Athena entered the room and, sure enough, found Xander sulking by the window. He clearly saw Athena come in and started to rise to greet her, but then, remembering his pique, he plopped right back down into his seat. As Athena walked into the room, Xander couldn’t help but steal a furtive glance at her. Though he was the one sulking, Xander inexplicably felt a pang of guilt.
“Have you had your dinner, my dear?” Athena asked softly as she approached Xander. Seeing Xander with a sulky face, Athena couldn’t help but find it a bit amusing. She poured him a cup of coffee. Xander met Athena’s gaze and saw her eyes brimming with mirth, utterly unbothered, as if nothing had happened. Suddenly, a wave of bitterness and jealousy surged through Xander, threatening to drown him.
‘She’s that happy just seeing Michael,’ Xander fumed inwardly. ‘Ugh, this is unfair.’
Xander snatched up the cup and, in a fit of pique, threw his head back to gulp it down—just as Athena’s warning cut in, “Careful, it’s hot.”
It was too late. The coffee splashed out, scalding the back of his hand. Athena gasped and quickly grabbed Xander’s hand, alarmed to see the angry red mark on the back. “The coffee was just hot, my dear. How could you gulp it down like that?” she scolded gently, then called out, “Trina, fetch the ointment—now.”
“Can’t you tell what’s different about me?” Xander muttered after swallowing hard twice. He made up his mind. There was no way he was letting this slide so easily.
Athena nodded. “That huge crack in the door? Yeah, I saw it.”
Xander gasped. He was about to speak when Athena looked at him with a straight face and said, “I checked that door panel. It’s made of pine and has been falling apart for years. Honestly, I’ve been wanting to get rid of it for ages. Your kick was actually just right.”
Xander was stunned for a moment. ‘Is that what she should be focusing on?’ he wondered. ‘No, this wouldn’t do. It’s time to have a proper talk with Athena.’
“My dear, sit down,” Xander said, taking Athena’s hand and guiding her to sit facing him. Meeting her clear gaze, Xander cleared his throat and finally admitted, “Darling, I’m upset with you.”
Athena nodded, amusement flickering in her eyes. “I know,” she said with a playful smile.
“Shouldn’t you-” Words were stuck in Xander’s throat. He just couldn’t bring himself to say that aloud. Xander looked at Athena with hopeful, puppy-dog eyes, silently urging her. Then he prompted, “So, what are you going to do about it?”
Athena’s eyes gleamed mischievously as she pretended to ponder. “Oh, I made my dear husband angry?” she said with exaggerated solemnity. “Then I shall punish myself by sleeping in the guest room tonight.”
“Trina, move my bedding to the guest room,” Athena said, rising swiftly and issuing the order before Xander could react. Trina swiftly directed two nimble young maids into the room. They quickly gathered Athena’s bedding and carried it to the guest room.
Chapter 378
Xander was dumbfounded. ‘Wait, this isn’t right,’ he thought. ‘Shouldn’t she be coaxing me and apologizing by now?
Xander wanted to ask Athena to stay, but with so many people in the room, his pride just wouldn’t let him say a word. Xander could only watch helplessly as Athena moved her things to the guest room, unable to say a word to stop her. Xander slumped back into his chair in utter bewilderment, staring blankly into space.
‘What the hell? I was just throwing a little tantrum. How come my wife really moved out?’ Xander thought, utterly bewildered.
That night, Xander tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. Back when he was alone, Xander had never given it a second thought. But ever since he married Athena, they’d been sharing the bed every night, and he had long grown accustomed to her using his arm as a pillow. That night, with Athena gone, Xander was struck by how absurdly large the bed felt. The mattress was hard, and the covers weren’t the least bit cozy. In short, nothing felt right to him.
Xander flung the covers off the bed in exasperation. Barefoot, Xander paced restlessly back and forth across the room, then darted to the window to peer toward the study. It seemed the study was already dark.
Xander thought to himself, ‘Athena actually fell asleep. What a heartless woman. How could she just drift off like nothing happened?’
Fuming, Xander jumped out of bed barefoot, flung open the door, and stormed out.
Ansel was standing night watch when he saw Xander storm out barefoot and disheveled. Startled, he stammered, “Your Highness?”
“Get out,” Xander snarled, his voice dripping with fury.
Ansel recoiled, cursing himself for speaking up. Xander marched up to the study door, hesitated at the sight of it firmly shut, and for a moment considered kicking it open–but thought better of it. Then he circled around to the back and slipped in through the window.
The moment Xander stepped inside, he was enveloped by Athena’s unmistakable scent—familiar and uniquely hers. Only a tiny candle flickered within the room. The bed was veiled by curtains, hiding what lay within. Xander tiptoed closer, carefully drew back the curtain, and froze in stunned silence.
“DARLING, with a perfectly good door right there, you just had to climb in through the window like a rogue,” Athena teased, her eyes full of mischief. “Aren’t you worried about the scandal if word gets out?”
Only then did Xander realize she had set him up on purpose. Xander plopped down on the bed and immediately wrapped his arms around her slender waist.
Xander buried his face in her waist and grumbled in a muffled voice, “My dear, how could you be so heartless?”
Athena burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking with mirth.
Xander looked up at her, his eyes glistening with moisture. “Laugh all you want,” he muttered petulantly. “I couldn’t care less.”
‘Well, I’m already hopelessly wrapped around Athena’s finger this lifetime–what’s a little window-climbing between us?’ he wondered. He was capable of far worse down the road.
Chapter 378.
Athena gently patted Xander’s shoulder and said softly, “There, there, don’t be upset, it’s not that I don’t want you with me. I’m just worried that if you see Michael, you’ll start overthinking things again. Rather than dealing with that, I thought it’d be better if we just avoided the situation altogether. Michael and I are just friends now. He took an arrow for me—that’s a debt of gratitude I can’t just forget."
Xander scoffed indignantly. “His so-called favor? I repaid him right then and there. Even if he hadn’t jumped in front of you, that arrow wouldn’t have touched you. What need was there for him to play the hero?”
At this point, his tone hardened, each word squeezed out between clenched teeth, his voice thick with barely concealed resentment. “If anyone’s going to take an arrow for you, it should be me.”
Three arrows had been shot at Michael. If Xander hadn’t swiftly intercepted the one aimed straight for his heart, he might not have survived.
Athena stared dumbfounded at the man before her–this was the renowned general whose military exploits echoed across battlefields. He was decisive and ruthless, the Prince Xander whose single hand could shift the tides of power. But right now, he was acting like a clingy puppy. His words were just so petty and childish, it was almost laughable.
Athena cupped Xander’s face in her hands, tilting it this way and that with playful scrutiny. Her sparkling eyes mirrored Xander’s puzzled expression. “What are you looking at?” Athena teased.
“Just checking if you have been possessed,” Athena chuckled softly. “You’re acting so unlike yourself.”
Xander froze for a beat, then it hit him–Athena was teasing him. He pounced on Athena like a playful tiger, pinning her beneath him.
Xander dug his fingers into Athena’s waist, relentlessly tickling her until she was gasping for air between peals of laughter.
Xander wouldn’t let up, tickling her as he teased, “Laugh at me, will you? Go on, laugh at me again–do you dare?”
“No, no more. I surrender. I won’t dare again,” Athena gasped, pleading for mercy as laughter filled the room.
Outside the door, Alexandra, who had hurried over, turned crimson with embarrassment at the laughter coming from inside. Flustered, she muttered, “Goodness gracious. What indecent behavior? Come on, let’s go–quickly now.”
Alexandra had gotten word that Athena and Xander were having a fight. Alexandra had been all set to give Athena a proper scolding as her mother-in-law. To her shock, she walked in on such an embarrassingly intimate scene. Far from fighting, the young couple were all over each other, acting lovey-dovey.
Alexandra beat a hasty retreat from the study and, on her way back, vented her anger on her maid. “You stupid girl. Did that look like a quarrel to you? You made me come all this way for nothing.”
“Please don’t be angry, Your Grace. I know I was wrong,” said the maid.
“Let’s go. Move it,” Alexandra snapped impatiently.