the delicate, obedient girl,’ Athena thought bitterly. ‘But beneath that facade lies a treacherous, utterly vicious soul.’

“Willow said she hadn’t seen Natasha fall into the lake, but that was clearly a blatant falsehood.

“What’s more puzzling was that Natasha and Willow had once been practically inseparable. How could Willow have suddenly turned on her out of the blue?”

“I hold grudges. Unlike you, who never holds grudges, probably because you’ve never been the one framed, it’s always you scheming against others. You know exactly how I fell through that ice back then,” Natasha shot at Willow, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Natasha spared Willow no dignity whatsoever as she added, “The only reason I’m here today is because of you, Willow. As long as I'm around, don’t even dream of taking that championship!”

Willow’s face turned deathly pale as she stared at Natasha, shaking her head frantically. She begged, “No! Natasha, please, let me explain!”

“Explain what?” Natasha sneered. “Am I supposed to listen to your honeyed words while you stab me in the back?”

Natasha advanced two steps toward Willow, forcing her to stumble backward in fright.

Her piercing eyes, which were sharp as daggers, fixed on Willow, draining all color from her delicate face.

Just then, Michael’s gaze swept over to them.

The moment Willow met Michael’s gaze, she burst into tears.

Looking as if she’d suffered the greatest injustice, she choked out, “I’m not the kind of person you all think I am.”

Afterward, she turned and fled with tears streaming down her face.

Almost instantly, Athena felt an icy gaze lock onto her.

She turned around and there stood Matthew, whom she hadn’t seen in ages.

Chapter 214

Matthew hadn’t changed a bit. He’s still blindly taking Willow’s side as always. First, he went to comfort Willow.

Then, his eyes locked onto Athena, his expression menacing, as if to warn her, “You’ll pay for this later.”

“Matthew is still as foolish as ever,” Natasha sneered, her tone laced with contempt.

She was sticking up for Athena as she recalled how incredibly good Athena was to Matthew back then.

She remembered how Athena would go out of her way to get him whatever he fancied.

Back then, Athena had also gifted him a rare country-old bow without a second thought.

However, her genuine kindness had been thrown away. ‘Matthew, that ungrateful wretch, had turned around and bitten the hand that fed him,’ Natasha silently fumed.

Natasha, thinking Athena was upset by this, gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and said, “Don’t worry. We’ll crush them on the field and settle this once and for all.”

But Athena paid no attention to Matthew. In a quiet corner not far away, a solitary figure stood motionless.

His piercing gaze cut through the crowd and landed squarely on her.

Without her having to seek him out, he stepped forward of his own accord.

Like a single stroke of light in a dark tunnel, his presence illuminated everything around him.

Nothing in the world could compare to the breathtaking impact of his fleeting presence.

A sharp intake of breath came from Natasha as she whispered, “Prince Xander? He actually showed up?”